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Manual Chapter : Platform Maintenance

Applies To:

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BIG-IP AAM

  • 14.1.0, 14.0.0, 13.1.1, 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1

BIG-IP APM

  • 15.1.0, 15.0.1, 15.0.0, 14.1.2, 14.1.0, 14.0.1, 14.0.0, 13.1.3, 13.1.1, 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1

BIG-IP GTM

  • 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1

BIG-IP Analytics

  • 15.1.0, 15.0.1, 15.0.0, 14.1.2, 14.1.0, 14.0.1, 14.0.0, 13.1.3, 13.1.1, 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1

BIG-IP Link Controller

  • 15.1.0, 15.0.1, 15.0.0, 14.1.2, 14.1.0, 14.0.1, 14.0.0, 13.1.3, 13.1.1, 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1

BIG-IP LTM

  • 15.1.0, 15.0.1, 15.0.0, 14.1.2, 14.1.0, 14.0.1, 14.0.0, 13.1.3, 13.1.1, 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1

BIG-IP AFM

  • 15.1.0, 15.0.1, 15.0.0, 14.1.2, 14.1.0, 14.0.1, 14.0.0, 13.1.3, 13.1.1, 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1

BIG-IP PEM

  • 15.1.0, 15.0.1, 15.0.0, 14.1.2, 14.1.0, 14.0.1, 14.0.0, 13.1.3, 13.1.1, 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1

BIG-IP DNS

  • 15.1.0, 15.0.1, 15.0.0, 14.1.2, 14.1.0, 14.0.1, 14.0.0, 13.1.3, 13.1.1, 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0

BIG-IP ASM

  • 15.1.0, 15.0.1, 15.0.0, 14.1.2, 14.1.0, 14.0.1, 14.0.0, 13.1.3, 13.1.1, 13.1.0, 13.0.1, 13.0.0, 12.1.4, 12.1.3, 12.1.2, 12.1.1, 12.1.0, 11.6.4, 11.6.3, 11.6.2, 11.6.1, 11.5.9, 11.5.8, 11.5.7, 11.5.6, 11.5.5, 11.5.4, 11.5.3, 11.5.2, 11.5.1
Manual Chapter
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Platform Maintenance

About maintaining the platform

The 7000 Series platform contains several components that you can replace individually without exchanging the entire system. This platform contains these replaceable components:

  • AC power supply
  • DC power supply
  • Fan tray
  • Hard drive

About AC power supplies

BIG-IP® platforms can support up to two AC power supplies. Some platforms come with only one power supply by default. You can hot swap power supplies without powering down the system if there are two installed and one remains installed and operational during the replacement process.

AC power supply

The 400W AC power supply

The platform supports power redundancy, which ensures that the system is unaffected if a single power supply fails in a system containing more than one power supply.

CAUTION:
Running without power supplies installed in all available bays in the platform can affect cooling and electromagnetic interference (EMI). If you need to run the unit with fewer power supplies, you must install a blank supply bracket into any empty power supply bays. The blank supply bracket is required to maintain proper airflow in the system. If you do not have a blank supply bracket, leave all supplies installed and unplug any unused power supplies.
CAUTION:
As a safety precaution, the socket outlet must be installed near the equipment and be easily accessible.
CAUTION:
Do not mix power supply models. If two power supplies are installed in the same system, use only power supplies of the same model.
Important: You should use only one power supply type (AC or DC) in a platform. AC and DC interoperability is not supported.
Important: This product is sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD). F5® Networks recommends that you use proper ESD grounding procedures and equipment when you install or maintain the unit.
Note: Depending on the model and revision of the power supply, you might need either a Phillips or a slotted screwdriver to replace the power supply.

Installing an AC power supply

In the event of a power supply failure, you can replace an AC power supply without powering down the system, provided that there is at least one power supply operating during the replacement process.
  1. Disconnect the AC power cord from the power supply.
  2. Loosen the power supply screw by turning it counterclockwise with an appropriate screwdriver, if necessary.
    Note: The screw is captive and cannot be removed from the assembly.
  3. Remove the power supply from the system by pulling straight toward you.
  4. Slide the power supply into the empty slot.
    Ensure that the power supply is fully seated in the chassis.
  5. Tighten the screw into place.
    The power supply is connected to the system when you tighten the screw completely.
  6. Attach the power cord to the new power supply.
    If the system does not boot after you apply power to the power supply, press the Check button on the LCD panel to begin booting the system.

About DC power supplies

BIG-IP® platforms can support up to two DC power supplies. Some platforms come with only one power supply by default. You can hot swap power supplies without powering down the system if there are two installed and one remains installed and operational during the replacement process. The DC power supply does not have an on/off switch. You can control the power from the rack switch or the DC power source.

The DC power supply includes a DC terminal block that connects the power supply to the DC power source.

The platform supports power redundancy, which ensures that the system is unaffected if a single power supply fails in a system containing more than one power supply.

