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Fibre Channel Switch Monitor (dm_fc_sw)

Monitor Description | Configuration Files

Monitor Description

The Fibre Channel Switch Monitor is designed to monitor the operation of all supported FC Switches on your system. If a problem is detected with a Switch, the Monitor immediately sends an event to the Event Monitoring Service, which alerts you using the notification methods defined for the Monitor. Clear, concise error messages identify the problem, what caused it, and what must be done to correct it.

The Fibre Channel Switch Monitor employs polling event detection. At regular intervals, the Monitor requests status information from each Switch. The Monitor then analyzes the data returned to determine if a hardware problem has occurred. If an error has occurred that warrants notification, an event is generated immediately.

The Monitor is launched automatically when the system is started, ensuring that all supported FC Switches are protected from undetected hardware failure.

NOTE: Unlike the other EMS Hardware Monitors, the FC Switch Monitor requires some initial configuration before it will function. Because an FC Switch is not part of the host's configuration, the host cannot detect any Switches during startup. You must tell the Switch Monitor what Switches you want it to monitor. This is done by defining two settings in the Switch Monitor configuration file, SW_COUNT and SW_X_IP_ADDRESS. Refer to "Initial Monitor Configuration" later in this data sheet.

Release History

April 1999 Release: Initial release

Supported Products

Gigabit Fibre Channel Switch Model A5223A and A5224A

Special Requirements

The FC Switch Monitor requires:

C++ runtime support patches

Before using the Switch Monitor, edit the Monitor configuration file (/var/stm/config/tools/monitor/dm_fc_sw.cfg) to indicate what Switches will be monitored.

Resource Path

Event monitoring: /connectivity/events/switches/FC_switch
Status monitoring: /connectivity/status/switches/FC_switch

Monitor Name

/usr/sbin/stm/uut/bin/tools/monitor/dm_fc_sw

PSM State Control

The set_fixed utility must be used to return a hardware resource to the UP state following a failure. The monitor does not support automatic state control.

Example: set_fixed -n resource path

Event History File

Configuration Files

Initial Configuration of the Monitor Configuration File (.cfg)

Unlike the other EMS Hardware Monitors, the FC switch monitor requires some initial configuration before it will function. Because a FC switch is not part of the host's configuration, the host cannot detect any switches during startup. You must tell the switch monitor what switches you want it to monitor. This is done by defining two settings in the switch monitor configuration file, SW_COUNT and SW_X_IP_ADDRESS.

To configure the FC switch monitor configuration file:

  1. Determine which switches you want the monitor to be responsible for. Record the IP address for each of these switches.
  2. Open file /var/stm/config/tools/monitor/dm_fc_sw.cfg in an ASCII text editor.
  3. Add the following line to the file: 
    SW_COUNT n
    Replace "n" with the value that reflects the number of switches for which the monitor will be responsible. For example, the following line would monitor five switches: 
    SW_COUNT 5
  4. Add the following line to file: 
    SW_X_IP_ADDRESS nn.nn.nnn.nnn
    Change the placeholder "X" to the number 1, and replace the "nn" fields with the IP address of the switch that will be designated as switch 1.

    The completed line will look similar to the following:

    SW_1_IP_ADDRESS 15.43.214.101
  5. If multiple switches will be monitored, replicate the line from step 4 for each switch, changing the switch number and IP Address for each. When you are done, the number of lines should equal the number defined in the SW_COUNT setting. For example, the following lines would configure the monitor for three switches: 
    SW_COUNT 3
SW_1_IP_ADDRESS 15.43.214.101
SW_2_IP_ADDRESS 15.43.214.171
SW_3_IP_ADDRESS 15.43.214.184
  6. Save the file.
  7. To invoke the changes immediately, run the Hardware Monitoring Request Manager (/etc/opt/resmon/lbin/monconfig) and select the (E)nable Monitoring option of the Hardware Monitoring Request Manager, even if monitoring is already enabled. The Enable Monitoring option runs the startup client, which reads the contents of the configuration file and starts the switch monitor to begin monitoring of the FC switches. See "Enabling Hardware Event Monitoring" on page 33 for more information.
There are other settings in the configuration file that can be changed to customize the operation of the FC switch monitor. These settings are defined in Chapter 5, "Hardware Monitor Configuration Files" in the "EMS Hardware Monitor User's Guide."

Adding or Removing an FC Switch

Adding or removing a switch from the monitor configuration involves changing the same configuration file settings described in the preceding procedure, SW_COUNT and SW_X_IP_ADDRESS.

To change the FC switch monitoring configuration:

  1. Determine the IP address for each switch you are adding or deleting.
  2. Open file /var/stm/config/tools/monitor/dm_fc_sw.cfg in an ASCII text editor.
  3. Locate the following line in the file and change value "n" to reflect the new number of switches to be monitored: 
    SW_COUNT n
  4. If you are adding a switch, add the following line to file: 
    SW_X_IP_ADDRESS nn.nn.nnn.nnn
    Change the placeholder "X" to the number you want assigned to the switch (typically the next sequential number available), and replace the "nn" fields with the IP address of the switch.

