Re: Hard drive failures -- MIDRANGE-L

Got an IBM email of new HIPER PTF package. Did SNDPTFORD and got 3 new
"MF" PTFs.

Behold this cover letter:

DISPLAY PTF DETAILS
Page 1
5770SS1 V7R1M0 100423
DILGARD 02/26/14 09:39:41 EST
Cover Letter
PTF/FIX #: MF58124 - Licensed Internal Code
LICENSED PROGRAM: 5770999
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
: : RELEASE : LEVEL : RECOMPILE : LIBRARY : MRI : APAR :
: IBM : : MIN/MAX : : : FEATURE: FIXED :
: : : : : : : :
: i : V7R1M0 : 00/00 : N : QSYS : NONE : MA43531 :
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRE/CO-REQUISITE PTF/FIX LIST
-----------------------------
REQ LICENSED PTF/FIX LEVEL
TYPE PROGRAM REL NUMBER MIN/MAX OPTION
---- -------- --- ------- ------- ------
NONE
NOTICE:
-------
Application of this PTF may disable or render ineffective programs that
use system memory addresses not generated by the IBM translator,
including programs that circumvent control technology designed to limit
interactive capacity to purchased levels. This PTF may be a
prerequisite
for future PTFs. By applying this PTF you authorize and agree to the
foregoing.
This PTF is subject to the terms of the 'IBM License Agreement for
Machine
Code', the terms of which were provided in a printed document that was
delivered with the machine.
SUBJECT TO ANY WARRANTIES WHICH CAN NOT BE EXCLUDED OR EXCEPT AS
EXPLICITLY
AGREED TO IN THE APPLICABLE LICENSE AGREEMENT OR AN APPLICABLE SUPPORT
AGREEMENT, IBM MAKES NO WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS EITHER EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON INFRINGEMENT,
REGARDING THE PTF.
DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM FIXED FOR APAR 'MA43531' :
-------------------------------------------------
Incorrect handling of a device or SAS failure may result in
SRC57B58151 SRC57BB8151 SRC57C38151 SRC57C48151
An array failure during a cache flush may result in an
SRC57B58151 SRC57BB8151 SRC57C38151
Parity updates may get out of sync between dual storage IOAs
resulting in possible SRC57B59041 SRC57C39041 SRC57C49041
SRC57BB9041
False error condition detected when operating in a cache full
condition and encountering a SAS recoverable event, may result
in
DISPLAY PTF DETAILS
Page 2
5770SS1 V7R1M0 100423
DILGARD 02/26/14 09:39:41 EST
SRC57B58151 SRC57BB8151 SRC57C38151 SRC57C48151
Multiple error logging enhancements
Multiple adapter servicability enhancements
Adapter error recovery enhancements in dual storage IOA
configurations
Multiple error recovery enhancements
CORRECTION FOR APAR 'MA43531' :
-------------------------------
Apply PTF
CIRCUMVENTION FOR APAR 'MA43531' :
----------------------------------
None.
ACTIVATION INSTRUCTIONS :
-------------------------
None.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS :
----------------------
This PTF will be automatically permanently applied.
********************************************************************
THE FOLLOWING ARE SUPERSEDED SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. IF THE SUPERSEDED
PTF HAS ALREADY BEEN APPLIED AND ITS SPECIAL INSTRUCTION FOLLOWED,
IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO FOLLOW THAT SPECIAL INSTRUCTION AGAIN.
********************************************************************
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUPERSEDED PTF MF57498:
================================================
This PTF will be automatically permanently applied.
Apply Fix
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUPERSEDED PTF MF57034:
================================================
This PTF will be automatically permanently applied.
This fix is activated during the next IPL of the system after
the PTF has been applied.
After this PTF is applied, a SAVSYS should be done to create
a new recovery media which includes this fix.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUPERSEDED PTF MF53963:
================================================
This PTF will be automatically permanently applied.
This fix is activated during the next IPL of the system after
DISPLAY PTF DETAILS
Page 3
5770SS1 V7R1M0 100423
DILGARD 02/26/14 09:39:41 EST
the PTF has been applied.
DEFAULT INSTRUCTIONS :
----------------------
THIS PTF CAN BE APPLIED IMMEDIATE OR DELAYED.
SUPERSEDES
PTF/FIX NO(S). APAR TITLE LINE
--------------
------------------------------------------------------------
MF57597 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF57498 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF57034 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF56493 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF56192 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF56071 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF55904 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF55656 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF55307 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF55159 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF54788 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF54697 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF54619 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF54385 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF54219 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF53963 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF53617 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF52781 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
MF52513 INCORROUT-HLIC-94XXMSDC
* * * * * E N D O F L I S T
I N G * * * * *

