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1.2.4 Master/Standby/Slave XSCF Mechanism


1.2.4 Master/Standby/Slave XSCF Mechanism
In a system where the SPARC M12-2S or SPARC M10-4S is connected by the building block system, one XSCF is mounted in each SPARC M12-2S or SPARC M10-4S chassis and crossbar box. The XSCFs are classified into three types according to their role.
  1. Master XSCF
    The system contains only one master XSCF. In addition to monitoring and managing the whole system, the master XSCF also manages the SPARC M12-2S, SPARC M10-4S, or crossbar box in which it is mounted. For duplication, a standby XSCF operates as the backup to the master XSCF.
  2. Slave XSCF
    The slave XSCF is an XSCF other than the master XSCF. The slave XSCF monitors and manages only the SPARC M12-2S, SPARC M10-4S, or crossbar box in which it is mounted.
  3. Standby XSCF
    This XSCF operates as the backup to the master XSCF. It is also called standby XSCF. One standby XSCF is included in the slave XSCF.
The master XSCF and standby XSCF monitor each other. If a failure occurs in the master XSCF, the master XSCF can switch with the standby XSCF, enabling continuous system operation and management without stopping business.

The master XSCF is connected to slave XSCFs by dedicated cables, and communication is made via the XSCF-dedicated protocol called the SP to SP communication protocol (SSCP). The settings made for the master XSCF are reflected on the slave XSCFs via SSCP. However, the settings made for a given physical partition are reflected only on the XSCFs belonging to that PPAR.