NEC Express5800/320Lb FT Linux Instruction Manual

System Release Notes
Express5800/320Lb FT Linux
System Release Notes
PN: 455-01726-002

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Express5800/320Lb FT Linux
System Release Notes
The Express5800/320Lb FT Linux System Release Notes provide up-to-date
information on your system. These notes also provide additional valuable
information about your system that was not included in the user’s guide at the
time of its release.
Please read these notes in their entirety.
CONTENTS
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................2
Operating System ...................................................................................................................................2
Advisories...............................................................................................................................................2
EXPRESSBUILDER .........................................................................................................................2
Notices, Limitations, and Restrictions....................................................................................................2
Notices ...............................................................................................................................................2
Limitations.........................................................................................................................................5
Restrictions.........................................................................................................................................5

2Express5800/320Lb System Release Notes
Introduction
These System Release Notes cover the following topics:
Operating System
Advisories
Notices, Limitations, and Restrictions
Operating System
The following general comments apply to this server.
Versions of the Network Operating Systems tested and recommended are:
⎯FT Linux.
Microsoft Windows® 2000, 2003 Enterprise Edition, and NT© 4.0 are not
supported.
Advisories
EXPRESSBUILDER
The following advisory applies to EXPRESSBUILDER.
The version of EXPRESSBUILDER is specific to the operating system
supported. The appropriate EXPRESSBUILDER is shipped for the
configured operating system. If an operating system is not configured, use
the EXPRESSBUIDER appropriate for your installation.
EXPRESSBUILDER 3.010 versions support FT Linux.
Notices, Limitations, and Restrictions
Notices
To achieve the fault tolerant function, the Express5800/320Lb FT Linux uses the software
whose functions for kernel and drivers have been improved from the regular Linux OS.
The following notices apply to the Express5800/320Lb FT Linux. Please read the list of
notices on the following pages carefully to ensure that they are followed.

Express5800/320Lb System Release Notes 3
List of Notices
Notices
1 Note on using the RPC port
For security reasons, the factory settings do not allow other machines to access
NEC Express5800/320Lb(-R) via the RPC port. With the factory settings, you
cannot use applications, such as NFS, that use the PRC port.
1) Configuration at the time of shipment and reinstallation
# /sbin/iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 111 -i ! lo -j DROP
# /sbin/iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 111 -i ! lo -j DROP
2) Configuration File
The configuration is stored in the following file.
/etc/sysconfig/iptables
To use applications such as NFS, you need to permit the access via the RPC
port. See the following example and change the settings in
/etc/sysconfig/iptables to permit the access
[Example for changing the configuration]
To permit the access from a particular IP address only (e.g. 192.168.0.10):
# /sbin/iptables -I INPUT -p tcp --dport 111 -s 192.168.0.10 -j ACCEPT
# /sbin/iptables -I INPUT -p udp --dport 111 -s 192.168.0.10 -j ACCEPT
# /sbin/iptables-save > /etc/sysconfig/iptables
2 Note for reinstallation
Follow the steps described in the User’s Guide to perform reinstallation with the
backup CD-ROM (shipped with the NEC Express5800/ft series) and configure
settings after reinstallation. When you perform reinstallation, make sure to follow
the procedures for preparation described in “Linux Setup” of User’s Guide (Setup).
(Remove optional PCI boards and other peripheral devices. Insert one HDD to the
slot 1 of each PCI module. Use the CD-ROM drive in the group 1 of the PCI
module for reinstallation. If the power switch lamp of the group 2 is on, follow the
steps described in “Linux Setup” of User’s Guide (Setup) to turn on a power switch
lamp of the group 1.
3 Note on removing and inserting an internal hard disk
Contact your sales representative to replace an internal hard disk.
4 Note on replacing a CPU module and/or PCI module
Contact your sales representative to replace a CPU module and/or PCI module.
5 Note on returning a status with redundant CPU modules
When you restore the redundant status after stopping either of CPU modules due to
a system failure or replacement, the system may look stopped approximately for 5
seconds after the completion of the redundancy processing. This does not affect
operation of the system. If monitoring from a client machine by a timer is
performed for the process of accessing NEC Express5800/320Lb(-R) server, you
should make monitoring settings taking this duration of time into account.

