LIP destroyed xxx active commands

[Eric Anderson]

Tom Samplonius wrote:
> 
>>>>>   It seems that isp0 is connected to a loop topology network (as 
>>>>> opposed to a point to point, or fabric), and something keeps 
>>>>> initializing the loop by sending a LIP command.
>>>>>
>>>>>   Are you plugging or unplugging things into the loop all of the 
>>>>> time? Or are you loop part on a switch, and someone else is 
>>>>> plugging or unplugging things from the fabric?  If you are going 
>>>>> straight into a switch, it might be better to change the port to a 
>>>>> fabric port instead.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> This host has it's isp device directly connected to a fiber channel 
>>>> array.
>>>
>>>   Probably should use point-to-point mode instead.  See if you can 
>>> change the port type on the array controller.
>>
>> Ok - I can do that.  If I do that, will that disrupt filesystem activity?
> 
>   You will probably have to reboot, actually.  The isp driver will 
> probably get confused if the port changed type.  So do a shutdown, 
> change the port, and then boot up.


Ok - that's what I figured, just making sure.


>>>> The array is not disappearing, or being rebooted, nor is there any 
>>>> other machine rebooting or resetting.   I see these same errors on 
>>>> another box that has 3 arrays connected to a qlogic switch.  I seem 
>>>> to only see these when the machine is heavily accessing the disks.
>>>
>>>   Same here.  You shouldn't see LIPs on a fabric.  So the QLogic 
>>> switch must be trying to maintain a loop per port.
>>>
>>>   I suspect that loop mode is also less stable than point-to-point or 
>>> fabric. There is an indication in the isp manpage that it is possible 
>>> for the driver to hang on boot waiting for a LIP.  The solution to 
>>> that problem has been to force a LIP (unplug something), or don't use 
>>> a loop mode.
>>
>> What do I need to change on the qlogic switch/initiator/target ends to 
>> force things?
> 
>   I don't know how do this on QLogic switch.  If it is actually a 
> switch, it should have a cli or http management interface to configure 
> ports.  If it does not have an interface, it may be a hub, in which it 
> is actually a loop (fibre channel hubs are effectively a daisy chained 
> loop of ports).


These are real switches.  I actually thought that they defaulted to 
fabric mode, but they must not be.  I'll check it out, thanks.


Eric




-- 
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Eric Anderson        Sr. Systems Administrator        Centaur Technology
Anything that works is better than anything that doesn't.
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