IBM Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) based systems configured with Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) and a Logical Unit Number (LUN) larger than 2 Terabytes (2,147,483,648 kilobyte) may have data consistency errors.
The symptoms vary depending on howan application logs data consistency errors.
Source
RETAIN tip: H16222
Symptom
IBM Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) based systems configured with Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) and a Logical Unit Number (LUN) larger than 2 Terabytes (2,147,483,648 kilobyte) may have data consistency errors.
The symptoms vary depending on how an application logs data consistency errors.
All of the following specific conditions must apply for the error condition to occur:
The server UEFI is at the following version or earlier:
- BladeCenter HS22 - v1.08
- BladeCenter HS22V - v1.08
- iDataPlex dx360 M2 - v1.04
- iDataPlex dx360 M3 - v1.07
- System x3200 M3 - v1.06
- System x3250 M3 - v1.06
- System x3400 M2 - v1.04
- System x3400 M3 - v1.04
- System x3500 M2 - v1.04
- System x3500 M3 - v1.04
- System x3550 M2 - v1.07
- System x3550 M3 - v1.07
- System x3620 M3 - v1.00
- System x3650 M2 - v1.07
- System x3650 M3 - v1.07
- System x3850 X5 - v1.02
- System x3950 X5 - v1.02
The system is configured with a Logical Unit Number (LUN) (SCSI disk) greater than 2 Terabytes (TB).
The LUN is configured using the GUID Partition Table (GPT) scheme.
The UEFI Option Read Only Memory (ROM) is enabled on one or more of certain HBAs when controlling a LUN greater than 2 TB (See Affected configurations):
If a system has this specific configuration, then immediately update to the UEFI firmware version containing the Fix below.
Affected configurations
The system may be any of the following IBM servers:
- BladeCenter HS22, type 1936, any model
- BladeCenter HS22, type 7870, any model
- BladeCenter HS22V, type 1949, any model
- BladeCenter HS22V, type 7871, any model
- System x3200 M3, type 7327, any model
- System x3200 M3, type 7328, any model
- System x3250 M3, type 4251, any model
- System x3250 M3, type 4252, any model
- System x3250 M3, type 4261, any model
- System x3400 M2, type 7836, any model
- System x3400 M2, type 7837, any model
- System x3400 M3, type 7378, any model
- System x3400 M3, type 7379, any model
- System x3500 M2, type 7839, any model
- System x3500 M3, type 7380, any model
- System x3550 M2, type 4198, any model
- System x3550 M2, type 7946, any model
- System x3550 M3, type 4254, any model
- System x3550 M3, type 7944, any model
- System x3620 M3, type 7376, any model
- System x3650 M2, type 4199, any model
- System x3650 M2, type 7947, any model
- System x3650 M3, type 4255, any model
- System x3650 M3, type 7945, any model
- System x3850 X5, type 7145, any model
- System x3850 X5, type 7146, any model
- System x3950 X5, type 7145, any model
- iDataPlex dx360 M2 Server, type 6380, any model
- iDataPlex dx360 M2 Server, type 7321, any model
- iDataPlex dx360 M2 Server, type 7323, any model
- iDataPlex dx360 M3 Server, type 6391, any model
The system is configured with one or more of the following IBM Options:
- Brocade 8 Gigabit FC Dual-port HBA for IBM System x, Option part number 46M6050, replacement part number (FRU) 46M6062
- Brocade 8 Gigabit FC Single-port HBA for IBM System x, Option part number 46M6049, replacement part number (FRU) 46M6061
- Emulex 8 Gigabit Fibre Channel Expansion Card (CIOv) for IBM BladeCenter, Option part number 46M6140, replacement part number (FRU) 46M6138
- QLogic 10 Gigabit CNA for IBM System x, Option part number 42C1800, replacement part number (FRU) 42C1802
- QLogic 2-port 10 Gigabit Converged Network Adapter (CFFh) for IBM BladeCenter, Option part number 42C1830, replacement part number (FRU) 42C1832
- QLogic 4 Gigabit PCIe FC Dual-port HBA for IBM System x, Option part number 39R6527, replacement part number (FRU) 39R6528
- QLogic 4 Gigabit PCIe FC Single-port HBA for IBM System x, Option part number 39R6525, replacement part number (FRU) 39R6526
- QLogic 8 Gigabit FC Dual-port HBA for IBM System x, Option part number 42D0510, replacement part number (FRU) 42D0516
- QLogic 8 Gigabit FC Single-port HBA for IBM System x, Option part number 42D0501, replacement part number (FRU) 42D0507
- QLogic 8 Gigabit Fibre Channel Expansion Card (CIOv) for IBM BladeCenter, Option part number 44X1945, replacement part number (FRU) 44X1948
This tip is not software specific.
Solution
This behavior has been corrected in the following releases of UEFI firmware:
- iDataPlex dx360 M2 Version 1.10 - BuildID: TME148B
- iDataPlex dx360 M3 Version 1.10 - BuildID: TME148B
- System x3200 M3 Version 1.07 - BuildID: GYE136A
- System x3250 M3 Version 1.07 - BuildID: GYE136A
- System x3400 M2 Version 1.05 - BuildID: Y4E148B
- System x3400 M3 Version 1.05 - BuildID: Y4E148B
- System x3500 M2 Version 1.05 - BuildID: Y4E148B
- System x3500 M3 Version 1.05 - BuildID: Y4E148B
- System x3550 M2 Version 1.08 - BuildID: D6E148B
- System x3550 M3 Version 1.08 - BuildID: D6E148B
- System x3650 M2 Version 1.08 - BuildID: D6E148B
- System x3650 M3 Version 1.08 - BuildID: D6E148B
- System x3850 X5 Version 1.23 - BuildID: G0E122D
- System x3950 X5 Version 1.23 - BuildID: G0E122D
- System x3620 M3 Version 1.01 - BuildID: HSE113B
- BladeCenter HS22 - Version 1.09 - BuildID: P9E148A
- Bladecenter HS22V - Version 1.09 - BuildID: P9E148A
The file is available from the IBM System x Support web site at the following URL:
- Update the UEFI firmware.
