emc powerpath for aix version 5.3 and service pack ... arrays with firmware vcs 3.x, hp storageworks...

These release notes contain information about features, systemrequirements, and limitations of PowerPath 5.3 for AIX. The releasenotes supplement other PowerPath 5.3 documentation.

◆ Revision History ....................................................................................2◆ Product description...............................................................................2◆ New features and changes ...................................................................2◆ Fixed problems ......................................................................................6◆ Environment and system requirements.............................................9◆ Known problems and limitations .....................................................17◆ Technical notes.....................................................................................22◆ Documentation ....................................................................................25◆ Software media, organization, and files...........................................27◆ Installation............................................................................................28◆ Troubleshooting and getting help.....................................................28

EMC® PowerPath®

for AIXVersion 5.3 and Service Pack Releases

Release NotesP/N 300-008-342

Rev A05

November 2, 2009

1

2

Revision History

Revision HistoryThe following table presents the revision history of this document.

Product descriptionThe EMC® PowerPath® family of products includes PowerPathmultipathing software, PowerPath Migration Enabler®, andPowerPath Encryption with RSA®. This release note coversPowerPath multipathing. PowerPath Migration Enabler andPowerPath Encryption are covered in separate release notedocuments, available on Powerlink.

PowerPath is a host-resident software solution designed to enhanceperformance and application availability. PowerPath combinesautomatic load balancing, path failover, and multiple path I/Ocapabilities into one integrated package.

Your license type determines the extent of PowerPath functionalityavailable. If you have questions about your license, contact your EMCCustomer Support Representative.

New features and changesThis section includes new features and changes in PowerPath 5.3 andservice pack releases.

Revision Date Description

A01 December 4, 2008 First release of the 5.3 version and its service packreleases.

A02 December 15, 2008 Updated End-of-life announcements.

A03 May 21, 2009 Added a known issue pertaining to PowerHA(HACMP) two node setup.

A04 October 19, 2009 Updated content for the 5.3 SP1 Release.

A05 November 2, 2009 Updated content in the Limitations section

EMC PowerPath for AIX Version 5.3 and Service Pack Releases Release Notes

New features and changes

PowerPath 5.3 SP1 PowerPath 5.3 SP1 for AIX is a full package installation. You do notneed to install PowerPath 5.3 before installing SP1, and you canupgrade directly to 5.3 SP1 from PowerPath 4.5 or later.

PowerPath 5.3 SP1 includes the following new features and changes.

◆ Support for the following CLARiiON features:

• Asymmetric Logical Unit Access (ALUA) failover mode,including support for SCSI-2 reservations with FLARE version04.28.000.5.704 or later.

Note: Limitations apply when performing non-disruptive upgrades(NDU) of CLARiiON array software. “Limitations” on page 20provides details. “ALUA failover mode for CLARiiON arrays” onpage 25 contains general ALUA information.

• More than 256 LUNs per storage group with CLARiiONFLARE version 04.29 and later.

◆ N_PortID Virtualization (NPIV) support. NPIV allows a singleFCP port to register multiple Worldwide Port Names (WWPN)with a fabric name server. Each registered WWPN is assigned aunique N_Port ID. With NPIV, a single FCP port can appear asmultiple WWPNs in the FCP fabric.

◆ Support for Symmetrix VMax.

• For Symmetrix VMax, Solutions Enabler 7.x.x and EMC ODM5.3.0.3 are required.

◆ The ability to enable or disable iostat reporting through chdevcommand to prevent double counting of statistics whenPowerPath is registered as a physical disk with AIX.

◆ Thin provisioning support on CLARiiON and Symmetrix arrays.Support requires Symmetrix 5773 or later and CLARiiON FLARE04.28.000.5.5xx or later with the Virtual Provisioning enabler.

◆ Support for the PP_DISPLAY_TIME_STAMP environmentvariable, which adds a time stamp to the powermt displaycommand output when either the TIME_VERBOSE orTIME_SECONDS value is defined. The PowerPath Family CLI andSystem Messages Reference contains more information.

3EMC PowerPath for AIX Version 5.3 and Service Pack Releases Release Notes

4


Note: PowerPath Encryption with RSA is currently not supported on AIX.Check the EMC Interoperability Navigator for supported Encryptionconfigurations.

PowerPath 5.3 PowerPath 5.3 for AIX adds support for the following new features:

◆ Support of the emcpadm command to export and import pseudodevice name and logical unit data in XML format. See “emcpadmcommand line utility” on page 22. The EMC PowerPath Family CLIand System Messages Reference Guide has more information on theemcpadm enhancements.

◆ Support for the new Stream I/O load balancing policy. See“Stream I/O policy” on page 23. The EMC PowerPath Family CLIand System Messages Reference Guide has more information onStream I/O.

◆ Support for the PowerPath Management Daemon using SNMPthat monitors PowerPath devices and alerts the administratorwhen access to devices is disrupted or the device configurationchanges. “Management Daemon using SNMP” on page 23 andthe EMC PowerPath for AIX Version 5.3 Installation andAdministration Guide provides more information on thePowerPath management daemon using SNMP.

◆ Expanded support for the Unique Device Identifier (UDID)feature. UDID is already in use as an identifier for MPIO devicesand has been expanded to include support for iSCSI EMCSymmetrix® (Internet Protocol version 4 and version 6) and EMCCLARiiON® (Internet Protocol version 4 only) devices. The EMCHost Connectivity Guide for AIX contains more information onUDID.

◆ New PowerPath Migration Enabler technologies are supported inPowerPath 5.3 for AIX:

• EMC Symmetrix TimeFinder®/Clone (also known asSYMCLONE) is a Migration Enabler technology that creates afull volume copy of a source device when the source andtarget devices are in the same Symmetrix array.

• A host-based copy (also known as Host Copy) migration worksin conjunction with the host operating system to migrate datafrom the specified source logical unit to the target logical unit.



The EMC PowerPath Migration Enabler User Guide contains moreinformation on PowerPath Migration Enabler with EMCTimeFinder/Clone, and Host Copy.

