Solaris 8 /etc/path_to_inst problem: too many sd entries need cleanup
807567Sep 30 2008 — edited Oct 8 2008I'm running Solaris 8 and I need to clean-up the /etc/path_to_inst file so that I can add more disks (SAN/EMC) for a database migration.
The first attempt revealed the problem as I went from 31,800 "sd" entries in /etc/path_to_inst file to 49,000 entries. None of the new disks showed up because of the "Illegal vminor" errors. I tried to clean the system up, but the automap variable in lpfc.conf was set to 1 and even though there were no mappings for the new HBA's in lpfc.conf or LUN entries in sd.conf, it built a TON of "sd" entries for these new HBA's in /etc/path_to_inst.
We disconnected the new SAN cables, deleted all but internal disk entries in /dev/dsk, /dev/rdsk, /dev/vx/dmp, /dev/vx/rdmp, /dev/vx/array.info, disks.info & jbod.info. I trimmed /etc/path_to_inst to just the network cards and 6 internal disks and did a "boot -r". Unfortunately, it rebuild the path_to_inst file with over 650 "sd" entries for almost all of the (disconnected) 16 new SAN ports.
Where is the system finding the information on these disks? Do I need to delete entries under /devices as well? I need to get a clean /etc/path_to_inst file so I can determine how many new disks (and how many paths each) from the new SAN I can add. This system has been around a LOOOONG time and over the years many things have been added & deleted from it. This clean-up is overdue.
System specs:
PRIMEPOWER 2500
Solaris 8 2/02
LPFC 6.11cx2
28 Emulex LP9000 HBA's direct attached to DMX3000 (~ 250 disks, 3 paths each)
8 dual-port LP10000DC-M2-H connected to mcdata SAN switches (cables unplugged) (~ 150 disks, 4 paths each)
# modinfo | egrep "emc|vx"
38 102cc000 2afb4 255 1 emcp (PP Driver 5.0.2)
39 102f46b4 2dcc3 - 1 emcpmpx (PP MPX Ext 5.0.2)
40 1031864f 2b3c 263 1 emcpsf (PP SF 5.0.2)
41 781da000 cd1f9 - 1 emcpsapi (PP SAPI Ext 5.0.2)
42 1031af4d 10ed2 - 1 emcpcg (PP CG Ext 5.0.2)
43 1032b077 2e13 - 1 emcpgpx (PP GPX Ext 5.0.2)
44 1032d6e6 8897 - 1 emcpdm (PP DM Manager 5.0.2)
45 78271381 4d9 - 1 emcpioc (PP PIOC 5.0.2)
46 782a8000 3aeae 252 1 vxdmp (VxVM 5.0_MP1_RP5: DMP Driver)
48 782e4000 33e2c8 253 1 vxio (VxVM 5.0_MP1_RP5 I/O driver)
49 782dd286 df0 254 1 vxspec (VxVM 5.0_MP1_RP5 control/status)
264 78c07475 c73 257 1 vxportal (VxFS 5.0_REV-5.0MP1RP4a5_sol po)
265 78cdc000 1bc9e7 16 1 vxfs (VxFS 5.0_REV-5.0MP1RP4a5_sol Su)