ServerNet Cluster 6780 Planning and Installation Guide (G06.28+, H06.05+)
Table Of Contents
- What’s New in This Guide
- About This Guide
- 1 ServerNet Cluster Overview
- 2 ServerNet Cluster Hardware Description
- 3 Planning for Installation and Migration
- Planning Checklist
- Software Installation Planning
- Hardware Installation and Migration Planning
- Task 1: Plan for the ServerNet Nodes
- Task 2: Plan for the System Consoles
- Task 3: Plan for the 6780 Switches
- Task 4: Plan for the Racks
- Task 5: Plan for the Power Requirements
- Task 6: Plan the Location of the Hardware
- Task 7: Plan for the Fiber-Optic Cables
- Task 8: Plan to Migrate the ServerNet Nodes From 6770 Switches
- Task 9: Plan the ServerNet Node Numbers
- Task 10: Plan the Expand-Over-ServerNet Lines
- Migration Examples
- 4 Preparing a System for Installation or Migration
- 5 Installing 6780 Switches
- 6 Connecting the Fiber-Optic Cables
- Summary of Tasks
- Handling the Fiber-Optic Cables
- Connecting the Layer Cables
- Connecting the Zone Cables
- Connecting the Cables Between a Node and a 6780 Switch
- Alerts
- Task 1: Double-Check the Required Software and Hardware
- Task 2: Label the Cables That Connect to the Node
- Task 3: Inspect the Cables
- Task 4: Connect a Cable to the Switch
- Task 5: Connect a Cable to the Node
- Task 6: Check the Link-Alive LEDs
- Task 7: Check Operations
- Task 8: Finish Connecting the Fiber-Optic Cables
- Routing the Fiber-Optic Cables
- 7 Configuring Expand-Over-ServerNet Lines
- Using Automatic Line-Handler Generation
- Using the OSM Service Connection
- Using SCF
- Rule 1: Configure the Primary and Backup Line-Handler Processes in Different Processor Enclosures
- Rule 2: For Nodes With 6 or More Processors, Avoid Configuring the Line-Handler Processes in Proc...
- Rule 3: For Nodes With More Than 10 Processors, Avoid Configuring the Line-Handler Processes in P...
- Expand-Over-ServerNet Line-Handler Process Example
- 8 Checking Operations
- Checking the Operation of the ServerNet Cluster
- Checking the Operation of Each Switch
- Checking the Power to Each Switch
- Checking the Switch Components
- Checking the Numeric Selector Setting
- Checking the Globally Unique ID (GUID)
- Checking for a Mixed Globally Unique ID (GUID)
- Checking the Fiber-Optic Cable Connections to the Switch Port
- Checking the Switch Configuration, Firmware, and FPGA Images
- Checking the Operation of Each Node
- Checking the Service Processor (SP) Firmware
- Checking That Automatic Line-Handler Generation Is Enabled
- Checking the ServerNet Node Numbers
- Checking MSGMON, SANMAN, and SNETMON
- Checking for Alarms on Each Node
- Checking the ServerNet Cluster Subsystem
- Checking That the ServerNet Node Numbers Are Consistent
- Checking Communications Between a Local Node and a Switch
- Checking Communications With a Remote Node
- Checking the Internal ServerNet X and Y Fabrics
- Checking the Operation of Expand Processes and Lines
- 9 Changing a ServerNet Cluster
- OSM Actions
- Removing a Node From a ServerNet Cluster
- Removing Switches From a ServerNet Cluster
- Adding a Node to a ServerNet Cluster
- Adding a Switch Layer to a ServerNet Cluster
- Adding a Switch Zone to a ServerNet Cluster
- Task 1: Prepare to Add the Switches
- Task 2: Connect the Cables Between Layers
- Task 3: Check Operations
- Task 4: Disconnect the Cables Between Zones
- Task 5: Connect the Cables Between Zones
- Task 6: Check Operations
- Task 7: Connect the Additional Nodes
- Task 8: Check Operations
- Task 9: Repeat Tasks 2 Through 8 for the Other Fabric
- Task 10: Reenable OSM Alarms
- Moving a Node
- Changing the Hardware in a Node Connected to a ServerNet Cluster
- 10 Troubleshooting
- Symptoms
- Recovery Operations
- Enabling Automatic Expand-Over-ServerNet Line-Handler Generation
- Reseating a Fiber-Optic Cable
- Correcting a Mixed Globally Unique ID (GUID)
- Restoring Connectivity to a Node
- Switching the SANMAN Primary and Backup Processes
- Switching the SNETMON Primary and Backup Processes
- Configuring the Expand-Over-ServerNet Line-Handler Processes and Lines
- Starting Required Processes and Subsystems
- Fallback Procedures
- 11 Starting and Stopping ServerNet Cluster Processes and Subsystems
- A Part Numbers
- B Blank Planning Forms
- C ESD Guidelines
- D Specifications
- E Configuring MSGMON, SANMAN, and SNETMON
- F Updating the 6780 Switch Logic Board Firmware, Configuration, and FPGA Images
- G Using the Long-Distance Option
- Safety and Compliance
- Glossary
- Index

Using the Long-Distance Option
ServerNet Cluster 6780 Planning and Installation Guide—527301-005
G-6
Bandwidth Considerations
lengths outside this range can degrade cluster performance and cause severe errors
that result in a loss of ServerNet connectivity between nodes.
Bandwidth Considerations
With the long-distance option, overall bandwidth is reduced due to end-to-end
transmission latency and lower link transmission rates. Depending on your application
profile, this limit might affect cluster performance.
Although each 6780 switch can support up to eight nodes, you should consider the
number of processors supported by each long-distance link between the switches. To
ensure adequate throughput, under conditions of heavy traffic, each link should
support no more than 12 processors. Using all four links between the switches, this
guideline equates to no more than 48 processors for each 6780 switch, regardless of
the number of nodes.
If one of the four links goes down, the other links must handle the traffic for both the
down link and themselves (an additional 12 processors worth of traffic). An OSM alarm
and EMS events are generated when the link is down. If the bad link remains down, it
must be repaired to regain the lost bandwidth.
Installation Considerations
In general, you can follow the planning, preparation, and installation procedures
described in the main part of this manual to set up a long-distance configuration.
This subsection describes areas where the long-distance installation differs from the
general procedures. Also, throughout the manual, notes have been provided when you
need to be aware of long-distance issues.
Software Installation
For guidance in installing the software, refer to Installing the Server Software on
page 4-4. However, be sure you install the software listed in Table G-1 on page G-4.
To load the firmware and configuration images to the 6780 switches, refer to
Appendix F, Updating the 6780 Switch Logic Board Firmware, Configuration, and
FPGA Images. Be sure to load the versions listed in Table G-1 on page G-4.
Hardware Installation
To install the 6780 switches, follow the procedures in Section 5, Installing 6780
Switches but note the different requirements for the numeric selector settings and
zone-to-zone connections.
Note. The long-distance option does not affect the supported lengths for layer-to-layer
connections and switch-to-node connections.