7.8.1.0 - Force10 Networks

C-Series RPMs have one CPU, the CP. The CP on the RPM communicates with the LP via IPC. Like the
the E-Series, The CP monitors the health status of the other processors by sending a heartbeat message. If
any CPU fails to acknowlege a consecutive number of heartbeat messages, or the CP itself fails to send
heartbeat messages (IPC timeout), the primary RPM requests a failover to the standby RPM, and FTOS
displays a message similar to Message 7.
Message 7 RPM Failover due to IPC Timeout
%RPM1-P:CP %IPC-2-STATUS: target rp2 not responding
%RPM0-S:CP %RAM-6-FAILOVER_REQ: RPM failover request from active peer: Auto failover on
failure
%RPM0-S:CP %RAM-6-ELECTION_ROLE: RPM0 is transitioning to Primary RPM.
%RPM0-P:CP %TSM-6-SFM_SWITCHFAB_STATE: Switch Fabric: UP
In addition to IPC, the CP on the each RPM sends heartbeat messages to the CP on its peer RPM via a
process called Inter-RPM Communication (IRC). If the primary RPM fails to acknowledge a consecutive
number of heartbeat messges (IRC timeout), the standby RPM responds by assuming the role of primary
RPM, and FTOS dispays message similar to message Message 8.
Message 8 RPM Failover due to IRC Timeout
20:29:07: %RPM1-S:CP %IRC-4-IRC_WARNLINKDN: Keepalive packet 7 to peer RPM is lost
20:29:07: %RPM1-S:CP %IRC-4-IRC_COMMDOWN: Link to peer RPM is down
%RPM1-S:CP %RAM-4-MISSING_HB: Heartbeat lost with peer RPM. Auto failover on heart beat lost.
%RPM1-S:CP %RAM-6-ELECTION_ROLE: RPM1 is transitioning to Primary RPM.
IPC and IRC timeouts and failover behavior
IPC or IRC timeouts can occur because heartbeat messages and acknowlegements are lost or arrive out of
sequence, or a software or hardware failure occurs that impacts IPC or IRC. Table 20 describes the failover
behavior for the possible failure scenarios.
Table 20 Failover Behaviors
Platform Failover Trigger Failover Behavior
c e
c e
e
CP task crash on the primary
RPM
CP IRC timeout for a non-task
crash reason on the primary RPM
RP task or kernel crash on the
primary RPM
The standby RPM detects the IRC time out and initiates
failover, and the failed RPM reboots itself after saving a CP
application core dump.
The standby RPM detects IRC time out and initiates failover.
FTOS saves a CP trace log, the CP IPC-related system status,
and a CP application core dump. Then the failed RPM reboots
itself.
CP on the primary RPM detects the RP IPC timeout and
notifies the standby RPM. The standby RPM initiates a failover.
FTOS saves an RP application or kernel core dump, the CP
trace log, and the CP IPC-related system status. Then the new
primary RPM reboots the failed RPM.
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