Serviceability - IBM IntelliStation POWER 285 Technical Overview And Introduction

Cache or cache-line deallocation is aimed at performing dynamic reconfiguration to bypass
potentially failing components. This capability is provided for both L2 and L3 caches. Dynamic
run-time deconfiguration is provided if a threshold of L1 or L2 recovered errors is exceeded.
In the case of an L3 cache run-time array single-bit solid error, the spare resources are used
to perform a line delete on the failing line.
PCI hot-plug slot fault tracking helps prevent slot errors from causing a system machine
check interrupt and subsequent reboot. This provides superior fault isolation, and the error
affects only the single adapter. Run-time errors on the PCI bus caused by failing adapters will
result in recovery action. If this is unsuccessful, the PCI device is shut down gracefully. Parity
errors on the PCI bus itself result in bus retry, and if uncorrected, the bus and any I/O
adapters or devices on that bus are deconfigured.
The IntelliStation POWER 285 supports PCI Extended Error Handling (EEH) if it is supported
by the PCI-X adapter. In the past, PCI bus parity errors caused a global machine check
interrupt, which eventually required a system reboot in order to continue. In the IntelliStation
POWER 285 hardware, system firmware, and AIX 5L interaction have been designed to allow
transparent recovery of intermittent PCI bus parity errors and graceful transition to the I/O
device available state in the case of a permanent parity error in the PCI bus.
EEH-enabled adapters respond to a special data packet generated from the affected PCI slot
hardware by calling system firmware, which examines the affected bus, allows the device
driver to reset it, and continues without a system reboot.
Persistent deallocation functions include:
Processor
Memory
Deconfigure or bypass failing I/O adapters
L3 cache
Following a hardware error that has been flagged by the service processor, the subsequent
reboot of the system invokes extended diagnostics. If a processor or L3 cache is marked for
deconfiguration by persistent processor deallocation, the boot process attempts to proceed to
completion with the faulty device deconfigured automatically. Failing I/O adapters are
deconfigured or bypassed during the boot process.
Note: The auto-restart (reboot) option, when enabled, can reboot the system automatically
following an unrecoverable software error, software hang, hardware failure, or
environmentally induced failure (such as loss of power supply).

3.1.8 Serviceability

Increasing service productivity means the system is up and running for a longer time. The
IntelliStation POWER 285 workstation improve service productivity by providing the functions
described in the following sections.
Error indication and LED indicators
The IBM IntelliStation POWER 285 workstations are designed for client setup of the machine
and for the subsequent addition of most hardware features. The IntelliStation POWER 285
also allow clients to replace service parts (Client Replaceable Unit). To accomplish this, the
IntelliStation POWER 285 provide internal LED diagnostics that identify parts requiring
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IBM IntelliStation POWER 285 Technical Overview and Introduction