4Express5800/320Lb System Release Notes
6 Note on accessing files in the /proc and /dev directory
An attempt to access a file in the following directories (by using a command, for
example) can cause failover of a CPU module and execution of memory dump
process. DO NOT attempt to access files in these directories.
/dev/mem
/proc/kcore
/proc/bus/
/proc/ft/bb/cpu[0,1]/dump
/proc/ide/
7 Note on the shutdown command
When you shutdown NEC Express5800/320Lb(-R) server using the shutdown
command, the following messages may appear after system’s “Power down” is
displayed. This does not affect the system operation.
FT[1] opstate UNKNOWN to INITIALIZING
FT[1] info unable to change led state for CRU
FT[1] opstate INITIALIZING to BROKEN DIAGNOSTICS_FAILED
8 Note on using the ft server utility
When you stop the primary PCI module or execute a dump function with the ft
server utility, the screen of the ft server utility may show a console message. This
does not affect the utility functions.
9 Note on updating the BMC firmware
When you update the BMC firmware by using the ft server utility, the LED on each
PCI module may turn red after the completion of update. This does not indicate
problems. You can see the update results at hist.log located in /usr/bmcfwupd.
10 Note on using the server switch unit
If the server switch unit is connected to a machine during reinstallation, configure
your mouse using the mouseconfig command when the reinstallation is completed,
and then startup the console mouse service (gpm).
11 Note on failure on PCI Module
When a failure occurs on the PCI module and the machine to which it is loaded is
automatically separated from the system, the display on the console screen may get
disturbed. This does not affect the function of devices.
12 Note on using Amanda command
To use amanda command of Linux for NEC Express5800/ft series, the version of
xinetd for Linux client must be 2.3.4 or later. If you are using xinetd earlier than
2.3.4, you need to update it.
13 Note on the “I/O error” display on the screen and registered in the log at the OS
startup
If a USB floppy disk drive is connected to the machine during OS startup, a
following message may appear on the screen and it can be registered in a log. This
does not indicate any problems on the system.

Partition Check:
sdg:<6> I/O error: dev **:**, Command ********, sector 0
 I/O error : dev **:**, Command ********, sector 0
 unable to read partition table
Limitations
The following limitations apply to the Express5800/320Lb FT Linux. Please read the
limitations below carefully to ensure that they are followed.
System Hardware
320Lb systems purchased with or previously running the Windows Operating
System cannot be loaded with the FT Linux Operating System. The following
conditions may occur:
The system may hang after a PCI Module breaks and is restoring to service.
The root cause is due to insufficient decay of 3.3V during a 1 second power-off
cycle during the PCI module bring-up after a failure. This condition has been
corrected for new 320Lb systems purchased with the Windows Operating
System after mid-November 2004.
Note: This limitation does not apply on any
systems ordered and preloaded with FT Linux at the
factory.
Memory Limit
The FT Linux OS currently have a 3GB (6x512MB) memory upper limit.
Restrictions
The following limitations apply to the Express5800/320Lb FT Linux. Please read the
restrictions below carefully to ensure that they are followed.
List of Restrictions
Restrictions
1 LAN card that is not connected to the network
If LAN cards connected to the device are not used (i.e. cables are not connected),
the ports on those cards are recognized as BROKEN state, turning the status color
of data viewer ([FtServer]-[PCIModule]-[Ethernet board]) as well as Operation
Window to red (abnormal). Connect those LAN cards together using the LAN
cables (cross cable) to avoid this status.
Express5800/320Lb System Release Notes 5

6Express5800/320Lb System Release Notes
2 X window
X window server cannot be operated. Use X terminal to operate X window client.