Potential DS8000 LUN Access Issue with Windows 2000 hosts

Content

If a Windows 2000 host is attached to a DS8700 or DS8800 on a pre-6.2 level of microcode, and the DS8000 is upgraded to an affected level of microcode (bundles 76.20.xx.x or higher for DS8700s and 86.20.xx.x or higher for DS8800s), the host will lose access to its volumes.

Windows 2000 hosts with Emulex HBAs using FC-Port driver, as well as other levels of Windows with any supported HBAs, are unaffected by this issue. DS8100s and DS8300s are unaffected by this issue, however, please read the resolution/support information below.

The issue is due to the host's use of certain bits within the SCSI Command Descriptor Block (CDB) for I/O commands, which is incompatible with the current SCSI standard for protection information.

Note: Windows 2000 extended maintenance support was withdrawn in July of 2010. At that time the DS8000 team published a note to require that any user have a Microsoft extended maintenance agreement, which apparently some corporations can still purchase. Clients still using Windows 2000 are required to have a valid Microsoft extended maintenance agreement. There are very few DS8700 or DS8800 systems attached to Windows 2000 hosts with SCSI mini-port drivers adapters, so we estimate there to be few DS8000 systems exposed to this issue.

link to the Microsoft extended support withdrawal statement http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifean36

Mitigation
If on an exposed DS8000 code level, use Emulex HBAs with the FC-Port driver or update the servers to Windows 2003. If not currently on an exposed DS8000 code level, ensure the use of Emulex HBAs with the FC-Port driver, or migrate off Windows 2000 before updating your DS8700 or DS8800 code.

Resolution/Support
Due to the issue described above, and because Microsoft long ago withdrew extended maintenance support for Windows 2000, the DS8000 program management team has removed Windows 2000 support from our interoperability information for all DS8000 models. See the DS8000 attachment support information at this IBM System Storage Interoperability Center (SSIC) web site: http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/support/storage/ssic/interoperability.wss Clients need to be advised to migrate away from Windows 2000 servers, to avoid this issue and potential other issues in the future.