Chapter 1 Overview

The Dynamic Reconfiguration (DR) features described in this user's guide are specific to Sun(TM) Enterprise(TM) 3000, 3500, 4000, 4500, 5000, 5500, 6000, and 6500 systems. These features may not apply to other types of server systems.

Directory of Service Procedures

Use this list to find information and service procedures in this book.

• Checking the status of a board, see: "How to Monitor Board Status"

• Finding the system name of a board or device, see: "How to Monitor Board Status"

• Determining what types of boards are supported by DR: "Hardware Support"

• Determining what software patches are needed: "Software Patches"

• Installing a new board, see: "Installing a New Board"

• Installing a board for use as a spare unit, see: "Installing a New Board"

• Removing or replacing a board, see: "Removing a Board"

• Removing a device driver that does not support DR, see: "Removing Boards that Use Detach-Unsafe Drivers"

• Connecting storage devices to an I/O board, see: "Adding Storage Devices"

• Adding modules or I/O cards to a board, see: "Adding Storage Devices"

What Is DR?

The DR software package enables a service provider to safely add, remove, or modify some types of system hardware while the system is still running.

You can use DR commands to:

• Shorten the interruption of system applications while installing or removing a board

• Disable a failing device by removing it from the logical configuration, before the failure can crash the operating system

• Display the operational status of boards in a system

• Initiate system tests of a board while the system continues to run

• Reconfigure a system while the system continues to run

• Invoke hardware-specific functions of a board or a related attachment

This release of DR uses a command-line user interface. The primary command for Dynamic Reconfiguration is the configuration administration program cfgadm. Refer to the cfgadm(1M) man page for further details.