Follow instructions in the latest version of the IRIS FailSafe Administrator's Guide (007-3109-00x) to install the software needed to run IRIS FailSafe.

For the IRIS FailSafe system, you must set up

Figure 3-1 diagrams basic IRIS FailSafe cabling.

Figure 3-1. IRIS FailSafe Cabling Scheme With One Public Network (Two Challenge S Servers)

To set up the component systems, follow these guidelines:

Figure 3-2 shows the ports on the Challenge S server for the private and public network interfaces and for the fast and wide SCSI interface (for the Challenge RAID or Challenge Vault storage system).

Figure 3-2. Challenge S Server Ports: Private and Public Network Cabling

Figure 3-3 shows an example of serial connection for sites using two Challenge S servers.

Figure 3-3. Serial and Power Connections: Two Challenge S Servers

This section explains

Cabling the Private Network

The private network between the Challenge servers supplies the heartbeat of one of the servers to the other. To cable the private network, connect the Ethernet 10-Base-T (ec3) ports on the Challenge S servers to each other with the Ethernet loopback cable supplied with the IRIS FailSafe product.

This port is between the two SCSI connectors on the back of the Challenge S server, as shown in Figure 3-4. Note that the Ethernet 10-Base-T port and the ISDN port below it look similar. The Ethernet 10-Base-T port is the one on top, immediately next to the SCSI connector, as shown in Figure 3-4.

Figure 3-4. Connecting an Ethernet 10-Base-T Cable to the Challenge S Server (S-100 and S-150 Models) for the Private Network (Heartbeat)

If one node in the configuration is a Challenge DM, L, or XL, an external 10-base T transceiver is required. For example, in a Challenge L-Challenge S configuration, plug the Ethernet null-modem cable into the 10-Base-T port on the Challenge S server and the other end into a 10-Base-T transceiver, which in turn is connected to the Ethernet port on the Challenge L server.

The serial connection between the two Challenge servers in the IRIS FailSafe system makes it possible for one server to reboot the other in case of failure. In the case of two larger servers, the Remote System Control port of one server is cabled to a serial port of the other, and vice versa. Because the Challenge S has no Remote System Control port, the Silicon Graphics remote power control unit and its associated power control units take its place for purposes of the serial connection.

This section explains how to cable the servers to the remote power control unit. It gives instructions for

Cabling Two Challenge S Servers

Figure 3-3 earlier in this chapter shows an example of serial connection for sites using two Challenge S servers.

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Note: On the remote power control unit, the leftmost Serial Port (A) controls the leftmost Power Control Port (0), and the rightmost Serial Port (B) controls the next Power Control Port (1). Note that the jacks are different for the two types of ports, as shown in Figure 3-5.

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Figure 3-5. Connector Panel on Remote Power Control Unit

Note that Power Control Ports 2 through 4 are not used; they are supplied with terminator plugs to reduce the chance for error.

If both nodes in your IRIS FailSafe configuration are Challenge S servers, follow these steps:

1. Plug one of the two serial cables included with the remote power control unit that has an RJ45 connector into Serial Port A on the remote power control unit, as shown in Figure 3-6. This cable is labeled CHALLENGE S TO RPCU CABLE.

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   Note: For all RJ45 and RJ11 connections, be sure the connector is properly seated in the jack so that it makes good contact.

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   Figure 3-6. Cabling the Serial Port on the Remote Power Control Unit
   
   

2. Plug the other end of this serial cable into the serial connector (tty_2) on the back of the Challenge S server, as shown in Figure 3-7.

   Figure 3-7. Connecting the Serial Cable to the Challenge S Server
   
   

3. Plug a serial cable with an RJ11 connector into the Power Control Port 1 on the remote power control unit, as shown in Figure 3-8.

   Figure 3-8. Cabling the Power Control Port
   
   

4. Attach the RJ11 connector of the serial cable to the RJ11 connector in a power control unit, as shown in Figure 3-9.

   Figure 3-9. Cabling the Power Control Unit
   
   

5. Attach the Challenge S power cable to the same server; plug the other end of the power cable into the power control unit.

6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 for the second Challenge S server, using Serial Port B and Power Control Port 0.

   Make sure that serial port A and Power Control Port 1 are connected (through the remote power control unit) to one Challenge S server, and serial port B and Power Control Port 0 are connected to the other.

7. Connect the power for the remote power control unit. Power it on; power on the servers and the ASCII terminal or laptop attached to each.

Cabling a Challenge S and a Larger Server

If you are using a Challenge S and a Challenge DM, L, or XL server, follow steps in this section. Figure 3-10 diagrams the serial interface for this configuration.

Figure 3-10. Serial Connection: Challenge S Server and Larger Challenge Server

To set up the serial connection for sites using one Challenge S server and another larger Challenge server, follow these steps:

1. Connect the remote power control unit and the larger Challenge server:

   • Attach the serial cable (labeled CHALLENGE XL/L TO RPCU CABLE) included with the remote power control unit to RJ45 Serial Port A on the remote power control unit, as shown in Figure 3-6.

   • Attach the other end of this cable to a serial port on the larger Challenge server, shorn as serial port 2 in Figure 3-10.

2. Attach one end of a serial cable to Power Control Port 0 on the remote power control unit and the other end of the cable to the RJ45 connector of the power control unit. For details, see Section 3.4.1, "Cabling Two Challenge S Servers."

3. Attach the Challenge S power cable to the server; plug the other end of the power cable into the power control unit.

4. Connect a serial cable to the serial port on the Challenge S. Attach the other end to the 9-pin Remote System Control port on the larger Challenge server.

To test the IRIS FailSafe hardware installation, attach an ASCII terminal to each server and run hinv. In the output for the Challenge S server, check for

Type hinv on each IRIS FailSafe server; the screen should display output similar to the following:

xfs-ha6 14# hinv
1 150 MHZ IP22 Processor
FPU: MIPS R4010 Floating Point Chip Revision: 0.0
CPU: MIPS R4400 Processor Chip Revision: 5.0
On-board serial ports: 2
On-board bi-directional parallel port
Data cache size: 16 Kbytes
Instruction cache size: 16 Kbytes
Secondary unified instruction/data cache size: 1 Mbyte
Main memory size: 64 Mbytes
Integral ISDN: Basic Rate Interface unit 0, revision 1.0
E++ controller: ec2, version 1
Integral Ethernet: ec3, version 1
Integral Ethernet: ec0, version 1
Integral SCSI controller 5: Version WD33C95A, differential, revision 0
Disk drive: unit 5 on SCSI controller 5
Integral SCSI controller 4: Version WD33C95A, differential, revision 0
Integral SCSI controller 0: Version WD33C93B, revision D
Disk drive: unit 1 on SCSI controller 0

Make sure the Remote Power Control unit is powered on.

Test the serial connection as explained in Section 2.6, "Testing the Serial Connection," in Chapter 2.

Figure 3-11 shows the Challenge S differential SCSI port connection.

Figure 3-11. ChallengeS Differential SCSI Port Connection

To cable the Challenge Vault or Challenge RAID storage system, follow instructions in Section 2.7, "Cabling the Vaults," and Section 2.8, "Cabling the Challenge RAID Storage System to the Challenge Servers," in Chapter 2.

Follow instructions in Section 2.9, "Setting the IRIS FailSafe Host SCSI IDs," in Chapter 2.

Follow instructions in the IRIS FailSafe Administrator's Guide (007-3109-00x) to configure and test the newly installed IRIS FailSafe system.