ML6000 connection issues

Question

I'm trying to update the firmware on my library. I got it several years ago, but am only now getting to setting it up.
I think the biggest problem I'm running in to is that it's running an ungodly old firmware. 320G-GS004.
I am unable to get into the remote management interface. I have tried multiple browsers (including a very old version of firefox) and always get "{IP} refused to connect" and ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED. I already ran the Library Service Utility update as well and it finished successfully (supposedly).
I have tried logging in via SSH with putty, but keep getting access denied with proper login credentials, with multiple user accounts (I created a second admin level user on the touch interface).

I have a suspicion that this is due to not being able to set the correct date on the enclosure, but I can't be sure. The firmware is so old that I can't configure a date newer than the year 2020 with the onboard interface (Thatwas a great idea...).

I have not yet tried the serial interface nor the service ethernet port, as I haven't found much documentation on it and would like to avoid creating a 50+ pound doorstop.

Any assistance or advice would be very helpful with this.
Thank you very much.

DELL-Joey C · Accepted Answer

Hi,

You might be correct, I've encountered such error on other devices which might be the cause by the date. 320G is an old firmware that might cause the date unable to be set newer. Maybe you can try setting the date on your client side, just an opinion. Might work. Have you also checked the security control on the control panel for service user if it is blocked?

The Library Service Utility does not update firmware, it only do checks. The only way to do firmware update is throught WebUI. You can try connecting to the service port and get access to the service GUI. It says here at page 5 the Service port can download firmware, https://dell.to/3Yj9efE

There is also a user from an old topic about using the CF card to do firmware flash, but I'm not familiar with this and ML6 license generate are now obsolete, hence, if license is lost, we can't extend our help to get it back. https://dell.to/3SRxG4n

IBowser · Answer

@DELL-Joey C​ Well, I finally got around to creating a crossover cable and changing the date on my laptop to match the Powervault. Still no go...I have the IPs for the Service port correct. My laptop is manually set to 10.10.10.100, and I get a ping response from 10.10.10.1. However, I only get an...____________________Unable to ConnectUnable to establish a connection to the server at 10.10.10.1Site could be temporarily unavailable...etc. etc. ____________________I tried with both HTTP and HTTPS, same error. My windows firewall is disabled.I am using a VERY old version of Firefox to ensure compatibility (version 10.0.1).I don't know why, but just can't get into the web gui to do a firmware update. The web gui just seems to be down for some reason. I haven't tried to do a factory reset on the front panel, due to my thinking that I will lose my full capacity license, and as stated above, the ML6 license generate are now obsolete. Is there a way to back up the license not through the web gui? Or would I be able to obtain a license from someone else here if I were to do a factory reset, and lose it? (See edit below) I would really like to get this operational, and any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. (Edit: Is there a default license that is built in to the library? I only have the base ML6010 enclosure with the 41-slot capacity, including I/O. If I do a factory reset, will I still have access to all of those slots? To put another way, is the license *only* for when adding capacity with the Library Expansion Modules?)

DELL-Joey C · Answer

Hi,

Connecting the storage network and the laptop, got me thinking. The initial troubleshooting/cabling on your first post, was it through a switch? - I read in the user guide that the ML6000 default gateway must not be blank or 0.0.0.0.

I apologize for the miscommunication on licensing. I found an article on ML6000 licensing, that you can use to generate https://dell.to/3YNEJ1t. But I don't think you need any license as you mentioned that you only use 41 slot capability. You need license if you need to use other features, page 35: https://dell.to/3YNEJyv

IBowser · Answer

@DELL-Joey C​ Initial troubleshooting had it going through a switch. But I tried with both DHCP and Static mapping with my router default gateway put in manually. I have tried a factory reset via the touch screen. It successfully completed, but to no avail. Still on the service port, the system will still respond to a ping on 10.10.10.1, but will not open the web gui. Still 'Unable to Connect'. I have also tried to SSH and Telnet into the system. I am able to connect to the system via both Telnet and SSH, and I get a login prompt on Putty, but I am unable to log in with admin credentials. SSH connection comes up with...login as: (I enter 'admin')admin@10.10.10.1's password: (I enter my password)Access deniedTelnet connection has more info, so I know it's communicating. It is as follows....Welcome to ADIC LCB Linux - Kernel 2.6.11-1 (current time)santapback2 login: (I enter 'admin')Password: (I enter the password)Login incorrectI have tried both the system default password and my changed admin password. I am unable to create a new user account to try via the touch screen. My next step would be to try to connect via the serial port, but I don't know the connection specifications, or if I can even do what I need via that...If I could just get into the GUI, I would be able to update the firmware, and I think that would solve all my issues...

