[Info-vax] rx3600 SAS controller

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2016-11-13 20:16:55 +0000, Hans Vlems said:

> Hoff, the previous problems reported for this system were all due to an 
> improperly installed iLO card. That's fixed and then I've had to 
> replace the core SAS card.

And what else?   These systems were apparently decommissioned, and 
haven't (yet?) been working properly while in your possession.

> What I didn't check yet was its firmware version.

Itanium is quite dependent on firmware revisions, and on controller 
firmware compatibility.   Modern computers might seem a single- or 
two-socket processor, but are comprised of dozens or hundreds or more 
of independent and variously interdependent processors, organized in an 
often-loose network scattered across various I/O controllers and 
peripherals and various mainboard components, and — depending on the 
system and the configuration — add-ons such as the iLO or DRAC or such, 
and (on x86) AMT (running who-knows-what), and then there are the wads 
of (on x86) inaccessible code running in SGX.  Increasingly complex 
beasts, and with more than a little firmware involved.   But I digress. 
  If it's at all an option, upgrade the Integrity Itanium firmware to 
current.   That's cured more than a little weirdness over the years.

> In the mean time I've installed VMS on a disk connected to an HP P800 
> raid controller. That disk is seen by EFi at boot time and the system 
> can boot off it.
> The disks on the core SAS controller are usable by VMS though. After 
> restoring the configuration specific items from a backup these disks 
> just mounted and worked.

Well, you could run with that, then.

> It's a weird problem. I have another SAS controller on its way. That is 
> nice about recently phased out gear: plenty spare parts at reasonable 
> prices :)

Haven't checked the specs to see if there are boot-path limitations on 
this series of box.   Not that I recall, though.   But here, I'd tend 
toward suspecting firmware.

> Don't forget Hoff that it's a hobby, by definition expensive and not 
> necessarily useful. Like flying, another great way to spend money :-)

Particularly on electricity, with the Ruby & Sapphire-class boxes.

But in this case, maybe just run with what boots.


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