Booting on a Fibre Channel Storage Device on OpenVMS Alpha Systems

This section describes how to use the AlphaServer console for configuring Fibre Channel, how to view the Fibre Channel configuration from the console, and how to set up disks for Fibre Channel booting and dumping on OpenVMS Alpha systems.

Using the AlphaServer Console for Configuring Fibre Channel (Alpha Only)

The AlphaServer console can be used to view the status of an FC interconnect. This allows you to confirm that the interconnect is set up properly before booting. If you plan to use an FC disk device for booting or dumping, you must perform some additional steps to set up those FC disk devices at the console. These topics are discussed in the following subsections.

Viewing the FC Configuration from the Console

Console SHOW commands can be used to display information about the devices that the console detected when it last probed the system's I/O adapters. Unlike other interconnects, however, FC disk devices are not automatically included in the SHOW DEVICE output. This is because FC devices are identified by their WWIDs, and WWIDs are too large to be included in the SHOW DEVICE output. Instead, the console provides a command for managing WWIDs, named the wwidmgr command. This command enables you to display information about FC devices and to define appropriate device names for the FC devices that will be used for booting and dumping.

Note the following points about using the wwidmgr command:

To use the wwidmgr command, if your system is an Alpha Server model 8 x00, 4x00, or 1200, you must first enter diagnostic mode. On all other platforms, you can enter the wwidmgr command at any time.
The changes made by the wwidmgr command do not take effect until after the next system initialization. After using the wwidmgr command, you must enter the initialize command.

For a complete description of the wwidmgr command, see the Wwidmgr User’s Manual. This manual is available in the [.DOC] directory of the Alpha Systems Firmware Update CD.

The following examples, produced on an AlphaServer 4100 system, show some typical uses of the wwidmgr command. Other environments might require additional steps, and the output on other systems might vary slightly.

Note the following about Example D-1 “Using wwidmgr -show wwid”:

The wwidmgr -show wwid command displays a summary of the FC devices on the system. This command does not display information about device connectivity.
There are two FC adapters and five disks. (All the disks are listed at the end, independent of the adapters to which they are connected.) In this example, each of the disks was assigned a device identifier at the HSG80 console. The console refers to this identifier as a user-assigned device identifier (UDID).

Example D-1 Using wwidmgr -show wwid

P00>>>set mode diag
Console is in diagnostic mode
P00>>>wwidmgr -show wwid
polling kgpsa0 (KGPSA-B) slot 2, bus 0 PCI, hose 1 
kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1            PGA0        WWN 1000-0000-c920-a7db
polling kgpsa1 (KGPSA-B) slot 3, bus 0 PCI, hose 1 
kgpsab0.0.0.3.1            PGB0        WWN 1000-0000-c920-a694
[0] UDID:10 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0016 (ev:none)
[1] UDID:50 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0026 (ev:none)
[2] UDID:51 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0027 (ev:none)
[3] UDID:60 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0021 (ev:none)
[4] UDID:61 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0022 (ev:none)

Example D-2 “Using wwidmgr -show wwid -full” shows how the wwidmgr show wwid -full command displays information about FC devices and how they are connected. The display has two parts:

The first part lists each path from an adapter to an FC port. Adapters are identified by console device names, such as KGPSAA. FC ports are identified by their WWID, such as 5000-1FE1-0000-0D14. If any FC disks are found on a path, they are listed after that path. FC disks are identified by their current console device name, followed by their WWID.
The second part of the display lists all the FC disks and the paths through which they are reachable. In this part, which begins with [0] UDID:10..., you see four paths to each disk with two paths through each adapter, KGPSAA and KGPSAB. Each path through an adapter goes to a different port on the HSG or HSV. The column titled Con indicates whether the FC disk unit is currently online to the HSG or HSV controller that this path uses.