DC power supply and terminal block

The 300W DC power supply and terminal block

CAUTION:
Before installing a DC power supply, be sure that the DC power source for the rack is powered off.
CAUTION:
Running without power supplies installed in all available bays in the platform can affect cooling and electromagnetic interference (EMI). If you need to run the unit with fewer power supplies, you must install a blank supply bracket into any empty power supply bays. The blank supply bracket is required to maintain proper airflow in the system. If you do not have a blank supply bracket, leave all supplies installed and unplug any unused power supplies.
CAUTION:
Before you begin to work with one of these platforms, refer to the DC-powered equipment environmental warnings for this platform and review any safety requirements for the facilities where the DC-powered platforms will be installed.
CAUTION:
Do not mix power supply models. If two power supplies are installed in the same system, use only power supplies of the same model.
Important: You should use only one power supply type (AC or DC) in a platform. AC and DC interoperability is not supported.
Important: This product is sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD). F5® Networks recommends that you use proper ESD grounding procedures and equipment when you install or maintain the unit.
Important: The platform must be installed in a RESTRICTED ACCESS LOCATION, such as a central office or customer premises environment.
Note: Copper cables used for grounding must meet appropriate safety standards.
Note: Bare conductors should be coated with an appropriate antioxidant before being crimped. Make sure to clean all unplated connectors, braided strap, and bus bars to a bright finish prior to coating them with the antioxidant.
Note: The platform must be grounded to a common bonding network (CBN).
Note: The battery return terminals on the platform are in an isolated DC return (DC-I) configuration.

Installing a DC power supply

You will need these tools to install the DC power supply:
  • Wire stripping tool
  • Small slotted screwdriver
  • Two 14-16 AWG copper wires long enough to reach from the platform to the DC power source
In the event of a power supply failure, you can replace a DC power supply in the system.
  1. Review the DC power supply label and determine the correct wire size for your installation.
  2. Use the wire stripping tool to remove 3/8 inch (0.95 cm) of insulation.
    Important: Be sure to remove the appropriate amount of insulation from each wire. If you remove too much insulation, exposed wire protruding from the terminal block can create an electrical hazard. If you do not remove enough insulation, the wire might not make proper contact with the terminal.
  3. Using a small slotted screwdriver, press the spring-loaded mechanism above the openings in the terminal block to open the terminal connectors and then insert each exposed wire into the appropriate opening.
    1. Connect the chassis ground wire to the middle terminal in the terminal block.
      This step might be optional with some DC power sources.
    2. Connect the negative DC power wire to the 3 terminal on the terminal block.
    3. Connect the positive DC wire to the 1 terminal on the terminal block.
    Wired DC terminal block
  4. Make sure that the power from the DC power source is off.
  5. Ensure that the terminal block is not connected to the power supply before adding it to the unit.
  6. Remove the AC power supply, if it is installed.
  7. Slide the DC power supply into the power supply slot.
    Wired DC terminal block
  8. Tighten the screw completely, using 4 to 5 inch-pounds (0.45 to 0.56 Newton-meters) of torque on the screw.
    Wired DC terminal block
  9. Connect the terminal block into the DC power supply.
    Wired DC terminal block
  10. Power on the DC power source.
    If the system does not boot after you power on the DC power source, press the Check button on the LCD to begin booting the system.

About the fan tray

The BIG-IP® 7000 Series platform has a removable fan tray that is designed to maintain airflow throughout the chassis. You can change or replace the fan tray as part of the routine maintenance of the unit, or in the event of a fan failure. The fans in the fan tray run constantly while the unit is powered on. Over time, the fans can wear out, requiring you to replace the fan tray.

An example of a fan tray

The fan tray

Important: This product is sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD). F5® Networks recommends that you use proper ESD grounding procedures and equipment when you install or maintain the unit.

Replacing the fan tray

You do not need special tools to replace the fan tray. You also do not need to power down the unit when replacing the fan tray; however, F5® Networks highly recommends that you do not leave the unit operating without a fan tray for longer than 30 seconds.
CAUTION:
Operating the unit without a fan tray for more than 30 seconds might cause permanent damage.
  1. Stand at the back of the platform and locate the thumb screws on the fan tray.
  2. Loosen the fan tray screws by turning them counterclockwise with a Phillips screwdriver, if necessary.
    Note: The screws that hold the fan tray in place are captive and cannot be removed from the assembly.

    Loosening the fan tray screw
  3. Remove the fan tray from the system by grabbing both handles (one with each finger) and pulling straight toward you.

    Removing a fan tray
  4. Install the fan tray into the system opening and push inward until it stops.
    Note: Guide pins on the fan tray align it into place during the final stage of the engagement.
  5. Tighten the screws into place, using 4 to 5 inch-pounds (0.45 to 0.56 Newton-meters) of torque on the screws.
    The fan tray is connected to the system when you tighten the screws completely. When seated, the fan tray automatically powers up and begins circulating air through the chassis.