◆ Security root check has been added to various powermt,powermig, and powervt PowerPath commands that are restrictedto privileged users. Only root users can run powermt commandsother than help or version. A non-root user attempting to run anycommand besides help or version, will be rejected with an"Insufficient user privilege" message.

◆ Audit logging has been added to generate audit messages onmost powermt and powermig PowerPath commands. Therunning of these commands generate audit messages that allowthe tracking of commands run on a particular host. The EMCPowerPath for AIX Version 5.3 Installation and Administration Guideand the EMC PowerPath Family CLI and System Messages ReferenceGuide contain more information on audit logging.

◆ Path latency monitoring has been updated to reset the pathlatency threshold value to 0 (zero) when latency monitoring isturned off. When powermt set path_latency_monitoring=off isrun, the path latency threshold value resets to 0.

◆ Support for AIX 6.1.

◆ Several bug fixes, as described in “Fixed problems” on page 6.

Note: PowerPath Encryption with RSA is currently not supported on AIX.Check the EMC Interoperability Navigator for supported Encryptionconfigurations.

End-of-life announcementsThe following announcements apply to PowerPath for AIX.

PowerPath 5.3 PowerPath 5.3 has the following end-of-life announcements:

HP array supportEMC is phasing out PowerPath support for HP StorageWorksEMA12000, EMA16000, and MA8000 arrays. PowerPath 5.3 is the lastversion for AIX to include qualified support for these arrays, andsubsequent releases will not support them. Earlier PowerPath for AIXversions will continue to support the arrays in accordance with theEMC software support duration policy. EMC strives to minimize


6

Fixed problems

customer impact when implementing support changes and tomaintain backward compatibility whenever possible.

Consistency groupsConsistency groups will not be supported starting with the nextPowerPath version (5.3 SP1). Symmetrix Enginuity Version 5568 andlater provide support for consistency groups with the EnginuityConsistency Assist (ECA) feature. ECA can perform consistent splitoperations across multiple, heterogeneous hosts without the use ofPowerPath. The PowerPath emcpcg and emcpsapi extensionsassociated with consistency group support will be removed from thenext software version after 5.3 (that is, PowerPath 5.3 SP1), andassociated output and files will no longer appear.

PowerPath 5.3 SP1 PowerPath 5.3 SP1 has the following end-of-life announcement.

HP array supportEMC is phasing out PowerPath support for HP StorageWorks EVA3000/5000 arrays with firmware VCS 3.x, HP StorageWorks XP48/128/512/1024 arrays, and Hitachi Lightning arrays. PowerPath5.3 SP1 is the last version for AIX to include qualified support forthese arrays, and subsequent releases will not support them. EarlierPowerPath for AIX versions will continue to support the arrays inaccordance with the EMC software support duration policy. EMCstrives to minimize customer impact when implementing supportchanges and to maintain backward compatibility whenever possible.

Fixed problemsThis section lists the fixed problems in PowerPath 5.3.x. You can viewthe most current fixed problems for PowerPath online using EMCE-Lab™ Issue Tracker on Powerlink®. “Troubleshooting and gettinghelp” on page 28 provides additional information on accessing IssueTracker.


Fixed problems

Table 1 on page 7 lists the fixed problems in PowerPath 5.3.

Table 1 Fixed problems in PowerPath 5.3.x for AIX (1 of 2)

DescriptionFound inversion

Fixed inversion

313582Poor performance of a kernel trace and excessive use of CPU by the pp2def process.

5.3 HF1 5.3 SP1

304363In an issue pertaining to PowerHA (HACMP) two node setup, the paths to CLARiiON LUNs willdie and cannot be restored even though there is no breakage in the paths on both nodes. It isobserved that the paths that remain dead belong to hdiskpower devices holding the filesystemsresource groups.

5.3 HF1 5.3 SP1

302444Double counting of statistics occurs when PowerPath is registered as physical disk in the AIXplatform.

5.3.0 5.3 SP1

298945A reservation was placed on a LUN and subsequently an attempt was made to clear thatreservation. Upon clearing the reservation, it came back with a return value which is interpretedas a failure. It was also noticed that the reservation was cleared in spite of the return value beingdisplaying a failure status.

5.3.0 5.3 SP1

298565After upgrading to a higher version of PowerPath (Higher than the existing 5.3.0 version), aprocess called emcp_mond was displayed and used more than 90% of the CPU capacity.

5.3.0 5.3 SP1

297320(EMC knowledgebase Solution emc204166) On a shared LUN between two VIO servers,attempts to activate the volume on the second VIO server result in no valid volume descriptorbeing found even when the reserve_lock policy for the hdiskpower device as well as that of thehdisks comprising the hdiskpower device was set to no_reserve.

5.3.0 5.3 SP1

296425For a dual-VIO server setup, the lspath output for a VIO client booting off of a vscsi disk seen byboth VIO servers has one of its paths in a failed state.

5.3.0 5.3 SP1

295592(EMC knowledgebase Solution emc203275) Clearing a reservation on a LUN in a VCS clusterresults in clearing the reservation but throws an error return 16 where 0 is expected. This resultsin not being able to import a disk group.

5.3.0 5.3 SP1

292613After the host recovers from a hard reboot in the setup state & then initiates a sync for the stateto transit to sourceselected, all the target paths fail.

5.3.0 5.3 SP1


8

Fixed problems

257584Ability to clone to an ALUA device failed because ALUA does not support SCSI2 reservation.

5.3.0 5.3 SP1

283585Oracle CRS (Cluster Ready Services) scripts fail to run on Hitachi arrays with PowerPath 5.1installed.This issue is also documented in EMC Knowledgebase Solution emc192629.

5.1 5.3

282723Changing root ownership in PowerPath 5.1 to Oracle DBA (Database Administrator), on Hitachiarrays, causes path failures in PowerPath.This issue is also documented in EMC Knowledgebase Solution emc191287.