Example D-2 Using wwidmgr -show wwid -full

P00>>>wwidmgr -show wwid -full

kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1
- Port: 1000-0000-c920-a7db   
 
kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1
- Port: 2007-0060-6900-075b   
 
kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1
- Port: 20fc-0060-6900-075b   
 
kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1
- Port: 5000-1fe1-0000-0d14   
 - dga12274.13.0.2.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0016
 - dga15346.13.0.2.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0026
 - dga31539.13.0.2.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0027
 - dga31155.13.0.2.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0021
 - dga30963.13.0.2.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0022
 
kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1
- Port: 5000-1fe1-0000-0d11   
 - dga12274.14.0.2.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0016
 - dga15346.14.0.2.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0026
 - dga31539.14.0.2.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0027
 - dga31155.14.0.2.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0021
 - dga30963.14.0.2.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0022
 
kgpsab0.0.0.3.1
- Port: 1000-0000-c920-a694   
 
kgpsab0.0.0.3.1
- Port: 2007-0060-6900-09b8   
 
kgpsab0.0.0.3.1
- Port: 20fc-0060-6900-09b8   
 
kgpsab0.0.0.3.1
- Port: 5000-1fe1-0000-0d13   
 - dgb12274.13.0.3.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0016
 - dgb15346.13.0.3.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0026
 - dgb31539.13.0.3.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0027
 - dgb31155.13.0.3.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0021
 - dgb30963.13.0.3.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0022
 
kgpsab0.0.0.3.1
- Port: 5000-1fe1-0000-0d12   
 - dgb12274.14.0.3.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0016
 - dgb15346.14.0.3.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0026
 - dgb31539.14.0.3.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0027
 - dgb31155.14.0.3.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0021
 - dgb30963.14.0.3.1 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0022
 
 
[0] UDID:10 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0016 (ev:none)
 - current_unit:12274 current_col: 0 default_unit:12274   
          via adapter       via fc_nport       Con     DID     Lun
 -      kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d14   Yes   210013     10
 -      kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d11   No    210213     10
 -      kgpsab0.0.0.3.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d13   Yes   210013     10
 -      kgpsab0.0.0.3.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d12   No    210213     10
 
[1] UDID:50 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0026 (ev:none)
 - current_unit:15346 current_col: 0 default_unit:15346   
          via adapter       via fc_nport       Con     DID     Lun
 -      kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d14   Yes   210013     50
 -      kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d11   No    210213     50
 -      kgpsab0.0.0.3.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d13   Yes   210013     50
 -      kgpsab0.0.0.3.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d12   No    210213     50
 
[2] UDID:51 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0027 (ev:none)
 - current_unit:31539 current_col: 0 default_unit:31539   
          via adapter       via fc_nport       Con     DID     Lun
 -      kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d14   Yes   210013     51
 -      kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d11   No    210213     51
 -      kgpsab0.0.0.3.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d13   Yes   210013     51
 -      kgpsab0.0.0.3.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d12   No    210213     51
 
[3] UDID:60 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0021 (ev:none)
 - current_unit:31155 current_col: 0 default_unit:31155   
          via adapter       via fc_nport       Con     DID     Lun
 -      kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d14   Yes   210013     60
 -      kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d11   No    210213     60
 -      kgpsab0.0.0.3.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d13   Yes   210013     60
 -      kgpsab0.0.0.3.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d12   No    210213     60
 
[4] UDID:61 WWID:01000010:6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0022 (ev:none)
 - current_unit:30963 current_col: 0 default_unit:30963   
          via adapter       via fc_nport       Con     DID     Lun
 -      kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d14   Yes   210013     61
 -      kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d11   No    210213     61
 -      kgpsab0.0.0.3.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d13   Yes   210013     61
 -      kgpsab0.0.0.3.1  5000-1fe1-0000-0d12    No   210213     61

Setting Up FC Disks for Booting and Dumping

You must use the wwidmgr command to set up each device that you will use for booting or dumping. Once a device is set up, the console retains the information it requires to access the device in nonvolatile memory. You only have to rerun the wwidmgr command if the system configuration changes and the nonvolatile information is no longer valid.

The console provides a simplified setup command, called wwidmgr -quickset. This command can be used in either of the following cases:

You are setting up just one device.
All the devices you are setting up are accessed through the same ports on the HSG or HSV.

If neither description applies to your configuration, see the Wwidmgr Users' Manual for additional instructions.

