RE: Disk Failure -- MIDRANGE-L

Mr. Breisacher,

Thank you very much for taking the time to do all this research, and report
your findings to the Community.  It is very nice to see an iCitizen take an
activist role.  I haven't had any problems with my disk drives (knock
head...;-) but wanted to acknowledge your efforts anyway.


BTW, I didn't know if the "Importance High" setting was your preference, or
was just left because it was the default.  If you (or your sys-admin) wanted
to change your setting follow these menus:  Tools>Options (Alt+T then O) and
then press these buttons: [E-mail Options...] then [Advanced E-mail
Options...].  There is a drop-down box about half-way down that allows you
to change the default importance level.  (This is for Outlook 2000, but
others should be similar).


Again, thanks for trying to be a good iCitizen and an activist.  The iNation
can always use a few more of those.

jt

To quote Neil, the first day he heard of the iNation (4/23/01):
"Ask not what your iNation can do for you, ask what you can do for your
iNation !"





-----Original Message-----
From: owner-midrange-l@midrange.com
[mailto:owner-midrange-l@midrange.com]On Behalf Of David Breisacher
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 9:25 PM
To: 'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
Subject: RE: Disk Failure
Importance: High


JT -
Thanks for your response. Please excuse the "Importance High" reference on
my emails - it is the default settings on my MS-Outlook. I am a member of
the iSeries Nation and thanks for accepting me as a member of the iSeries
Community.

In regards to the questions I posed to the group I'd like to thank all of
you for the many "off-line" emails sent to me. Hopefully some of my
suggestions were helpful.  One of the inquires received was from Insider
Weekly.  I have since given them an interview with my thoughts on these disk
failures. I believe the article will come out next week.

Here are a few answers that many of you asked. These should help clarify
some issues until the Insider Weekly article comes out.

1) 10K drives are currently manufactured in Hungary, Thailand, and
Singapore.

2) 10K drives currently being shipped into the iSeries market include IBM
Ultrastar 9LZX, 18LZX , and 36LZX . The multitude of drives will make serial
number tracking very difficult.

3) If you get 6607-3109, 6713-3109, 6714-3109, 6717-3109, or 6718-3109 error
codes (permanent or predictive) there is a strong change you will experience
a disk crash. In this situation the IOP timed out a disk command.

4) If you get 6607-FFFE, 6713- FFFE, 6714- FFFE, 6717- FFFE, or 6718- FFFE
error codes (statistical or predictive) you should not be terribly
concerned. In this situation you have logged a temporary disk bus error that
the system recovered.

5) If you get an A600-0266 or A600-0255 the system has lost contact with
your drives. Wait a few minutes and the system might recover. Very possible
you will have to take the system down hard. Possible that two drives have
failed and a system reload might have to occur.

6) The difference in the last three digits of a drive can be explained as
such.
030 - Unprotected or mirrored unit of a type not supported in HA controller
parity set (520-byte device).
050 - Unprotected or mirrored unit of a type supported in HA controller
parity set membership (522-byte device). Data compression inactive
060 - Unprotected or mirrored unit of a type supported in HA controller
parity set membership (522-byte device). Data compression active
070 - Non-parity unit of parity set (full capacity, 522-byte device). Data
compression inactive
072 - Parity unit in parity set with 8 parity units (7/8 capacity, 522-byte
device). Data compression inactive
074 - Parity unit in parity set with 4 parity units (3/4 capacity, 522-byte
device). Data compression inactive.
080 - Non-parity unit of parity set (full capacity, 522-byte device). Data
compression active
082 - Parity unit in parity set with 8 parity units (7/8 capacity, 522-byte
device). Data compression active
084 - Parity unit in parity set with 4 parity units (3/4 capacity, 522-byte
device). Data compression active.

That is all for now. I look forward to more comments.


Regards,


David Breisacher
BCC Technologies, Inc.

Contact Information
15331 Barranca Parkway
Irvine, CA 92618 - USA
949.453.7600 x 37 - Phone
949.510.3283 - Mobile
949.453.7601 - Fax
http://www.bcctech.com
dbreisacher@bcctech.com

-----Original Message-----
From: jt [mailto:jt@ee.net]
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2001 1:55 PM
To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
Subject: RE: Disk Failure


Neil, Al & all other parties,

I agree with Chuck, GREAT idea, Neil.  I would like to add my .02 worth:

There's going to be a knee-jerk reaction that Mr. Breisacher is
grandstanding, in making this offer.  That was my first reaction when I saw
the "Importance High" exclamation point.

But then I thought, why NOT take it at face value?  Can still keep an eye
out for grandstanding.  The extent that Mr. Breisacher is, in fact, trying
to promote BCC will be pretty apparent as this issue works it's way out.