5.1 SP1 5.3

269656PowerPath does not send messages to the AIX log file when the path latency threshold value isexceeded. (The latency threshold value is set with the powermt set path_latency_thresholdcommand. Messages should appear when the threshold is exceeded.)This issue is also documented in EMC Knowledgebase Solution emc176399.

5.1 5.3

256084If using PowerPath with AIX 5.3, the pprootdev fix and emcpassive2active scripts will hang ifthe PowerPath boot device (for example, CLARiiON) has trespassed. This is due to an AIX 5.3limitation of bosboot, which is spawned by these two scripts.Do one of the following:• To resolve this issue install AIX 5.3 TL 07 or AIX 6.1.• To workaround this issue:

Press Ctrl-C to stop the script, and then trespass the boot device back to its default setting.Do not run bosboot after the script hangs or before restoring the boot device.

This issue is also documented in IBM APAR IZ01711.

AIX 5.3 AIX 5.3 TL 07AIX 6.1

255430powermt unmanage dev=<native_device> gives multiple warning messages when thePowerPath license is missing or expired.

5.2 5.3

240836, 239297System boot time doubles when Veritas 4.0 MP3 is installed.To resolve, upgrade to Veritas 5.0 or ask Symantec for a Veritas 4.0 patch that contains the fix.

4.5.2 VxVM 5.0

235871When you enter a value for powermt set path_latency_threshold that is invalid, an errormessage appears, but the message does not include the range of acceptable values.

5.0 5.3

Table 1 Fixed problems in PowerPath 5.3.x for AIX (2 of 2)

DescriptionFound inversion

Fixed inversion


Environment and system requirements

Environment and system requirementsThis section describes where to find interoperability and hostconfiguration information, and includes notes that are not found inother sources.

This section includes the following topics:

◆ “Interoperability information” on page 9

◆ “Host configuration” on page 11

◆ “Supported HBAs and drivers” on page 12

◆ “Storage array configuration” on page 15

◆ “Connectivity requirements” on page 16

PowerPath 5.3 host-based software operates with EMC Symmetrix,EMC CLARiiON, IBM ESS, Hitachi Lightning, Hitachi TagmaStore,EMC Invista, HP StorageWorks XP, and HP StorageWorks EVAstorage systems.

The Important Information About PowerPath SE document (available onPowerlink) provides information about the PowerPath version thatships in CLARiiON Utility Kits.

Interoperability informationBefore you install PowerPath, or whenever you make changes to thehost or storage environment where PowerPath operates, consult thefollowing resources:

◆ Section entitled "Before You Install" in the EMC PowerPath for AIXVersion 5.3 Installation and Administration Guide.

◆ EMC E-Lab Interoperability Navigator.

◆ EMC Host Connectivity Guide for IBM AIX (CLARiiON andSymmetrix systems only).

These resources will help you configure an environment in which allcomponents, including PowerPath, can operate optimally.

EMC E-Lab Interoperability NavigatorProvides detailed information about the hardware, software, andnetworked storage components that are tested and compatible withboth EMC storage systems and third-party storage systems. The EMC


10


E-Lab Interoperability Navigator describes supported host models,operating system revisions, HBAs, and connectivity devices.

The EMC E-Lab Interoperability Navigator, which is updated everymonth, is published at the Powerlink website and available in twoformats:

◆ The EMCLink E-Lab Navigator (formerly ESN Builder) link is aweb-based, searchable database configurator.

◆ The PDFs and Guides tab (within the E-Lab InteroperabilityNavigator) lets you view support information in Adobe PDFformat.

EMC Host Connectivity Guide (EMC storage arrays)Describes the features and setup procedures for AIX host interfaces toEMC Symmetrix and CLARiiON systems. Host connectivity guidesare updated quarterly and are published on the Powerlink website.

Before you install PowerPath, consult the:

◆ Section entitled "Before You Install" in the EMC PowerPath for AIXVersion 5.3 Installation and Administration Guide.

◆ EMC E-Lab Interoperability Navigator.

◆ EMC Host Connectivity Guide for IBM AIX (CLARiiON andSymmetrix systems only).

In addition, since changing any system component can change theway PowerPath manages storage paths, you should consult theseresources before you undertake any of the following common systemor network management tasks:

◆ Upgrade or change the host OS, or the HBA. (Refer specifically tothe Application Software chapter for your storage system model.)

◆ Change the model of the system that hosts PowerPath.

◆ Change or replace an HBA type, or adapter cable on the systemthat hosts PowerPath.

◆ Change components (for example, switches) of your networkconfiguration.

◆ Change the storage network zoning or device assignments.

◆ Change the array or storage system connected to the host.

The information in the following sections is accurate at the time ofpublication. However, information about qualified hardware andsoftware is revised and published monthly in the E-Lab



Interoperability Navigator and quarterly in the EMC HostConnectivity Guide for IBM AIX.

Note: In the event of discrepancies, information in the E-Lab InteroperabilityNavigator or host connectivity guide for AIX supersedes the information inthese sections.

Host configurationTable 2 shows supported operating systems.

Table 3 on page 11 shows the minimum free disk space requirementsfor installing PowerPath.

Table 2 Operating system support

Supported operatingsystem

Minimum supported packages and filesetsa

PowerPath 5.3 PowerPath 5.3 SP1

AIX 6.1 • 6.10 SP7• 6.1 TL1 SP3

• 6.10 SP7• 6.1 TL1 SP3 (6100-03-01-0921)

requires iFixIZ57216.090807.epkg.Z

AIX 5.3 (32 and 64-bit) • 5.3 TL6 SP10 • 5.3 TL6 SP10• 5.3 TL10 SP1 (5300-10-01-0921)

requires iFixIZ53813.090810.epkg.Z

AIX 5.2 (32 and 64-bit) • TL10 SP5 (APAR IZ11719)• TL10 SP7 (Available January,

2009)

TL10 SP5 (APAR IZ11719)

VIO server (32 and 64-bit) 1.5 1.5

a. You can obtain these fixes from the IBM website or your IBM representative. Refer to theE-Lab Interoperability Navigator for the most -up-to-date information.

