RHEL 6 Update 3 systems using software FCoE for the root device fail to boot after installation

Solution Verified - Updated -

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 6 Update 3
  • root (/) file system residing on a software FCoE storage device
  • NOTE: This issue affects systems with either software FCoE or a limited set of physical Broadcom FCoE offload cards.

Issue

  • While installing RHEL 6 Update 3 on a software FCoE storage device or Broadcom FCoE offload card for /, installation does not show the FCoE storage device in the “Other SAN devices” tab. The result is not being able to continue installation of RHEL 6 Update 3 on an FCoE storage device.

Resolution

Workarounds:

  • An anaconda updates image is available as an attachment to this article that resolves this issue. To use this image, download this attachment (linked in the below Attachments section), use gunzip to decompress the file, and place it on a web, nfs, or ftp server or local storage device that is accessible to the system being installed.

    • When installing, specify the URL of the updates image in the boot command line arguments. Proceed with a graphical or kickstart installation as normal.
    • Alternatively, the updates.img file may be placed in the images/ subdirectory for CD, DVD, NFS, URL, and HDISO installs. Anaconda will automatically pick this up during the installation without the user needing to specify any boot parameters.

    OR

  • In the anaconda graphical installer, switch to a virtual terminal (Ctrl+Alt+F2) and enter the following commands prior to searching for FCoE targets (replacing ethX with the name of the interface to be used to connect to the FCoE target):

Broadcom FCoE Offload:

# ifconfig ethX up
# fipvlan -c -s -f "-fcoe" ethX

Software FCoE:

# lldpad -d
# ifconfig ethX up
# dcbtool sc ethX app:0 e:1
# fipvlan -c -s -f "-fcoe" ethX

FCoE drive will show up in the "Other SAN devices" tab. After choosing the correct device, proceed with the graphical installation as normal.

# lldpad -d
# ifconfig ethX up
# dcbtool sc ethX app:0 e:1
# fipvlan -c -s -f "-fcoe" ethX

Now switch back to the anaconda installer (Ctrl+Alt+F1) and proceed to search for FCoE targets. The FCoE drive will show up in the "Other SAN devices" tab. After choosing the correct device, proceed with the graphical installation as normal.

For further assistance in working around this issue, please contact Red Hat Global Support Services.

Root Cause

An issue exists with the anaconda installer that prevents starting up of software FCoE instance for the selected network interface. As a result of this no FCoE storage device(s) show up for selection in the “Other SAN devices” tab of the installer.

Red Hat Engineering is tracking this issue via Bugzilla #823086.

Attachments

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