Unable to Use IP-LAN Secure Fabric or OFED Utilities After Updating a Linux Partition Image

Symptoms

After applying updates to a Linux partition—even if you remain on the same service pack—you encounter problems using the IP-LAN secure fabric or OpenFabrics Enterprise Distribution (OFED) utilities.

Cause

For Linux operating systems, the required level of the OFED software may be overwritten when you upgrade software packages, resulting in problems using the IP-LAN secure fabric or OFED utilities.

Solutions

Unisys recommends that you do not remove existing /lib/modules/kernel-version directories if you are upgrading the kernel version, since the /lib/modules/ directory for the new kernel version contains links to the previous version. If some of the OFED drivers (for example, the mlx4_en driver) do not reload upon reboot after a kernel version upgrade, you will need to reinstall the OFED software.

To reinstall the OFED software, download the OFED .iso, rebuild it, and then reinstall the software from your newly created OFED .iso:

  1. Access the Support Site for the ClearPath Forward product, click Drivers and Downloads, click the appropriate InfiniBand card (for example, ES3563001-PCE) under the Network Interface Cards section on the Hardware tab, click the appropriate download for your operating system to view details, verify that the identified release level lists your ClearPath Forward product release level, review any available comments or read-me files on the page, click the desired downloadable file, and then save it to a location of your choice.

  2. Copy the .iso to your Linux partition image, mount the .iso, change directory to the mount point directory, and then run the mlnx_add_kernel_support.sh script. For example, 

    ./ mlnx_add_kernel_support.sh script -m --make-iso

  3. Install the software from the newly created iso: Mount the newly created iso, change directory to the mount point directory, and enter the following command:

    ./mlnxofedinstall [without-fw-update]