Example D-3 “Using widmgr -quickset” illustrates the wwidmgr -quickset command. Note the following:

The command wwidmgr -quickset -udid 10 sets up the FC disk whose HSG or HSV device identifier is equal to 10.
The console device names are path dependent. Each path used to access an FC disk has a different name. In this example, the wwidmgr -quickset command establishes four console device names corresponding to the four paths from the host to the FC disk:
- dga10.1001.0.2.1
- dga10.1002.0.2.1
- dgb10.1003.0.3.1
- dgb10.1004.0.3.1
The second command, wwidmgr -quickset -udid 50, sets up the FC disk whose HSG or HSV identifier is equal to 50.
The changes made by the wwidmgr command do not take effect until after the next system initialization, so the next step is to use the initialize command.
After initialization, the console show device command displays each FC adapter, followed by the paths through that adapter to each of the defined FC disks. The path-independent OpenVMS device name for each FC disk is displayed in the second column.

Example D-3 Using widmgr -quickset

P00>>>wwidmgr -quickset -udid 10

Disk assignment and reachability after next initialization:
 
 
6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0016
                          via adapter:         via fc nport:        connected: 
dga10.1001.0.2.1         kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1      5000-1fe1-0000-0d14      Yes
dga10.1002.0.2.1         kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1      5000-1fe1-0000-0d11      No 
dgb10.1003.0.3.1         kgpsab0.0.0.3.1      5000-1fe1-0000-0d13      Yes
dgb10.1004.0.3.1         kgpsab0.0.0.3.1      5000-1fe1-0000-0d12      No 
P00>>>wwidmgr -quickset -udid 50

Disk assignment and reachability after next initialization:
 
 
6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0016
                          via adapter:         via fc nport:        connected:
dga10.1001.0.2.1         kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1      5000-1fe1-0000-0d14      Yes
dga10.1002.0.2.1         kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1      5000-1fe1-0000-0d11      No 
dgb10.1003.0.3.1         kgpsab0.0.0.3.1      5000-1fe1-0000-0d13      Yes
dgb10.1004.0.3.1         kgpsab0.0.0.3.1      5000-1fe1-0000-0d12      No 
 
6000-1fe1-0000-0d10-0009-8090-0677-0026
                          via adapter:         via fc nport:        connected:
dga50.1001.0.2.1         kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1      5000-1fe1-0000-0d14      Yes
dga50.1002.0.2.1         kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1      5000-1fe1-0000-0d11      No 
dgb50.1003.0.3.1         kgpsab0.0.0.3.1      5000-1fe1-0000-0d13      Yes
dgb50.1004.0.3.1         kgpsab0.0.0.3.1      5000-1fe1-0000-0d12      No 
P00>>>initialize
Initializing...
P00>>>show device
polling ncr0 (NCR 53C810) slot 1, bus 0 PCI, hose 1   SCSI Bus ID 7
dka500.5.0.1.1     DKA500                   RRD45  1645
polling kgpsa0 (KGPSA-B) slot 2, bus 0 PCI, hose 1 
kgpsaa0.0.0.2.1            PGA0        WWN 1000-0000-c920-a7db
dga10.1001.0.2.1   $1$DGA10                 HSG80  R024
dga50.1001.0.2.1   $1$DGA50                 HSG80  R024
dga10.1002.0.2.1   $1$DGA10                 HSG80  R024
dga50.1002.0.2.1   $1$DGA50                 HSG80  R024
polling kgpsa1 (KGPSA-B) slot 3, bus 0 PCI, hose 1 
kgpsab0.0.0.3.1            PGB0        WWN 1000-0000-c920-a694
dgb10.1003.0.3.1   $1$DGA10                 HSG80  R024
dgb50.1003.0.3.1   $1$DGA50                 HSG80  R024
dgb10.1004.0.3.1   $1$DGA10                 HSG80  R024
dgb50.1004.0.3.1   $1$DGA50                 HSG80  R024
polling isp0 (QLogic ISP1020) slot 4, bus 0 PCI, hose 1   SCSI Bus ID 15
dkb0.0.0.4.1       DKB0                     RZ1CB-CS  0844
dkb100.1.0.4.1     DKB100                   RZ1CB-CS  0844
polling floppy0 (FLOPPY) PCEB - XBUS hose 0   
dva0.0.0.1000.0    DVA0                      RX23
polling ncr1 (NCR 53C810) slot 4, bus 0 PCI, hose 0   SCSI Bus ID 7
dkc0.0.0.4.0       DKC0                     RZ29B  0007
polling tulip0 (DECchip 21040-AA) slot 3, bus 0 PCI, hose 0 
ewa0.0.0.3.0       00-00-F8-21-09-74	Auto-Sensing