Table 3 Disk space required to install PowerPath

File system or directory Minimum space requirements

/ (root) 5 MB

/usr 174 MB

/tmp 5 MB


12


If you are booting off a PowerPath device:

◆ You may need to extend the hd5 partition to avoid bosbootproblems, as described in “Extending the hd5 partition” onpage 14.

◆ PowerPath requires either the hardware, firmware, and APARsspecified in “PowerPath boot device requirements” on page 15 orthe workaround described in that section.

◆ A swap space twice that of the physical memory isrecommended.

Configuring specific ODM attributesEMC recommends setting certain Object Data Manager (ODM)attributes to enable enhanced error recovery during certain failoverscenarios. The EMC Host Connectivity Guide for IBM AIX on Powerlinkprovides more information on ODM attributes the Fast Fail feature.

To configure the ODM attributes:

1. For Fibre Channel switched environments only, enable theadapter driver fast_fail feature as follows:

chdev -l fscsix -a fc_err_recov=fast_fail -P

2. Run reboot or shutdown -Fr to restart the host. In addition tochanging the fc_err_recov ODM attribute, the num_cmd_elemsshould also be addedchdev -l fcsx -a num_cmd_elems=2048 -PFor NDU it is recommended to enable following two attributesfor all native devices along with fc_err_recov=fast _fail andnum_cmd_elems=2048

lsattr -El hdisk3 | egrep "clr_q|q_err"clr_q no Device CLEARS its Queueon error Trueq_err yes Use QERR bitTrue

Supported HBAs and driversConsult the E-Lab Interoperability Navigator for HBA models anddriver versions supported with EMC and third-party storagesystems. Heterogeneous configurations (managing different storagearrays through a single HBA) have been tested and qualified with allsupported EMC and third-party storage arrays. Note that the HBAmodel, driver, and firmware must be supported on each of thesearrays.



Note: Enter the lscfg -vpl fcsX command (where X is the adapter number)and verify the output shows the following variable is set to 3: DeviceSpecific.(ZM)........3.

Using Cambex HBAsWith PowerPath installed, Cambex PC2000LC HBAs require the AIX5 FCP driver. This driver can be downloaded from the Cambexwebsite. Follow the installation instructions provided for the driver.

Before you install the version 2.5.10.x driver, you must install the AIXEVA platform kit, and then remove the HP-provided driver (HPStorageWorks Secure Path driver version 1.5.23.0). PowerPath doesnot support the HP-provided driver.

Follow this procedure to install the AIX EVA platform kit and removethe HP-provided driver:

1. Go to the HP website.

2. Search for IBM AIX EVA 3.0F Platform Kit.

3. Download the aix_v3.tar file and unpack it in a local directory.

4. Run the INSTALL script to install the SP driver and the EVAdevice ODM.

5. Locate the HP-provided driver. Type:

lslpp –L PC1000.driver.obj

Note the 1.5.23.0 version of the driver. This is the HP-provideddriver.

6. Remove the HP-provided driver. Type:

installp –u PC1000.driver.obj

7. Install the latest FCP driver (version 2.5.10.x). Follow theinstructions downloaded with the driver.

8. Verify installation of the new driver. Type:

lslpp –L PC1000.driver.obj

Note the 2.5.10.x version of the driver. This is the version requiredfor PowerPath.

9. Install the Cambex AIX 5 FCP driver. Follow the instructionsprovided for the driver.


14


Upgrading a Cambex driver

To upgrade a Cambex PC1000.driver.obj to the most recent version:

1. Remove the HBA’s devices and any child devices. Type:

rmdev -Rdl fscsiX

2. Remove the old driver.

3. Install the new driver. Follow the instructions provided with thedriver.

Extending the hd5 partitionFor an AIX Bundle Installation or a full install, you should extend thehd5 partition in the following cases:

◆ The system disk is less or equal to 4 GB.

◆ The PP size is less than 8 MB and the number of hd5 PP is equal toone.

To check the number of PP, type:

lspv –p <hdiskX>| grep –i boot

where <hdiskX> is rootvg.

If there is only one PP, the output is similar to this:

1–1 used outer edge hd5 boot N/A

If you do not extend hd5, some bosboot problems might arise, withthe following message:

0301–161 bosboot: dd failed to copy boot image0301–165 bosboot: WARNING! System not bootable

The following procedure explains how to extend hd5 from one PP totwo PP. If the bosboot command still fails with two PP, extend hd5with a new PP, following the same procedure, until the bosbootcommand succeeds.

To extend the hd5 partition, type:

extendlv hd5 1

The two hd5 PP must be contiguous. In the following example, thetwo PP are not contiguous:

1–1 used outer edge hd5 boot N/A13–13 used outer edge hd5 boot N/A

To make the PP contiguous, remove hd5 and create it again by typing:

1. rmlv –f hd5



2. mklv –y hd5 –t boot –u2 rootvg 2 hdiskX

3. lspv –p hdiskX | grep –i boot

In the following example, the two PP are contiguous:

162–163 used outer middle hd5 boot N/A

After modifying the hd5 partition, type:

bosboot –a –d /dev/ipldevice

PowerPath boot device requirementsRefer to the E-Lab Interoperability Navigator for boot supportrequirements.

Troubleshooting

If you install PowerPath on Power4-based server without therequired firmware and APAR, you must uninstall PowerPath frommaintenance mode, and then apply the required fixes.

Storage array configurationBefore you install PowerPath, set up connections between a storagesystem and a host. The EMC Host Connectivity Guide for IBM AIXprovides information on setting up connections for Symmetrix andCLARiiON systems. For information on setting up connections forthird-party storage systems, refer to your vendor’s documentation.Refer to the E-Lab Interoperability Navigator on Powerlink forsupported EMC and third-party storage systems and firmwareversions.

Note: PowerPath can coexist with third-party path management softwaresuch as Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager (HDLM), IBM Subsystem DeviceDriver (SDD), HP StorageWorks Secure Path or HP StorageWorks AutoPathXP Virtual Array; however, PowerPath cannot co-manage devices withthird-party path management software. It is possible to have these packagesinstalled on the host alongside PowerPath but you must unmanage theappropriate device class in PowerPath in order to have devices managed bythese third-party products.

