SERVERAID II with NVRAM BATTERY CACHE PROBLEMS

Subject: SERVERAID II with NVRAM BATTERY CACHE PROBLEMS
New Netfinity server RETAIN Tip: 

    Record number:       H165927
    Device:              D/T8644
    Model:               M
    Hit count:           UHC00000
    Success count:       USC0000
    Publication code:    PC50
    Tip key:
    Date created:        O99/01/27
    Date last altered:   A99/02/17
    Owning B.U.:         USA


Abstract: SERVERAID II with NVRAM BATTERY CACHE PROBLEMS

TEXT:

There can be problems with using the 2.87 Firmware with the ServeRAID II adapter and the NVRAM Battery Backup Cache in combination.

SYMPTOMS:

•  System appears to hang (no activity for a period of time).

  Note: This may be seen when installing Operating systems, or during file transfers, or other I/O activity.

•  Drives may get marked DDD after the system hang.
•  Errors while transferring files.

PROBLEM ISOLATION AIDS:

•  The system is any PC Server or Netfinity server that supports the ServeRAID II adapter.
•  The ServeRAID II adapter is at BIOS level 3.10.05 and Firmware level 2.87.03.
•  The ServeRAID II has the NVRAM Battery Backup Cache installed.

  Note: The Netfinity ServerProven Compatibility web page is at the following URL:

  http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/compat/

•  The array that is having the problem is a two (2) hard drive, RAID-1 logical drive, that is configured for Write-Back mode.

  Note: This problem is not seen in RAID-5, or RAID-0, or in Write-Through Mode.

FIX

The fix for this problem is in the IBM ServeRAID BIOS Firmware Update Diskette v3.11.
The fix is to upgrade the BIOS and Firmware to this level or greater.

IBM ServeRAID BIOS Firmware Update Diskette v3.11 is to be used in conjunction with the 3.10 versions of the ServeRAID software
(i.e. Device Drivers, Command Line Utilities, ServeRAID Administration Utility, etc.).
If the server is not currently at the 3.10 level of ServeRAID software, IBM recommends that you update to 3.10 versions of ServeRAID software at the same time you are updating to the 3.11 ServeRAID BIOS/Firmware.

The fix, version 3.11 or later, and the other recommended ServeRAID diskettes can be downloaded from the following URL:

http://www.pc.ibm.com/searchfiles.html

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