I don't believe this has anything to do with the hard drive failures I'm
having because

1) I think it's for SAS drives (just a guess) and I'm pretty sure mine are
all SCSI
2) I don't get any of those source reference codes

OTOH, it does say "parity updates" in this cover letter and SNDPTFORD
evidently thinks I need it.

Thought I would ask.

On Wed, Feb 26, 2014 at 7:21 AM, <rob@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I've had 25% of my SSD's fail. Didn't take long after installation. Since
then they've been humming along.

Rob Berendt
--
IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 6.1
Group Dekko
Dept 1600
Mail to: 2505 Dekko Drive
Garrett, IN 46738
Ship to: Dock 108
6928N 400E
Kendallville, IN 46755
http://www.dekko.com

From: "Steinmetz, Paul" <PSteinmetz@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'"
<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 02/25/2014 10:42 PM
Subject: RE: Hard drive failures
Sent by: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx

Jim,

We've had our share of catastrophic failures, back in the S/38 3370 days,
(no Raid protection) one year we had 3, it was a perfect diagonal on the
12 month calendar. Then in the AS/400 years when a 3rd party vendor
doubled your disk capacity if you swapped your IBM memory and controllers
for theirs. Over time not very reliable.

Yes, we've been lucky in the last 10 years. Failures will occur, but
hopefully not as catastrophic with all the newer built in redundancies.

We have SSD drives on our new P7-740. Has anyone had a SSD drive fail?

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [
mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jim Oberholtzer
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 9:56 PM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: RE: Hard drive failures

All that means is you are living on borrowed time. You may not have a
catastrophic failure, but are you willing to bet your paycheck, and those
of all your co-workers paychecks on it?

I'm happy Holger's systems are holding up, it proves the hardware is top
notch. That does not change my premise that the statistics are going to
eventually get you.

--
Jim Oberholtzer
Chief Technical Architect
Agile Technology Architects

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Steinmetz, Paul
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 7:03 PM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: RE: Hard drive failures

On our old Power5 9406-550
36 4328 drives - 1 failure from Nov 2005 to Feb 2013, and that drive
failed gradually over a 2 month period. 8/15/11, failed on 10/8/11.

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Holger Scherer
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 7:20 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: RE: Hard drive failures

Depends...

our internal statistics on older boxes:

- 73 drives 6717 (!) on old boxes - no failure in the last 12 months
- 168 drives 6718 on old boxes - 1 failure in the last 12 months
- 40 drives 6719 on old boxes - 8 failures in the last 12 months
- 180 drives 4326 on aged boxes - 1 failure in the last 12 months
- 168 drives 4327 on i5 boxes - 9 failures in the last 12 months
- 84 drives 4328 on i5 boxes - 3 failures in the last 12 months

drives in Power6 boxes and newer: <1% of failing drives in 12 months.
Nothing to worry about.

The old 6717 are rock-solid unless you power them down. And yes - we run a
lot of old customer boxes for archive purposes. Old software forces them
to
:-)

-h

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jim Oberholtzer

Age. Your mean time between failure date on those drives has long since
passed.

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