[CentOS] Random Proliant Crashes CentOS 6.1

Richard Karhuse rkarhuse at gmail.com
Sun Dec 18 20:44:24 UTC 2011


On Sun, Dec 18, 2011 at 3:21 PM, John Hinton <webmaster at ew3d.com> wrote:

> On 12/18/2011 2:22 PM, Richard Karhuse wrote:
> > If you follow the cited bugzilla's, you'll see that you *must* upgrade
> > your HP firmware too (for everything(!!) -- particularly RAID controllers
> > and SAS expander, etc.) -->  to the absolute latest release.  [Note: the
> > updates on the 9.30 ISO are *not* late enough, btw.]  Then, you need
> > the latest version of the kernel that has a work-around in the cciss /
> hpsa
> > driver.
> >
> > HTH
> >
> >     -rak-
> >
> Thanks. I have already started down the firmware path. This is
> irritating! 15 years of solid reliability out of Proliant products and
> then suddenly this! :( I'm starting to wonder if the Linux kernel is
> just trying to do too many things... geez... (Isn't that what Windows
> does?) Maybe there is a need for a server kernel which could be a
> simplified version of a desktop or full kernel? Then again, I have no
> insight into what led to this... perhaps it was introduced due to the
> server side features.
>

The problem is *not* the linux kernel --> it's HP firmware.  Look @ the
kernel changes and you'll see where it is working around HP FW.

Note:  Some of the firmware upgrades *require* that the box and disks/
MSA's be power cycled (as in you must pull the power cord!) for the FW
upgrade to take effect.  If you don't do that the new FW isn't what's being
used ... (but, then, I assume most folks realise that about FW upgrades...)


>
> So, by "latest kernel", I suppose that would not be the latest CentOS
> 6.1 kernel? If not, does anyone know if it is in any kernel provided by
> upstream and if it will soon be available under CentOS? For instance 6.2
> that seems to be just around the corner?
>
>
The latest kernel in the channel should have the "fix" (aka work-around)
in it.  Of course, it is not effective unless the corresponding FW patch is
also been applied.  You have to be very diligent and find the FW's on the
HP site and get the very latest.  Not sure about G4's, but on G6's, the
motherboard FW upgrade was also important too (and is not part of 9.30).


> Upstream seemed to blame it on their upstream, or the kernel. The cases
> I found were closed in spite of no good resolution. There has to be a
> ton of Proliant stuff out there. Actually, HP seems to have a lot of
> holes in providing for RH6 and has only RH5 for many of these firmware
> updates. I did successfully run HP RH5 firmware updates on a RH6 box,
> but I'm not so happy about taking chances like that.
>
> Or worse.... perhaps we are starting to see a degradation due to
> ownership by HP vs. the fine products that Compaq created? I certainly
> hope not!
>
> Meanwhile, I guess I'll sit back and wait to see if what I have done is
> enough.
>
> --
> John Hinton
>


HTH.

  -rak-



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