Virtual Ethernet problems with iSCSI attached servers

To see information about the connections available to the Windows TCP/IP stack, enter ipconfig /all at a Windows command prompt. You should see information about the following things:

• External network adapters
• The LAN interfaces for the iSCSI HBA ports
• Virtual Ethernet adapters for your iSeries™ server

Match the results of the ipconfig command with one of the following troubleshooting cases and perform the actions suggested for that case until the problem is resolved.

A configured LAN IP address is missing in ipconfig

This case applies if an internet address for a LAN interface in the i5/OS remote configuration does not match an IP address that ipconfig shows for any iSCSI HBA. To display the remote system configuration, see Display remote system configuration properties.

• Examine the ipconfig results to find the physical addresses (MAC addresses) of the iSCSI HBAs. If a physical address displayed by ipconfig is different than the adapter address for the LAN interface in the i5/OS remote system configuration, do the following steps.
  1. Shut down the server from the Windows console.
  2. Vary off the NWSD from i5/OS. See Start and stop an integrated server.
  3. Change the adapter address for the LAN interface in the remote system configuration.
  4. Using i5/OS, start (vary on) the NWSD. See Start and stop an integrated server.
• Open Control Panel, then Administrative Tools, then Services. Ensure that iSeries Shutdown Manager is in the list of services and has a status of Started. This service automatically assigns LAN IP interface information from the i5/OS remote system configuration to ports having the configured MAC addresses.
• Look in the Application event log in Windows for events with a source of iSeries Shutdown Manager.
• Close any network properties window having General, Authentication, and Advanced tabs because this type of window locks resources required for assigning an IP address. If you close this type of window, wait 30 seconds for iSeries Shutdown Manager to assign the missing IP address, and enter ipconfig /all again.
• If none of the ipconfig results describe an installed iSCSI HBA, open Device Manager in Windows and ensure that the network driver for the iSCSI HBA is installed and enabled. If the driver has a yellow '!' or is grayed out, look in the System event log in Windows for events with a source of QL40xx and ensure that the iSCSI HBA is not disabled by the system BIOS setup menu.

Ipconfig shows a configured iSCSI HBA connection in media disconnected state

This case applies if ipconfig shows an iSCSI HBA connection that is in media disconnected state and has a physical address that matches an adapter address in the i5/OS remote system configuration.

• Ensure that the physical network is properly connected, and that devices in the network, such as switches, are functioning at the physical link to the hosted system's iSCSI HBA.

Ipconfig shows an IBM iSeries Virtual Ethernet connection in media disconnected state

• Virtual Ethernet requires a working iSCSI network, so iSCSI HBA problems must be resolved first. Ensure that ipconfig shows the LAN addresses in the i5/OS remote system configuration before proceeding.
• Ensure that the physical network is properly connected, and that devices in the network, such as switches, are functioning beyond the physical link to the hosted system's iSCSI HBA.
• Ensure that requirements defined in iSCSI network are satisfied.
• Open Control Panel, then Administrative Tools, then Services. Ensure that iSeries Manager, iSeries Shutdown Manager, and iSeries Virtual Ethernet Manager are in the list of services and have a status of Started.
• Look in the Application event log in Windows for events with a source of iSeries Virtual Ethernet Manager.
• If a firewall or a similar packet filtering function is involved, see Configure a firewall. LAN IP interfaces in the i5/OS remote system configuration can be affected by firewall software running in Windows.
• If your NWSD uses IPSec rules other than *NONE, see the iSCSI troubleshooting web page
  (www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/integratedxseries/iscsireadme/troubleshooting.html).

Ipconfig shows an IBM iSeries Virtual Ethernet connection with an incorrect IP address

• Manually configure the IP address in Windows. For point to point virtual Ethernet, see Point to point virtual Ethernet IP address conflicts. For other virtual Ethernet networks, only steps 1 - 5 of this procedure apply.

'Virtual Ethernet x' is configured in i5/OS and 'IBM iSeries Virtual Ethernet x' is missing in ipconfig

• In i5/OS, verify that the line description exists for the virtual Ethernet of interest. For point to point virtual Ethernet, see Explore point to point virtual Ethernet networks.
• Open Control Panel, then Administrative Tools, then Services. Ensure that iSeries Virtual Ethernet Manager is in the list of services and has a status of Started. This service automatically creates and removes IBM iSeries Virtual Ethernet adapters to match the line description configuration in i5/OS.
• Ensure that the system is not set to block installation of unsigned drivers. For details, see steps 1-4 of Begin the LAN driver installation or update. If you change the setting from Block, restart the iSeries Virtual Ethernet Manager service, wait 30 seconds and enter ipconfig /all again.
• Open Device Manager in Windows and ensure that the network driver for the IBM iSeries Virtual Ethernet adapter of interest is installed and enabled. If a yellow '!' is shown near the driver, look in the System event log in Windows for events with a source of Qvndvimp.

Ipconfig results look OK but large transfers fail

• Ensure that the IBM iSeries Virtual Ethernet adapters and the 'LAN' side of iSCSI HBA ports are not configured to use a larger maximum transmission unit than the iSCSI network supports. For example, not all switches support 9000 byte jumbo frames. Check the specifications of your network equipment. For more information, see Maximum transmission unit (MTU) considerations.