But if Mr. Breisacher is NOT promoting BCC and NOT trying to disparage IBM,
then it would be extremely short-sited to refuse his offer of help.

I don't know if BCC Technologies signed up as a member of iSeries Nation or
not.  Even if they didn't, IMHO that's a technicality that isn't worth
splitting hairs over.  They are, indisputably, a member of the iSeries
Community.  Mr. Breisacher certainly _appears_ to be genuine.

Why not see if he can help solve a problem that effects the Community?  I'd
try to help, but my expertise in disk drives quite limited.  I can tell when
they're working or they're not working.  But that's about the extent of my
knowledge...;-)

JMHO.

jt


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-midrange-l@midrange.com
[mailto:owner-midrange-l@midrange.com]On Behalf Of David Breisacher
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2001 2:38 PM
To: 'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
Subject: RE: Disk Failure
Importance: High


Al & all other parties concerned about iSeries disk -

My name is David Breisacher and I am the CEO/Chairman of BCC Technologies.
Before I comment on any IBM disk failures I must let everyone know that my
company manufacturers disk for the iSeries. My comments here are not
intended to promote BCC nor disparage IBM. I must also point out that I am a
strong advocate of IBM technology since we deal with the IBM Information
Technology Group.

So what is going on with all these failing disk? You may all be surprised to
find out that the answer is less simple than just pinpointing a serial
number list of drives?

Before any concise answer can be formulated we must address some obvious
questions.

1. Could the failing drive be rebuilt or was a new drive required? This will
help us determine if the problem is software or hardware related.
2. Was the replaced drive an Ultrastar XP, 2XP, 18XP, 9LZX, 18LZX, or 36LZX
drive?
3. What was the capacity of the drive?
4. Where was the drive located within the iSeries bus?
5. What was the RAID parity (4 or 8 drive) configuration?
6. Was RAID or Mirroring being utilized?
7. What SCSI IOP was being utilized?
8. What was the iSeries model and OS400 level?
9. What was your last CUM level, hiper, and individual disk related ptf
apply date?

Please send me answers to any of these questions and I'll give you my
opinions. I have to run into a meeting so that's all for now.


Regards,


David Breisacher
BCC Technologies, Inc.

Contact Information
15331 Barranca Parkway
Irvine, CA 92618 - USA
949.453.7600 x 37 - Phone
949.510.3283 - Mobile
949.453.7601 - Fax
http://www.bcctech.com
dbreisacher@bcctech.com


-----Original Message-----
From: barsa@barsaconsulting.com [mailto:barsa@barsaconsulting.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2001 8:26 AM
To: Glenn Ericson
Cc: Bob Buchanan; Cyndi Bradberry; Dwayne Lindner; Larry Bolhuis;
MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
Subject: RE: Disk Failure



I'm trying to do that, but IBM is not being very cooperative with details.
Apparently all of the "suspect" drives were built in Singapore.

Al

Al Barsa, Jr.
Barsa Consulting Group, LLC

400>390

914-251-1234
914-251-9406 fax

http://www.barsaconsulting.com
http://www.taatool.com







                    Glenn Ericson

                    <Glenn-Ericso        To:     <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com>

                    n@att.net>           cc:     Cyndi Bradberry
<CyndiB@IHFA.ORG>, Larry Bolhuis
                                         <lbolhuis@arbsol.com>, Bob Buchanan
<BobbyB@camstar.com>, Dwayne Lindner
                    07/10/01
<Dwayne.Lindner@writ.wesfarmers.com.au>, <barsa@barsaconsulting.com >
                    11:00 AM             Subject:     RE: Disk Failure









Is it possible to narrow it  down to some manufacturing /ship/install date
window?
Just  to get an idea of the scope of the exposure and if there is an END
DATE yet?

Al When were your  manufactured/shipped?

At 08:24 AM 07/10/2001 -0600, Cyndi Bradberry wrote:
     Hi,
     I have looked at an IBM website that says the 6717's are 8.58GB / 10K
     rpm.
     Are these the disks you refer to ? We have ten in our new (to us) 730.
     Should I be worried ?
                   Size
      Unit  Type    (M)
         1  6717   8589
         2  6717   7516
         3  6717   8589
         4  6717   7516
         5  6717   7516
         6  6717   7516
         7  6717   7516
         8  6717   7516
         9  6717   7516
        10  6717   7516

     Cyndi


Glenn
________________________
Glenn Ericson,
Phoenix Consulting LLC ,  New York , NY USA
Ph.(718)898 9805  Fx .(718)446 1150
mailto:Glenn-Ericson@att.net
__________________________



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