Locating And Repairing The Problem - IBM Power 595 Technical Overview And Introduction

IBM problem management database
At the IBM Support Center, historical problem data is entered into the IBM Service and
Support Problem Management database. All information related to the error and any service
actions taken by the service representative are recorded for problem management by the
support and development organizations. The problem is then tracked and monitored until the
system fault is repaired.

4.3.7 Locating and repairing the problem

The final component of a comprehensive design for serviceability is the ability to effectively
locate and replace parts requiring service. POWER6 process-based systems utilize a
combination of visual cues and guided maintenance procedures to ensure that the identified
part is replaced correctly, every time.
Guiding Light LEDs
Guiding Light uses a series of flashing LEDs, allowing a service provider to quickly and easily
identify the location of system components. Guiding Light can also handle multiple error
conditions simultaneously, which could be necessary in some very complex high-end
configurations.
In the Guiding Light LED implementation, when a fault condition is detected on a POWER6
processor system, an amber System Attention LED is illuminated. Upon arrival, the service
provider engages the identify mode by selecting a specific problem. The Guiding Light system
then identifies the part that needs to be replaced by flashing the amber identify LED.
Datacenters can be complex places, and Guiding Light is designed to do more than identify
visible components. When a component might be hidden from view, Guiding Light can flash a
sequence of LEDs that extend to the frame exterior, clearly "guiding" the service
representative to the correct rack, system, enclosure, drawer, and component.
The operator panel
The operator panel on a POWER6 process-based system is a four-row by 16-element LCD
display used to present boot progress codes, indicating advancement through the system
power-on and initialization processes. The operator panel is also used to display error and
location codes when an error occurs that prevents the system from booting. The operator
panel includes several buttons allowing a service representative or the client to change
various boot-time options, and perform a subset of the service functions that are available on
the ASMI.
Concurrent maintenance
The IBM POWER6 processor-based systems are designed with the understanding that
certain components have higher intrinsic failure rates than others. The movement of fans,
power supplies, and physical storage devices naturally make them more susceptible to wear
or burnout, while other devices such as I/O adapters might begin to wear from repeated
plugging or unplugging. For this reason, these devices are specifically designed to be
concurrently maintainable, when properly configured.
In other cases, you might be in the process of moving or redesigning a datacenter, or
planning a major upgrade. At times like these, flexibility is crucial. The IBM POWER6
process-based systems are designed for redundant or concurrently maintainable power, fans,
physical storage, and I/O towers.
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IBM Power 595 Technical Overview and Introduction