Symmetrix storagesystems

If your environment includes Symmetrix storage systems, refer to thefollowing:

◆ A problem with Symmetrix Enginuity 5x68 and 5x69 preventsPowerPath for AIX from recovering path state. To avoid thisproblem:


16


• If you run 5x69 code, apply minimum version 5669.42.19.

• If you run 5x68 code, and you have already applied fix 16710,now apply fix 19491.

Fix 16710 is available by special request only. If you have notapplied 16710, you do not need 19491.

For more information, contact your EMC Customer SupportRepresentative and refer to OPT 136739.

◆ With Symmetrix Enginuity 5773 and VxVM, Symmetrix patch5773.130.90 or later is required. This patch fixes an issue wherethe vxfentsthdw utility fails while testing a SCSI-3 persistentreservation enabled LUN.

For more information, refer to OPT 283266.

CLARiiON storagesystems

If your environment includes CLARiiON storage systems, refer alsoto:

◆ EMC Host Connectivity Guide for IBM AIX, which provides basicinformation about the features and setup procedures for hostinterfaces to CLARiiON systems.

◆ For information on when to install PowerPath on a host attachedto a CLARiiON storage system, refer to the CLARiiONstorage-system support website(www.emc.com\clariionsupport). From the home page, selectyour storage system type, then use the Attach server link (CX4systems) or the Install link (all other systems) to generatestep-by-step instructions.

Note: CLARiiON customers receive PowerPath with the CLARiiON UtilityKits that ship with CLARiiON CX- and CX3-series storage systems. Thisversion of PowerPath, referred to as PowerPath SE, provides basic failoverfor single HBA host configurations without the use of a license key. TheImportant Information About PowerPath SE document, available on thePowerlink website, provides additional information on the CLARiiONconfigurations supported by PowerPath SE.

Connectivity requirementsThe E-Lab Interoperability Navigator provides information about therequirements for Fibre Channel and switched fabric configurationsand components that can be used with PowerPath.


www.emc.com\clariionsupport

Known problems and limitations

Note: Install HBAs, their supporting firmware versions, and other networkcomponents using the manufacturer’s directions and the settings specified inthe E-Lab Interoperability Navigator. Using incorrect settings can causeerratic failover behavior or extended response time for system I/O.

Known problems and limitationsThis section describes known problems in PowerPath 5.3 for AIX.Each table indicates the problem description, workaround, andversion in which the problem was discovered.

This section covers the following topics:

◆ “Known problems” on page 17

◆ “Limitations” on page 20

Known problems Table 4 on page 17 shows problems in PowerPath 5.3 for AIX. You canview a complete list of known problems for PowerPath online usingE-Lab Issue Tracker on Powerlink. “Troubleshooting and gettinghelp” on page 28 provides additional information on accessing IssueTracker.

Table 4 Known problems in Version 5.3 for AIX (1 of 4)

Description WorkaroundFound inversion

315125When VCS 5.0 is installed and configured in a 2 node cluster, 1 nodehangs during the LLT configuration stage. It displays the "LLT linkdown" error message and the system goes to state from where evendump could not be initiated.

Install the LLT patch. The details are asfollows:• Required Patch for LLT:vcs-aix-5.0+e1274390_llt-patches.tar

• Patch includes: VRTSllt.rte.bff.

5.3 SP1

314617When CLARiiON LUNs of a storage group are put in mixed lun mode,an error is not logged. The failover mode of all the LUNs belonging tothat storage group doesn't align to the proper failover mode.

Do a reboot the host after changing thefailover mode.

5.3 SP1


18


312290The syminq command is opening the native and pseudo devices.The opening of the pseudo device would in turn open the nativedevices under that. This operation results in an EACCES beingreturned. It is observed that both normal and diagnostic open arefailing with EACCES. This causes the path to be marked dead.

Upgrade to Solutions Enabler 7.01. Add the following line to daemon_options

file in the config directory.storapid:parallel_inquiry_size = 0

2. Add the following line to the options file inSYMCLI configuration directory.SYMAPI_WAIT_ON_LOCKED_GK = ENABLE

3. Restart the Symmetrix daemons.Please refer to Solutions Enabler 7.0Installation Guide for details on editing thedaemon_options and options files.

5.3 SP1

309247Host crash occurred while executing powermt config on a host withHACMP v5.5 installed.

The following patches are required:• e849-61TL3.090917.epkg.Z• pmr51014.090424.epkg.Z• pmr51014.090428.epkg.Z

5.3 SP1

308614Running the powermt config command for the first time aftera fresh installation of PowerPath, results in an error message loggedby EV_AGENT (Navisphere agent).

Stop (before installing PowerPath) and re-startthe Naviagent after installing PowerPath toavoid seeing the error message.

5.3 SP1

308403The mode for the paths of a device set to standby, changes to activeafter clearing the PV of that device.

None. 5.3 SP1

307539A new AIX host integration followed by a fresh PowerPath 5.3.1 installwould trespass all LUNs owned by SPB to SPA.

A manual restore operation is required in suchcases.

306964For Symmetrix V-MAX arrays, all devices will be displayed as VRAIDdevices and this will configure all the devices into the ‘Available’ state.The VRAID bit will have to be turned OFF (from the array side) pervolume level through symmwin in order to be able to see the 'classic'BCV device features (such the BCV LUNs showing up as DEFINEDon an AIX host).

None. 5.3 SP1

304891Ghost path was seen on boot of LUN in AIX 6.1 with PowerPath 5.3.

Update powermt check force - to removeghost paths.

5.3 SP1





271837PowerPath may be improperly re-trying commands from theSymmetrix DMX array, while the over-provisioned data pool is full.

None 5.1 SP1

257584Ability to clone to an ALUA device from CLARiiON arrays with aFLARE version earlier than 04.28.000.5.704 fails. This occursbecause the CLARiiON FLARE version does not support SCSI2reservations.

