lost /dev/ipldevice file after reboot

[aix...@yahoo.com]

I was installing Atape driver and noticed bosboot failure when installp
calls bosboot with /dev/ipldevice. Messages below:

0503-409 installp: bosboot verification starting...
0503-497 installp: An error occurred during bosboot verification
processing.

Inspection of /dev showed no ipldevice file

I was able to easily recreate the /dev/ipldevice using

ln /dev/rhdisk0 /dev/ipldevice

then successfully install the Atape driver software.

After reboot /dev/ipldevice is missing again???.

Environment is p5 520 AIX 5.3 ML1
mirrored internal drives hdisk0 and hdisk1 in rootvg

I have 5.3 ML2 (but have not applied yet)
I don't see any APAR's in ML2 regarding /dev/ipldevice problems.

Additional info below:

(/dev) # lsvg -l rootvg
rootvg:
LV NAME TYPE LPs PPs PVs LV STATE MOUNT
POINT
hd5 boot 1 2 2 closed/syncd N/A
hd6 paging 4 8 2 open/syncd N/A
hd8 jfs2log 1 2 2 open/syncd N/A
hd4 jfs2 2 4 2 open/syncd /
hd2 jfs2 18 36 2 open/syncd /usr
hd9var jfs2 4 8 2 open/syncd /var
hd3 jfs2 6 12 2 open/syncd /tmp
hd1 jfs2 1 2 2 open/syncd /home
hd10opt jfs2 1 2 2 open/syncd /opt
fwdump jfs2 3 6 2 open/syncd
/var/adm/ras/platform
lg_dumplv sysdump 16 16 1 open/syncd N/A
fslv00 jfs2 2 4 2 open/syncd /emcsol
loglv00 jfslog 1 2 2 closed/syncd N/A

(/dev) # lspv -l hdisk0
hdisk0:
LV NAME LPs PPs DISTRIBUTION MOUNT POINT
lg_dumplv 16 16 16..00..00..00..00 N/A
fslv00 2 2 02..00..00..00..00 /emcsol
loglv00 1 1 01..00..00..00..00 N/A
fwdump 3 3 03..00..00..00..00
/var/adm/ras/platform
hd2 18 18 18..00..00..00..00 /usr
hd9var 4 4 04..00..00..00..00 /var
hd8 1 1 01..00..00..00..00 N/A
hd4 2 2 02..00..00..00..00 /
hd5 1 1 01..00..00..00..00 N/A
hd6 4 4 04..00..00..00..00 N/A
hd10opt 1 1 01..00..00..00..00 /opt
hd3 6 6 06..00..00..00..00 /tmp
hd1 1 1 01..00..00..00..00 /home

(/dev) # lspv -l hdisk1
hdisk1:
LV NAME LPs PPs DISTRIBUTION MOUNT POINT
fslv00 2 2 02..00..00..00..00 /emcsol
loglv00 1 1 01..00..00..00..00 N/A
fwdump 3 3 03..00..00..00..00
/var/adm/ras/platform
hd2 18 18 18..00..00..00..00 /usr
hd9var 4 4 04..00..00..00..00 /var
hd8 1 1 01..00..00..00..00 N/A
hd4 2 2 02..00..00..00..00 /
hd5 1 1 01..00..00..00..00 N/A
hd6 4 4 04..00..00..00..00 N/A
hd10opt 1 1 01..00..00..00..00 /opt
hd3 6 6 06..00..00..00..00 /tmp
hd1 1 1 01..00..00..00..00 /home

(/dev) # lslv -m hd5
hd5:N/A
LP PP1 PV1 PP2 PV2 PP3 PV3
0001 0001 hdisk0 0001 hdisk1

(/dev) # bootlist -m normal -o
hdisk0
hdisk1
cd0

(/dev) # bootlist -m service -o
cd0
hdisk0
hdisk1

Any ideas as to the problem??

[kmta...@gmail.com]

Are you using EMC disk? There is a known problem with the later
Powerpath versions where the powerpath startup script removes the
/dev/ipldevice file if there is more than one device listed in the
bootlist.

-kmt

[aix...@yahoo.com]

>-kmt

Yes, running EMC PowerPath 4.3 for AIX, with EMC Clariion CX600 Fibre
disks attached to SAN. I always boot from, and mirror the OS on IBM
internal disks. We order 4 internal IBM drives. Two for primary OS and
mirror, the other two for alt_disk and mirrors.

Thanks for the tip. I will investigate at EMC Powerlink site for fix. I
know PowerPath 4.4 for AIX is out, but still pretty new.

Thanks again

[aix...@yahoo.com]

EMC Technical Advisory emc101218 addresses the deleted /dev/ipldevice
entry

rc.emcpower script that runs at boot time is bad

fix is to either edit the current script...... or download a new one
from emc ftp site.

thanks again KMT for the tip