    The completed line will look similar to the following:

    SW_5_IP_ADDRESS 15.43.214.191
    Repeat this step for each switch you are adding.
  5. If you are removing a switch, locate the SW_X_IP_ADDRESS line for the switch to be removed and delete it from the file. If you deleting multiple switches, delete the line for each one.
  6. Save the file.
  7. To invoke the changes immediately, run the Hardware Monitoring Request Manager (/etc/opt/resmon/lbin/monconfig) and select the (E)nable Monitoring option. This option runs the startup client, which will cause the changes to the switch monitoring to take effect immediately.
Alternatively you can do nothing and the changes will be made at the next switch polling interval when the monitor recognizes the changes and launches the startup client to invoke them.

Startup Configuration File (.sapcfg)

File name: /var/stm/config/tools/monitor/dm_fc_sw.sapcfg

Default Entries: The Monitor uses the standard default monitor request entries.

Monitor Configuration File (.cfg)

File name: /var/stm/config/tools/monitor/dm_fc_sw.cfg

Default settings:

POLL_INTERVAL 60 minutes
REPEAT_FREQUENCY 1 day (1440 minutes)
SEVERITY_ACTION Notify for all levels

The Switch Monitor uses a number of monitor-unique settings to configure the SNMP environment used by the Switch. These settings are described in the EMS Hardware Monitors User's Guide and the dm_fc_sw man page.

Other Settings

The switch monitor also uses the following settings to configure the SNMP environment used by the switch. Note that two of these settings (SW_COUNT and SW_X_IP_ADDRESS) are required to indicate to the monitor what switches should monitored. Changes that involve adding or deleting switches to the configuration file while the monitor is running will be invoked at the next polling interval, or following the selection of the (E)nable Monitoring option from the Hardware Monitoring Request Manager (monconfig).

Setting Default Value Description
 SW_COUNT value none Manditory: Identifies the number of switches (value) the monitor will be responsible for monitoring. This setting is required.
 SW_X_IP_ADDRESS none Manditory: Identifies the IP address for each switch the monitor will monitor. The "X" placeholder is replaced by the number assigned to the switch, and "IP_address" is replaced by the IP address of the switch. There must be a separate setting for each switch. This setting is required.
 SITE_SNMP_GET_COMMUNITY public These settings define the SNMP community assigned to the switches being monitored. The SITE setting is used for all switches, unless overridden by a SW_X setting for the specific switch identified by X. The text string cannot contain embedded spaces.
 SW_X_SNMP_GET_COMMUNITY SITE_SNMP_GET_COMMUNITY SNMP Get Community for switch X. X values from 1 up to and including SW_COUNT are attempted.
 SITE_LOCATION none These settings define the text string used to identify the switch location in log messages. The SITE setting is used for all switches, unless overridden by a SW_X setting for the specific switch identified by X. The text string cannot contain embedded spaces.
 SW_X_LOCATION SITE_LOCATION Location of switch X. X values from 1 up to and including SW_COUNT are attempted.
 SITE_CONTACT none These settings define the text string used to identify the contact person in log messages. The SITE setting is used for all switches, unless overridden by a SW_X setting for the specific switch identified by X. The text string cannot contain embedded spaces.
 SW_X_CONTACT SITE_CONTACT Contact person for switch X information. X values from 1 up to and including SW_COUNT are attempted.
 SITE_SNMP_RETRY 3 These settings define the SNMP retry value in seconds. The SITE setting is used for all switches, unless overridden by a SW_X setting for the specific switch identified by X. Valid values are between 2-5.
 SW_X_SNMP_RETRY SITE_SNMP_RETRY SNMP retry value for switch X. Valid values are between 2-5
 SITE_SNMP_TIMEOUT 2 These settings define the SNMP timeout value in seconds. The SITE setting is used for all switches, unless overridden by a SW_X setting for the specific switch identified by X. Valid values are 1 - 5.
 SW_X_SNMP_ TIMEOUT SITE_SNMP_TIMEOUT SNMP timeout value in seconds for switch X. Valid values between 1-5.
 SW_X_IS_MONITORED 1 (Yes) This setting determines if the indicated switch will be monitored. Valid values are 0 (No) and 1 (Yes).
 SW_X_SYSNAME none Identifies the switch's sysname if the switch's system.sysName value is not set.

PSM Configuration File (.psmcfg)

File name: /var/stm/config/tools/monitor/dm_fc_sw.psmcfg

Default settings:

MONITOR_RESOURCE_NAME /connectivity/events/switches/FC_switch
PSM_RESOURCE_NAME /connectivity/events/switches/FC_switch
MONITOR_STATE_HANDLING NO_UP_CONTROL. UP state will be controlled by the set_fixed(1m) command
DOWN_SEVERITY_THRESHOLD Serious and Critical map to DOWN
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URL: http://docs.hp.com/hpux/onlinedocs/diag/ems/emd_fcsw.htm
Last updated: Tuesday July 27 11:38:33 PT 2004