Upgrade to FLARE 04.28.000.5.704 or later. 5.3 SP1

240996On CLARiiON arrays, LUN ownership does not restore afterrebooting the host.

Run powermt restore. 4.5.1

223719Very rarely an AIX host whose boot disk and paging space reside ona CLARiiON array may experience a hang during a CLARiiON NDU.EMC testing revealed the frequency of AIX hangs under heavy I/Oload was less than 1 in 1000 NDUs.

Reducing I/O load for the AIX host before aCLARiiON NDU reduces the chance of thehang occurring.If a host hang does occur, reboot the host torestore array access.

4.5.1

223532Installation of PowerPath 4.3 or later over PowerPath 4.5.1 fails, butthe PowerPath Volume Manager filesets are installed. EMCannounced EOSL (End of Service Life) for PowerPath VolumeManager with the release of PowerPath 4.4.0 for AIX.

If you installed PowerPath 4.4 over 4.5.1, type:installp -u EMCpower.ppvmEMCpower.mobilityEMCpower.vcsagent

The empty filesets are removed.If you installed PowerPath 4.3 over PowerPath4.5.1:1. Install PowerPath 4.4.0.2. Type:installp -u EMCpower.ppvmEMCpower.mobilityEMCpower.vcsagent

The empty filesets are removed.

4.5.1

223329In a PowerPath environment with AIX 5.1 and a Symmetrix storagesystem, a PowerPath boot device, once activated, may continue toboot from the underlying hdisk rather than from the pseudo device.

EMC Knowledgebase Solution emc72902provides a more detailed description and asolution.

4.5.1

215001The powermt config command causes some EVA LUNs to trespassto another controller.

Restore the devices to their previous controllerby running powermt restore.

4.5.0




20


Limitations The following limitations apply to PowerPath for AIX.

◆ Support for CLARiiON ALUA is as follows:

• PowerPath 5.3 does not support ALUA.

• PowerPath 5.3 SP1:

– Supports ALUA with AIX 5.2.– With AIX 5.3 and 6.1, ALUA is supported on hosts that do

not boot from a CLARiiON disk. On hosts that do bootfrom a CLARiiON disk, ALUA is supported if fewer than256 LUNs per Storage Group are configured. Thislimitation also applies with the PAR failover mode.

◆ Support for non-disruptive upgrades (NDU) of CLARiiONstorage array software is as follows:

• PowerPath 5.3 supports NDU only with the PAR failovermode.

• PowerPath 5.3 SP1:

– Supports NDU with AIX 5.2.– With AIX 5.3 and 6.1, NDU is supported on hosts that do

not boot from a CLARiiON disk. On hosts that do bootfrom a CLARiiON disk, NDU is supported if fewer than256 LUNs per Storage Group are configured.

214601Uninstalling PowerPath from a Veritas Volume Manager 4.0 MP1setup causes a host crash. Veritas has an eFix that addresses thisissue. You can download the eFix at:ftp://service.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/thrpgio/IY69539.epkg.Z

None. 4.5.0

212025Cloning a rootvg after you boot from a PowerPath device maygenerate this error message:0301-154 bosboot: missing proto file:/usr/lib/boot/network/chrp.hdiskpower.proto

Run pprootdev fix to set the boot device to bea native device, rather than a pseudo device.Then, redo the clone.

4.5.0





◆ PowerPath 5.3 and 5.3 SP1 support with Veritas Volume Manager(VxVM) has the following limitations:

• VxVM is not supported with Symmetrix systems runningEnginuity version 5773.

• On hosts running AIX 5.2 or AIX 5.3, VxVM 5.0 is the latestsupported version. Later versions, such as VxVM 5.0 MP3, arenot supported.

• On hosts running AIX 6.1, VxVM is not supported.

◆ In rare cases, if the AIX swap device is stored on a CLARiiONLUN, your system may hang if all paths to the active SP are lostand the AIX code, required for PowerPath to complete a trespassoperation, is swapped out of memory. If this problem occurs, youmust manually trespass the LUN to the available SP and rebootthe host.

◆ Run rmdev -dl hdiskpowerX to unconfigure a PowerPathpseudo device removes persistent device mapping information.To avoid this problem, run rmdev -l hdiskpowerX instead.

◆ When a trespass occurs in a CLARiiON environment, a passiveinterface becomes the active interface. In this situation, bosbootwill fail unless you transfer the rootvg PVID to the newly activeinterface. To do so, run /usr/sbin/emcpassive2active. Once yourun the command, bosboot will succeed.

Run /usr/sbin/emcpassive2active whenever a trespass occurs.

Note: On AIX 5.3 only, a trespassed CLARiiON boot device will hang ifyou run emcpassive2active and pprootdev. OPT 256084 in Table 4 onpage 17 provides additional information. To run bosboot after a trespassrun /usr/sbin/emcpassive2active. This is required for PAR mode andnot applicable for ALUA.

◆ On an AIX 5.3 host attached to a Symmetrix system, the inqcommand returns an incorrect Symmetrix ID for native devices(but not for pseudo devices) after PowerPath is installed. Thismay be caused by the IBM ODM driver. As a workaround, installthe EMC ODM driver, which populates the inquiry data pagecorrectly. To install the driver:

1. FTP to ftp.EMC.com and log in as anonymous, using youremail address as your password.

2. Change to the directory/pub/elab/aix/ODM_DEFINITIONS/.


22

Technical notes

3. Get the appropriate compressed tar file containing the EMCODM fileset for your system. (EMC E-Lab Navigator can helpyou determine the ODM fileset version required for yoursystem.)

