Oracle ZFS Storage Appliance: ZS3-ES - Required BIOS Settings

Asset ID:	1-79-2194478.1
Update Date:	2018-05-02
Keywords:

Solution Type Predictive Self-Healing Sure

Solution 2194478.1 : Oracle ZFS Storage Appliance: ZS3-ES - Required BIOS Settings

Applies to:

WWOPS ZS3-ES (Formerly Sun Storage ZFS S7335)
Oracle ZFS Storage
Oracle Exalogic Elastic Cloud X2-2 Hardware - Version X2 to X2 [Release X2]
7000 Appliance OS (Fishworks)

Purpose

Each platform in the Oracle ZFS Storage Appliance family has specific BIOS settings.

Please see below for the required BIOS settings for the Oracle ZFS Storage ZS3-ES Appliance.

Scope

This is intended for Oracle Support personnel and Field Service Engineers who may need to check that the BIOS settings match the defaults after service action has been carried out on the motherboard or Service Processor.

Details

The settings are provided as a reference for when a motherboard has been replaced or the Service Processor and BIOS firmware have been upgraded.

The latest available ILOM/BIOS firmware for the Oracle ZFS Storage ZS3-ES can be determined from MOS Document ID 1174698.1:

Doc ID 1174698.1 - Oracle ZFS Storage Appliance: How to check the SP BIOS revision level

See under ZS3-ES (Sun Server X3-2 / Sun Fire X4170 M3 Nashua)

PLEASE NOTE: If it is determined that the BIOS/ILOM version needs to be upgraded this MUST be done through Oracle support - Open a Service Request for assistance, OR via an Oracle Certified Partner.

Connecting to the SP

Connect to the Service Processor (SP) using a network or serial connection.

Oracle ILOM Getting Started Guide Firmware Release 3.2.x, Connect to Oracle ILOM

HOST_AUTO_POWER_ON

If HOST_AUTO_POWER_ON is disabled, enable it.

-> show /SP/policy HOST_AUTO_POWER_ON

/SP/policy
Properties:
HOST_AUTO_POWER_ON = disabled

-> cd /SP/policy
/SP/policy

-> set HOST_AUTO_POWER_ON=enabled
Set 'HOST_AUTO_POWER_ON' to 'enabled'

BIOS settings

Accessing the BIOS

Set the system to boot directly to the BIOS:

-> cd /HOST
-> set boot_device=bios

Boot the storage appliance:

-> start /SYS
Are you sure you want to start /SYS (y/n)? y
Starting /SYS

If the system is already running it will need to be reset instead of started.

-> reset /SYS
Are you sure you want to reset /SYS (y/n)? y
Performing hard reset on /SYS

Start the system console:

-> start /SP/console
Are you sure you want to start /SP/console (y/n)? y
Serial console started. To stop, type ESC (

Alternatively to setting the boot_device as described above, once you see the initial BIOS banner, hit "Control-E" several times when prompted. This will trigger the BIOS Setup menu after the initialization.

If you missed the BIOS banner, you can drop back to the SP with ESC ( Then reset the system - see below.

Note: Escape followed by shift 9 (open parenthesis is usually on shift 9). Some systems substitute the escape key with control key and the [ key .... ctrl [ shift 9

Serial console stopped.

-> reset /SYS
Are you sure you want to reset /SYS (y/n)? y
Performing hard reset on /SYS

-> start /SP/console
Are you sure you want to start /SP/console (y/n)? y
Serial console started. To stop, type ESC (

PCI IO settings

Once you access the BIOS, use the right arrow key to page over to the "IO" menu. Use the down arrow to select:

Slot 1

Press 'Enter' to access the sub-menu for 'Slot 1'.
Set 'IO Enable' to "Enabled" and 'OpROM Enable' to "Disabled".

IO Enable [Enabled]
OpROM Enable [Disabled]

Repeat this for Slots 2 and 3.

For 'Slot Internal' set both 'IO Enable' and 'OpROM Enable' to "Enabled".

IO Enable [Enabled]
OpROM Enable [Enabled]

Exit the BIOS

Use right arrow to page over to "Exit".
Select "Save Changes and Exit" and press return, and the press it again to confirm the action with the pop-up.
The head will reboot in normal mode.

Screen image of BIOS exit.

HDD boot devices

You will need to re-enter the BIOS Setup again in order to set the boot device priority.
Hit CTRL-E to enter BIOS Setup when the BIOS screen first loads, or upon bootup, use ESC (or, as previously described, to return to the ILOM, set the boot_device and reset the system to enter BIOS Setup.
Once the BIOS Setup is running use the arrow keys to navigate to the "Boot" menu and select the proper devices.
Press ESC to return to the top-level "Boot" menu.
"Save Changes and Exit" as described in the previous step

I am aware this is vague. If you can provide details on the devices selected please add a comment to this document.

Persistent_Boot_Mode

Check if the Persistent_Boot_Mode option is enabled.
Login to the appliance, drop to the shell and determine the current setting of the Persistent_Boot_Mode parameter.

login as: root
Using keyboard-interactive authentication.
Password:
zs3-es-h01:> confirm shell
...
zs3-es-h01# ubiosconfig export all -E -x /tmp/uefi-expert-mode.xml
Wrote backup of BIOS configuration to '/tmp/uefi-expert-mode.xml'.
zs3-es-h01# grep Persistent_Boot_Mode /tmp/uefi-expert-mode.xml
<Persistent_Boot_Mode>Disabled</Persistent_Boot_Mode>

If Persistent_Boot_Mode is disabled, edit the exported copy to change the entry to 'Enabled'.
If Persistent_Boot_Mode is Enabled, no further action is required in this step.

zs3-es-h01# sed "s/Disabled<\/Persistent_Boot_Mode/Enabled<\/Persistent_Boot_Mode/g" /tmp/uefi-expert-mode.xml > /tmp/uefi-expert-mode_Enabled.xml
zs3-es-h01# diff /tmp/uefi-expert-mode.xml /tmp/uefi-expert-mode_Enabled.xml
< <Persistent_Boot_Mode>Disabled</Persistent_Boot_Mode>
---
> <Persistent_Boot_Mode>Enabled</Persistent_Boot_Mode>

Import the changed setting to the BIOS.

zs3-es-h01# ubiosconfig import all -E -x /tmp/uefi-expert-mode_Enabled.xml
Are you sure you want to import the settings from the XML file to the BIOS? [y/n]? y
Preparing to restore XML file to BIOS...
Done preparing to restore settings in /tmp/uefi-expert-mode_Enabled.xml to BIOS.
Restoring BIOS configuration (allow several minutes)...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Done.

Escape back to the SP and reset the system and restart the console.

zs3-es-h01# ESC+SHIFT+9
Serial console stopped.

-> reset /SYS
Are you sure you want to reset /SYS (y/n)? y
Performing hard reset on /SYS

-> start /SP/console
Are you sure you want to start /SP/console (y/n)? y

Serial console started. To stop, type ESC (

*** System is rebooting to upgrade BIOS or change UEFI configuration ***

...

Confirm the Persistent_Boot_Mode setting is enabled (See first step).

SP password synchronization

The SP root password should match the root password of the ZFS Storage Appliance.
If it does not match, have the customer complete this final step. Remember: Exit back to the SP using "ESC("

zs3-es-h01:> ESC(
Serial console stopped.

-> cd /SP/users/root
/SP/users/root

-> set password
Enter new password: *********
Enter new password again: *********

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