UEFI LAN to USB conflict with MegaRAID Storage Manager - IBM System x3550 M2, x3650 M2

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H195314

Symptom

The issue is a conflict between MegaRAID Storage Manager (MSM) software (any version), and the Local Area Network (LAN) to Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface (with the driver properly installed and the interface assigned the 169.254.95.119 IP address) on the System x servers noted.

The issue will occur when using MSM to establish a network based communication in an effort to remotely control a System x server's ServeRAID MR10i controller for management purposes. The symptom presented is different with Windows versus Linux, but in both instances, the ability to authenticate and connect to the ServeRAID controller will fail.

Issue is exhibited via the steps below:

1. On a System x server, as referenced in this tip and installed with either the Windows 2003/2008 or Linux Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5.x Operating System (OS).
   (Note: It does not matter if either OS is 32-bit or 64-bit).
   
   
2. Install the LAN to USB driver, and validate that the default IP address of 169.254.95.119 is assigned.
   
   
3. Install the MSM software and agent on the same server.
   
   
4. Assign and IP address to the server's local network interface. For example, 10.1.1.2 255.255.255.0.
   
   
5. Install the MSM software using the complete install on the remote management workstation. Also, configure the workstation with an appropriate IP address. For example, 10.1.1.5 255.255.255.0
   
   
6. Launch the MSM software interface on the local management workstation. When it comes up, mark the "Connect to remote server IP address" box and enter in the IP address assigned in Step 3. Click on Update, and then, attempt to connect. The software interface should show you the remote servers' Network Interface Controller (NIC) interface and should prompt you to log on.
   

You should be denied access based on authentication, or not be able to establish a logon authentication session at all. The outcome is dependent on which OS you install on the System x server.

Affected configurations

The system may be any of the following IBM servers:

• System x3550 M2, type 4198, any model
• System x3550 M2, type 7946, any model
• System x3650 M2, type 4199, any model
• System x3650 M2, type 7947, any model

The system is configured with at least one of the following:

• LSI Logic MegaRAID Storage Manager, any version

The system is configured with one or more of the following IBM Options:

• Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)

The MegaRAID Storage Manager utility is affected.

Note: This does not imply that the network operating system will work under all combinations of hardware and software. Please see the compatibility page for more information: http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/serverproven/compat/us/

Workaround

The issue has two (2) Workarounds.

Option 1:

A route statement can be added on the local workstation that will uses the local workstations NIC as a gateway to route traffic designated for the 169.254.95.x network. In this way, the network communication for the MSM software installed on the management workstation and the remote System x server's ServeRAID controller will succeed.
For example, on a Windows XP Professional workstation:

Option 2:

Disable the LAN to USB interface on the System x server you are attempting to connect to from the remote workstation.

Additional information

The Symptom is relative to the way that the host OS of the System x server perceives the precedence of the LAN to USB bridged interface. The local NIC on the server that should be used is ignored or weighted differently and thus, not used. The Workaround alleviates the problem by establishing a network communication path from the local workstation to the remote server and the LAN to USB bridged interface using the 169.254.95.x network.

Alternatively, you can use the workaround that disables the LAN to USB interface and thereby, eliminate the problem of precedence on the System x server when MSM attempts to connect to the ServeRAID controller.