4. Uncompress and untar the file. Then, follow the instructionsin the ReadMe file.

Technical notesThe Technical notes section includes the following topics:

◆ “emcpadm command line utility” on page 22

◆ “Stream I/O policy” on page 23

◆ “Management Daemon using SNMP” on page 23

◆ “HP StorageWorks controller and port names” on page 23

◆ “CLARiiON failover mode values” on page 24

◆ “PowerPath licenses in a CLARiiON AX and CX configuration”on page 24

◆ “ALUA failover mode for CLARiiON arrays” on page 25

emcpadm command line utilityThe PowerPath command line utility, emcpadm, exports and importspseudo device name and logical unit data in XML format. The XMLdata is compatible with that viewed through tools such as PowerPathpowermt and Symmetrix syminq.

The emcpadm utility is available for PowerPath versions 4.5 to thecurrent 5.x version and supports importing and exporting ofSymmetrix and CLARiiON array device data as well as that ofthird-party arrays. The importing and exporting of mapping data innon-XML format is limited to the arrays supported by PowerPath.

The EMC PowerPath Family CLI and System Messages Reference Guide,available on Powerlink, includes more information on the emcpadmcommand line utility for importing and exporting in XML format.


Technical notes

Stream I/O policyPowerPath 5.3 supports Stream I/O, a load balancing policy that isconfigured through powermt. Stream I/O can improve theperformance of small I/Os (for example, an application sendingsequential I/Os down the same device).

The EMC PowerPath Family CLI and System Messages Reference Guide,available on Powerlink, includes procedures for setting the policyusing the powermt command.

Management Daemon using SNMPThe PowerPath Management Daemon provides an event and alertingmechanism for multipathing events listed in the/etc/emc/emcp_mond.conf file. These SNMP traps are viewablethrough an SNMP manager and display alerts based on filteringcriteria, such as a path going dead. The management daemonsupports SNMPv1.

The EMC PowerPath for AIX Version 5.3 Installation and AdministrationGuide, includes more information on the management daemon usingSNMP.

HP StorageWorks controller and port namesPowerPath identifies controllers A and B exactly as Command ViewEVA does. PowerPath port numbers are one digit lower thanCommand View EVA port numbers. Names are mapped as shown inTable 5 on page 23.

Table 5 HP StorageWorks controller and port names

Command View EVA name PowerPath name

A-1 A-0

A-2 A-1

B-1 B-0

B-2 B-1


24

Technical notes

CLARiiON failover mode valuesTable 6 on page 24 describes failover mode values and compatibilitywith PowerPath platforms. For more information about array failovermodes, refer to the CLARiiON documentation.

PowerPath licenses in a CLARiiON AX and CX configurationWhen running PowerPath without a license on a host attached toboth CLARiiON AX and CX arrays, PowerPath does not display awarning about the missing license for the CX array. This behaviormay be unexpected as PowerPath does display a missing licensewarning when connected to CX arrays when no AX array is present.Without a license, only the AX array has full PowerPath functionality;the CX array will not have failover support.

In a configuration with both CLARiiON AX and CX arrays, ensure avalid license is present for the CX array by entering emcpreg -list.

Table 6 CLARiiON failover mode settings

Mode Name Support

0 LUN based trespass Not supported with PowerPath.

1 passive not ready (PNR) Supported with all PowerPath platforms. However,PNR is not recommended with PowerPath for AIX. Ifthe failover mode is set to PNR a system logmessage is displayed stating that PNR is notrecommended.

2 Dynamic Multipathing(DMP)

Not supported with PowerPath.

3 passive always ready (PAR) Supported with PowerPath for AIX. PAR is therecommended failover mode for PowerPath for AIX.

Note: For CLARiiON NDU, PAR is required withPowerPath 5.3 and earlier. With PowerPath 5.3 SP1and later, ALUA or PAR are supported with NDU,though limitations with ALUA may apply.

4 asymmetric logical unitaccess (ALUA)

Not supported with PowerPath 5.3 and earlier forAIX. PowerPath 5.3 SP1 for AIX is the first versionto support ALUA.


Documentation

ALUA failover mode for CLARiiON arraysAsymmetric logical unit access (ALUA) mode is a failover modeavailable with CLARiiON FLARE Operating Environment version03.26 and later and PowerPath 5.3 SP1 for AIX and later. A new Arrayfailover mode field appears in powermt output (in powermt display dev) when PowerPath is managing CLARiiON arrays. The failovermode setting applies to a server’s HBA ports, and is configuredthrough the CLARiiON Navisphere GUI or CLI. The PowerPathProduct Guide and the CLARiiON documentation contain moreinformation about ALUA.

Note: After changing devices to ALUA mode, a host reboot is required forPowerPath to recognize the change.

In a scenario where two storage processors exist (that is, SP A and SPB), assume that the default owner of the LUN is SP A. In the ALUAmode, if the paths to SP A are dead, PowerPath can manage to sendthe I/O via the active paths to SP B. This implies that the LUN is nottrespassed thereby leading to SP A continuing to be the owning SP.After ample I/O has gone down paths to SP B, the array will trespassthe LUN. In the case of operation in the PAR mode, PowerPathtrespasses the LUN when all paths to the owning SP are dead. Thus,the owning SP would be SP B as a result of an explicit trespassinitiated by PowerPath at the host bootup/powermt config phase.

Suppressing thefailover mode display

You can ensure compatibility with existing scripts by suppressing thefailover mode display. To suppress the display:

◆ Set the PP_SHOW_ALUA_FAILOVER_MODE environmentvariable to false.

The following example uses Bourne shell syntax:

PP_SHOW_ALUA_FAILOVER_MODE=falseexport PP_SHOW_ALUA_FAILOVER_MODE

DocumentationThis section provides a list of the documentation that supportsPowerPath for AIX.


26

Documentation

PowerPathdocumentation

Table 7 on page 26 lists the PowerPath 5.3 for AIX documentation set.

The following documents describe the PowerPath Migration Enablersoftware:

◆ EMC PowerPath Migration Enabler User Guide

◆ EMC PowerPath Migration Enabler Release Notes

Electronic versions of all PowerPath manuals are available on thePowerlink website. These manuals are updated periodically, and theupdated manuals are posted on the Powerlink website.

Relateddocumentation

If your environment includes Symmetrix storage systems, refer to theEMC host connectivity guides, available on Powerlink.