About the hard disk drives

The BIG-IP® 7000 Series platform includes two hot swappable hard disk drives (HDDs) and supports hard disk drive mirroring using RAID. You can change or replace the drives as part of routine maintenance of the unit or in the event of a drive failure.

Hard drive bay orientation

Orientation of the 7000 Series platform hard drive bays

  1. Hard disk drive bay 1
  2. Hard disk drive bay 2

Identifying a faulty hard disk drive

To access the hard disk drives (HDDs), you must first remove the bezel from the unit.
Before you remove the HDD from the system, you should first identify the faulty drive.
  1. Open the Traffic Management Shell (tmsh).
    tmsh
  2. View the status of the drives.
    show sys raid
    A disk summary similar to this example displays: 
    ---------------------
Sys::Raid::Array: MD1
---------------------
Size (MB)  931.5K

---------------------------------------------------------
Sys::Raid::ArrayMembers
Bay ID  Serial Number    Name  Array Member  Array Status
---------------------------------------------------------
1       WD-WXG1C52Y5088  HD2   yes           failed
2       WD-WXP1C52U8160  HD1   yes           ok

-------------------------------------------------------------
Sys::Raid::Bay
Bay  Shelf  Name  Serial Number    Array Member  Array Status
-------------------------------------------------------------
1    1      HD2   WD-WXG1C52Y5088  yes           failed
2    1      HD1   WD-WXP1C52U8160  yes           ok

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sys::Raid::Disk
Name  Serial Number    Array   Array Status  Model
                       Member
---------------------------------------------------------------------
HD1   WD-WXP1C52U8160  yes     ok            ATA     WDC WD1000CHTZ-0
HD2   WD-WXG1C52Y5088  yes     failed        ATA     WDC WD1000CHTZ-0
  3. Make note of the bay number and serial number for the faulty HDD.
    Note: You can also locate the last seven digits of the serial number on the front of the drive. The serial number is printed in its entirety on the labels, on top of the drive.
  4. Before you physically remove the HDD from the system, remove the faulty drive from the array.
    The faulty drive is HD2 in the example.
    modify sys raid array MD1 remove HD2
  5. Optional: To ensure that you remove the correct drive, you can make the LED blink for the failed drive.
    The faulty drive is in bay 1 in the example.
    modify sys raid bay 1 flash-led
    Note: If the faulty drive is not responsive, it might not blink the LED.
    Note: The LED on the drive assembly continues to blink until the failed drive is removed. When the new drive assembly is inserted, the LED blinks until the new drive assembly is added to the array and begins the replication process.
Next, you can physically remove the HDD and replace it with the new one that you received from F5 Networks. You do not have to power down the system before you remove the drive.

Replacing a hard disk drive tray

After you have identified and removed the faulty hard disk drive (HDD) from the platform, you can install the replacement drive that you received from F5®.
  1. Remove the front bezel from the unit, if it is still installed.
  2. Verify the location of the faulty HDD by comparing the serial number and drive bay that you noted earlier.
    Note: The last seven digits of the serial number are printed on the front of the drive, behind the metal grille.
    Note: The STAT LED for the failed hard disk drive will be lit solid amber.
  3. Remove the faulty drive:
    1. Loosen the HDD screw by turning it counterclockwise with an appropriate screwdriver, if necessary.
      Note: The screw that holds the ejector handle in place is captive and cannot be removed from the assembly.
    2. Grasp the ejector handle and pull straight toward you to eject the drive tray from the system.
  4. Slide the new HDD into the empty drive bay, by pushing the front of the tray to engage the handle until it swings closed.
  5. Tighten the screw into place.
    Use 4 to 5 inch-pounds (0.45 to 0.56 Newton-meters) of torque on the screw. The HDD is connected to the system when you tighten the screw completely.
  6. View the status of the HDDs.
    tmsh show sys raid disk
    A disk summary similar to this example, displays: 
    ---------------------------------------------------------------
Sys::Raid::Disk
Name  Serial Number    Array   Array Status  Model
                       Member
---------------------------------------------------------------------
HD1   WD-WXP1C52U8160  yes     ok            WDC WD1000CHTZ-0
HD2   WD-WXG1C52Y5088  yes     undefined     WDC WD1000CHTZ-0
    The status of the replacement HDD is undefined, and the serial number should match that of the replacement drive.
    Note: If after a few seconds, you do not see the additional HDD in the disk summary, the drive might not be seated properly. If this occurs, remove and reinsert the drive.
  7. Add the replacement drive (HD2 in the example) to the array.
    tmsh modify sys raid array MD1 add HD2
    The status of the replacement drive should change to replicating, and the STAT LED should change to solid green. The replication process typically takes between 15 and 45 minutes.
  8. Attach the front bezel to the unit by grasping the bezel using the indentations located on either side. Secure the left side of the bezel by gently pressing forward and slightly upward.
    Note: Failure to use the indentations could result in pinched fingers.
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