Example D-4 “Boot Sequence from an FC System Disk” shows a boot sequence from an FC system disk. Note the following:

The boot device is $1$DGA50. The user has elected to enter all four paths to the device in the bootdef_dev string. This ensures that the system will be able to boot even if a path has failed.
The first path on the boot command string, dga50.1002.0.2.1, is not currently connected (that is, the disk is not on line to the HSG80 on that path). The console indicates this fact, retries a few times, then moves on to the next path in the bootdef_dev string. This path is currently connected, and the boot succeeds.
After booting, the OpenVMS SHOW DEVICE command confirms that OpenVMS has configured all five of the FC devices that were displayed by the wwidmgr -show wwid command, not only the two FC disks that were set up using the console wwidmgr -quickset command. The OpenVMS SHOW DEV/MULTIPATH command confirms that OpenVMS has configured all four paths to each disk.

Example D-4 Boot Sequence from an FC System Disk

P00>>>set bootdef_dev dga50.1002.0.2.1,dga50.1001.0.2.1,dgb50.1003.0.3.1,dgb50.1004.0.3.1
P00>>>b
 (boot dga50.1002.0.2.1 -flags 0,0)
dga50.1002.0.2.1 is not connected
dga50.1002.0.2.1 is not connected
dga50.1002.0.2.1 is not connected
dga50.1002.0.2.1 is not connected
failed to open dga50.1002.0.2.1
(boot dga50.1001.0.2.1 -flags 0,0)
block 0 of dga50.1001.0.2.1 is a valid boot block
reading 919 blocks from dga50.1001.0.2.1
bootstrap code read in
Building FRU table
base = 200000, image_start = 0, image_bytes = 72e00
initializing HWRPB at 2000
initializing page table at 1f2000
initializing machine state
setting affinity to the primary CPU
jumping to bootstrap code
 
 
    OpenVMS (TM) Alpha Operating System, Version V7.2    
...
$ SHOW DEVICE

Device                  Device           Error    Volume         Free  Trans Mnt
 Name                   Status           Count     Label        Blocks Count Cnt
$1$DGA10:     (FCNOD1)  Online               0
$1$DGA50:     (FCNOD1)  Mounted              0  V72_SSB        4734189   303   1
$1$DGA51:     (FCNOD1)  Online               0
$1$DGA60:     (FCNOD1)  Online               0
$1$DGA61:     (FCNOD1)  Online               0
$ SHOW LOGICAL SYS$SYSDEVICE
   "SYS$SYSDEVICE" = "$1$DGA50:" (LNM$SYSTEM_TABLE) 
$ SHO DEV/MULTI

Device                  Device           Error         Current
 Name                   Status           Count  Paths    path
$1$DGA10:     (FCNOD1)  Online               0   4/ 4  PGB0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D11
$1$DGA50:     (FCNOD1)  Mounted              0   4/ 4  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D12
$1$DGA51:     (FCNOD1)  Online               0   4/ 4  PGA0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D13
$1$DGA60:     (FCNOD1)  Online               0   4/ 4  PGB0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D14
$1$DGA61:     (FCNOD1)  Online               0   4/ 4  PGB0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D11
Device                  Device           Error         Current
 Name                   Status           Count  Paths    path
$1$GGA42:               Online               0   4/ 4  PGB0.5000-1FE1-0000-0D11

Booting on a Fibre Channel Storage Device on OpenVMS Alpha Systems

» Table of Contents

» Glossary

» Index

Using the AlphaServer Console for Configuring Fibre Channel (Alpha Only)

Viewing the FC Configuration from the Console

Setting Up FC Disks for Booting and Dumping