If your environment includes CLARiiON storage systems, refer to thefollowing manuals:

◆ EMC host connectivity guides

◆ EMC Installation Roadmap for CLARiiON Storage Systems. The latestversions of CLARiiON CX-series documentation are available onthe Powerlink website.

◆ CLARiiON AX-series installation, planning, and troubleshootingdocuments, located on the AX-series support website. Forinformation on accessing the site, refer to the supportdocumentation that shipped with your storage system. Refer onlyto these documents for prescribed installation information whenusing AX-series storage systems.

◆ EMC Navisphere Manager Administrator’s Guide

Table 7 PowerPath 5.3 for AIX documentation set

Part number Name

300-006-627 EMC PowerPath Family Version 5.2 and 5.3 Product Guide

300-008-343 EMC PowerPath Family CLI and System Messages ReferenceGuide

300-008-341 EMC PowerPath for AIX Version 5.3 Installation andAdministration Guide

300-008-342 EMC PowerPath for AIX Version 5.3 and Service Pack ReleasesRelease Notes


Software media, organization, and files

◆ Important Information About PowerPath SE. This documentcontains information about the PowerPath version that ships inCLARiiON Utility Kits.

If your environment includes other vendors’ storage systems, refer tothe appropriate documentation from your vendor.

End of service dates and extended supportEMC has a standard software support duration policy whichspecifies that a major version will reach End of Service Life (EOSL) aminimum of 36 months following the General Availability (GA).EOSL is followed by an Extended Support period during whichcustomers may elect to pay an additional fee to extend their supportcoverage rather than migrate to a current software version.

Once a software product reaches EOSL, EMC Technical Support is nolonger available under base support/maintenance agreements.Customers interested in uninterrupted support must upgrade to acurrent release or contract for Extended Support (ES).

Powerlink contains a list of documents that provide end-of-serviceand extended support information for PowerPath and other EMCsoftware and hardware products. To access these documents onPowerlink, select Support > Interoperability and Product LifecycleInformation > Release and End of Life Dates.

Note: This policy is in effect for select releases and will be phased in as newversions are made available. In cases where a software release is not eligiblefor Extended Support, the previous policy, which specifies product supportand maintenance under Continuous Coverage Product Maintenance(CCPM), terms still apply.

Software media, organization, and filesThis section describes the contents of the PowerPath for AIX softwarepackages.

PowerPath 5.3 SP1 PowerPath 5.3 SP1 is available for download from the Powerlinkwebsite.

PowerPath 5.3 The PowerPath 5.3 for AIX software is distributed on a CD,P/N 053-002-202, and is available on Powerlink.


28

Installation

The PowerPath 5.3 for AIX CD has the following structure:

◆ /UNIX/AIX — Contains all files in the PowerPath package.

◆ /UNIX/AIX/EMCPower.AIX.5.3.0.tar.gz — Compressed tar filethat contains the PowerPath package.

InstallationThe EMC PowerPath for AIX Version 5.3 Installation and AdministrationGuide includes complete instructions on installing PowerPath.

For the new user To install PowerPath 5.3 and service pack releases, follow theinstructions in the EMC PowerPath for AIX Version 5.3 Installation andAdministration Guide.

Upgrading from a previous revisionTo upgrade to PowerPath 5.3, follow the upgrade instructions in theEMC PowerPath for AIX Version 5.3 Installation and AdministrationGuide.

You can upgrade directly from PowerPath 4.5.x or later to PowerPath5.3. You can also upgrade directly from PowerPath 4.5.x or later toPowerPath 5.3 SP1.

Files added by installationAppendix A, "Files Changed by PowerPath Installation," in the EMCPowerPath for AIX Version 5.3 Installation and Administration Guide, liststhe files modified or added by PowerPath installation.

Troubleshooting and getting helpEMC support, product, and licensing information can be obtained asfollows:

Product information—For documentation, release notes, softwareupdates, or for information about EMC products, licensing, andservice, go to the EMC Powerlink website (registration required) at:

http://Powerlink.EMC.com


http://powerlink.emc.com

Troubleshooting and getting help

Technical support—For technical support, go to EMC WebSupporton Powerlink. To open a case on EMC WebSupport, you must be aWebSupport customer. Information about your site configuration andthe circumstances under which the problem occurred is required.

Service packs and upgrades—You can download PowerPath servicepack software from Powerlink. Determine which service packs (ifany) you want to install after PowerPath, and whether those servicepacks have any additional installation prerequisites. To obtain servicepacks on Powerlink, select Support > Software Downloads andLicensing > Downloads P-R > PowerPath for UNIX.

EMC E-Lab Issue Tracker — EMC E-Lab Issue Tracker is anapplication that allows you to search for known problems and defectsin EMC software. To access EMC E-Lab Issue Tracker, on Powerlinkselect Support > Interoperability and Product LifecycleInformation> E-Lab Issue Tracker Information > E-Lab IssueTracker.

You can use Issue Tracker to find:

◆ Descriptions of PowerPath bugs existing on anyPowerPath-supported host platform.

◆ Workarounds for existing bugs.

This database is updated regularly between scheduled releases andservice pack releases.

Reporting aproblem

If you find a problem in PowerPath 5.3, run the emcgrab utility,which collects system and software configuration information.Submit the generated tar file, along with any other supportingmaterial, to EMC Customer Support.

You can download emcgrab from the Powerlink website. SelectSupport > Product and Diagnostic Tools > Grab Utilities. Refer tothe emcgrab ReadMe.txt file on Powerlink for prerequisiteinformation and instructions on using the utility.


30

Troubleshooting and getting help

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EMC believes the information in this publication is accurate as of its publication date. The information issubject to change without notice.

THE INFORMATION IN THIS PUBLICATION IS PROVIDED “AS IS.” EMC CORPORATION MAKES NOREPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION INTHIS PUBLICATION, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS IMPLIED WARRANTIES OFMERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

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For the most up-to-date listing of EMC product names, see EMC Corporation Trademarks on EMC.com.All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.


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