DELL-Joey C · Answer

Hi,

Try SSH connection using the username stated in this old post: https://dell.to/4dzO8OP. I don't have a ML6000 to check what SSH can do, so I can't let you know further steps need to be done.

Do you have VM that you can install Windows XP or Windows Server 2008 to try to test the browser?

I can't think of anything else that we can troubleshoot with.

IBowser · Answer

@DELL-Joey C​ That works on the touch screen. I can log into service mode there, but those credentials do not work on the service port via SSH or Telnet, and does not work on SSH via the normal connection. (Telnet doesn't seem to function on the normal network control port. I'm wondering if it would work to remove the CF card and manually put a copy of someone elses CF card data onto it. I don't know if that would work, if during the firmware upgrade, it writes unique data to the CF card based on the system serial/service tag. This is so perplexing...(Edit: I wish we had a bit more information about the operation and details of the LCB. I took it out to make sure there wasn't a write protect switch on the CF card that might have stopped it from resetting the service passwords. There wasn't. But I also saw a few jumpers on the board, one of which is a two position with labeling as 'Normal' and 'Erase'. Obviously, I'm not going to touch that, since I have zero idea what that might to, and it could very well turn it into a paperweight.)

DELL-Joey C · Answer

Hi,

Someone from another post, mentioned he manage to copy the CF but did not say anything on how it was done: https://dell.to/3XecZ5e. It is possible that it could be the CF having an issue, based on the other post.

I tried looking for internal documentation on any information on the LCB, but nothing appear.

IBowser · Answer

@DELL-Joey C​ I'm hoping someone with similar experiences see's this post chimes in, or @TapeDriveGuy even, from that post you linked. I'm going to keep trying different things. I might pull out the CF card and pull the data off, just to see what is going on. I really appreciate all the help you've offered @DELL-Joey C . I really means a lot to have community help with something. If I find out any more info or fix my issue, I'll post here for posterity. And if you have any more ideas to try out, please don't hesitate to bring them up.

IBowser · Answer

Resurrecting old post to share what I did in the end. I came to think that either the network port had failed, or something else on the control board.

Ended up buying another control board from eBay. PSA, make sure the control board is actually from Dell, and has the Dell part number on it. The first one I bought (thankfully, not very expensive), was listed as from a Dell ML6000, but was instead from an Adic Scaler i500. Physically identical in all aspects, and it powered up, but it would not recognize the library sled, as it was 'not compatible' or something to that effect. The CF card had been set up with Adic hardware in mind, and seemed to be configured with Adic hardware flags. Installing Dell firmware still kept it with Adic branding, and same failure. I actually was able to manually find a file on the CF card that identified as Adic or Dell branding, and it did change the unit touchscreen and web client branding, but it still did not recognize the sled as compatible. I think the CF card had files that identified what hardware it would accept being installed, and I couldn't find them to modify them. If buying a replacement board from 3rd party, only way I think to know for sure if it's from a Dell, and not an Adic is to look for the extra sticker labeled US-0WJ129 on the control board.

I ended up getting another board, actually from a Dell unit, and thankfully had a much newer firmware on it vs my original, and the unit is working as intended. Even recognized the new IBM LTO-6 FC drives I bought.
I will be making a full, low level copy of the CF card, just in case I have something happen to this board or this card, I can put the card into another board, or put in another CF card, and have it still recognize this hardware.

I have now encountered a different issue with the number of available slots in the library, but I will post that in a new community post.

Feel free to shoot me a PM if anyone has any questions, and I will try to help out.

PS - The inability to set the correct date has nothing to do with not being able to access via the web gui. Even the latest firmware available from Dell, 710G, is unable to accept any date beyond year 2020. It can be set in web gui, or with NTP, but via the touchscreen, it is still limited to prior to 2020 years, but it will still allow access to web gui.

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ML6000 connection issues

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