- Disable UEFI Option ROM if you have one of the affected HBAs listed above and your data LUNs are going to be larger than 2 TB (see the
Workaround section for what may be affected by performing this setting).
Disabling UEFI Option ROM
In the F1 Setup utility, select System Settings, Devices and I/O Ports, and Enable/Disable Adapter Option ROM Support.
Note: Even with the latest UEFI firmware flashed on the primary UEFI bank, the user might be affected by this issue if the system boots to the Backup UEFI due to the primary failing, if the backup was not updated with the latest UEFI firmware. After updating the system with the latest UEFI firmware, make sure the primary UEFI is functioning well and the system boots up fine to the OS then proceed to flash the backup UEFI. To do this, Boot from the primary uEFI and perform one of the following commands:
For local programming:
| |
iflash.exe --package ibm_uefi_d6e1xxa_anyos_i386.upd --backup |
For remote programming:
| |
iflash.exe --package ibm_uefi_d6e1xxa_anyos_i386.upd --backup --host xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx --user USERID --password PASSW0RD
Usage: iflash <options>
--package <file name> Update file (.upd)
--user <User name> IMM User ID
--password <Password> IMM Password
--force Update even if target is not downlevel.
--unattended Turn off attended mode.
--backup Target the secondary flash device if available.
--no-reboot Do not reset the target device after update.
--password-file <file> Pass the name of a file containing the password.
--skip_min_level Bypass the hard check for minimum firmware level.
--bypass_platform Bypass the hard check for platform correctness.
-s, --silent Quiet mode. Turns off all screen output.
(Quiet mode also implies unattended operation.)
-h, -?, --help View help
|
Note: The --package is a mandatory option to perform any update.
Workaround
The issue can be prevented by using one of the following workarounds
Workaround 1
Disable the Option ROM on any storage HBA installed in the system that controls a LUN greater than 2 TB.
Disabling UEFI Option ROM
In the F1 Setup utility, select System Settings, Devices and I/O Ports, and Enable/Disable Adapter Option ROM Support.
When disabling Option ROM support, the following message will be seen: "Disabling may adversely affect Preboot/boot functions." This means that after this setting is made, you cannot boot from a LUN attached to that HBA. The boot partition cannot be on a LUN larger than 2 TB or on an HBA that controls LUNs larger than 2 TB.
Workaround 2
Do not create or continue to use LUNs larger than 2 TB.
Important Note: Under the following conditions the disablement of the Option ROM(s) will not stay set. Users must again disable the Option ROM(s) if any of the following occurs while using LUNs larger than 2 TB:
- UEFI is reset to default.
- The system does three (3) incomplete reboots (this sets UEFI back to default).
- The system board is replaced and it has an affected level of UEFI firmware.
Additional information
Up to now, and including these latest releases, the IBM UEFI implementation does not provide support for boot LUNs larger than 2 TB.
The boot partition cannot be located on a LUN larger than 2 TB or on an HBA that controls a LUN larger than 2 TB.
The UEFI Option ROM must be disabled in order to support a LUN greater than 2 TB.
The data error issue occurs when UEFI performs a consistency check on the two (2) copies of the partition table. One copy is written to the first part of the LUN and the second copy is suppose to be written at the end of the LUN. However, on a HBA with a LUN size greater than 2 TB, the check fails since the UEFI low level SCSI driver cannot access the area located beyond 2 TB. Upon failure, the driver writes a new second copy in an area which is not the actual end of the LUN, possibly overwriting existing data.
The latest UEFI firmware is correcting this error condition by preventing the SCSI driver from attempting reads / writes to improper areas which are out-of-range, by failing the request.
The issue is not known to affect the following HBAs:
- All IBM ServeRAID adapters
- IBM 3 Gigabit SAS HBA v2 Option part number 44E8700, replacement part number (FRU) 44E8701
- QLogic iSCSI Single-Port PCIe Option part number 39Y6146, replacement part number (FRU) 39Y6148
- QLogic iSCSI Dual-Port PCIe Option part number 42C1770, replacement part number (FRU) 42C1772
- Brocade 10 Gigabit Dual-Port CNA Option part number 42C1820, replacement part number (FRU) 42C1822
- Emulex 8 GigabitFC Single-Port HBA Option part number 42D0485, replacement part number (FRU) 42D0491
- Emulex 8 GigabitFC Dual-Port HBA Option part number 42D0494, replacement part number (FRU) 42D0500
- Emulex 4 GigabitFC Single-Port HBA Option part number 42C2069, replacement part number (FRU) 43W7510
- Emulex 4 GigabitFC Dual-Port HBA Option part number 42C2071, replacement part number (FRU) 43W7512
BladeCenter:Operating system independent / None
System x:Operating system independent / None
System x Hardware Options:Operating system independent / None
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