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Install and maintain

Replace the real-time clock battery - AFX 1K

Contributors netapp-driley netapp-jsnyder
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Replace the real-time clock (RTC) battery, commonly known as a coin cell battery, in your AFX 1K storage system to ensure that services and applications relying on accurate time synchronization remain operational.

Before you begin

  • Understand that you can use this procedure with all versions of ONTAP supported by your system.

  • Make sure all other components in the system are functioning properly; if not, you must contact technical support.

Step 1: Shut down the impaired controller

Shut down or take over the impaired controller using one of the following options.

To shut down the impaired controller, you must determine the status of the controller and, if necessary, perform a storage failover takeover of the controller so that the healthy controller continues to serve data from the impaired controller storage.

About this task

  • If you have a cluster with more than four nodes, it must be in quorum. To view cluster information about your nodes, use the cluster show command. For more information about the cluster show command, see View node-level details in an ONTAP cluster.

  • If the cluster is not in quorum or if the health or eligibility of any controller (other than the impaired controller) shows as false, you must correct the issue before shutting down the impaired controller. See Synchronize a node with the cluster.

Steps

  1. If AutoSupport is enabled, suppress automatic case creation by invoking an AutoSupport message:

    system node autosupport invoke -node * -type all -message MAINT=<# of hours>h

    The following AutoSupport message suppresses automatic case creation for two hours:

    cluster1:> system node autosupport invoke -node * -type all -message MAINT=2h

  2. Disable automatic giveback from the console of the impaired controller:

    storage failover modify -node impaired-node -auto-giveback-of false

    Note When you see Do you want to disable auto-giveback?, enter y.

    1. If you are running ONTAP version 9.17.1 and the impaired controller cannot be brought up or is already taken over, you must take the HA interconnect link down from the healthy controller before booting up the impaired controller. This prevents the impaired controller from performing automatic giveback.

      system ha interconnect link off -node healthy-node -link 0

      system ha interconnect link off -node healthy-node -link 1

      Note If you are not running ONTAP version 9.17.1, skip the above step and go to step 3.

  3. Take the impaired controller to the LOADER prompt:

    If the impaired controller is displaying…​ Then…​

    The LOADER prompt

    Go to the next step.

    System prompt or password prompt

    Take over or halt the impaired controller from the healthy controller: storage failover takeover -ofnode impaired_node_name -halt true

    The -halt true parameter brings the impaired node to the LOADER prompt.

Step 2: Remove the controller module

You must remove the controller module from the enclosure when you replace the controller module or replace a component inside the controller module.

  1. Check the NVRAM status LED located in slot 4/5 of the system. There is also an NVRAM LED on the front panel of the controller module. Look for the NV icon:

    NVRAM attention and status LED location graphic

    Callout number 1

    NVRAM status LED

    Callout number 2

    NVRAM attention LED

    • If the NV LED is off, go to the next step.

    • If the NV LED is flashing, wait for the flashing to stop. If flashing continues for longer than 5 minutes, contact Technical Support for assistance.

  2. If you are not already grounded, properly ground yourself.

  3. Remove the bezel (if necessary) with two hands, by grasping the openings on each side of the bezel and pulling towards you until the bezel releases from the ball studs on the chassis frame.

  4. On the front of the unit, hook your fingers into the holes in the locking cams, squeeze the tabs on the cam levers, and gently, but firmly rotate both latches toward you at the same time.

    The controller module moves slightly out of the enclosure.

    Controller remove graphic

    Callout number 1

    Locking cam latches

  5. Slide the controller module out of the enclosure and place it on a flat, stable surface.

    Make sure that you support the bottom of the controller module as you slide it out of the enclosure.

Step 3: Replace the RTC battery

Remove the failed RTC battery and install the replacement.

  1. Open the controller air duct on the top of the controller.

    1. Insert your fingers in the recesses at the far ends of the air duct.

    2. Lift the air duct and rotate it upward as far as it will go.

  2. Locate the RTC battery under the air duct.

    Replace the RTC battery

    Callout number 1

    RTC battery and housing

  3. Gently push the battery away from the holder, rotate it away from the holder, and then lift it out of the holder.

    Note Observe the polarity of the battery as you remove it from the holder. The battery is marked with a plus sign and must be positioned in the holder correctly. A plus sign near the holder indicates the correct orientation.

  4. Remove the replacement battery from the antistatic shipping bag.

  5. Note the polarity of the RTC battery, and then insert it into the holder by tilting the battery at an angle and pushing down.

  6. Visually inspect the battery to make sure that it is completely installed into the holder and that the polarity is correct.

Step 4: Reinstall the controller module

Reinstall the controller module and boot it.

  1. Ensure the air duct is completely closed by rotating it down as far as it will go.

    It must lie flush against the controller module sheet metal.

  2. Align the end of the controller module with the opening in the enclosure, and slide the controller module into the chassis with the levers rotated away from the front of the system.

  3. Once the controller module stops you from sliding it farther, rotate the cam handles inward until they latch back under the fans

    Note Do not use excessive force when sliding the controller module into the enclosure to avoid damaging the connectors.

    The controller module begins to boot as soon as it is fully seated in the enclosure.

  4. Align the bezel with the ball studs and then gently push the bezel into place.

Step 5: Reset the time and date on the controller

Note After replacing the RTC battery, inserting controller and powering on first BIOS reset, you will see the following error messages: RTC date/time error. Reset date/time to default RTC power failure error These messages are expected and you can continue with this procedure.

  1. Check the date and time on the healthy controller with the cluster date show command.

    Note If your system stops at the boot menu, select the option for Reboot node and respond y when prompted, then boot to LOADER by pressing Ctrl-C

    1. At the LOADER prompt on the target controller, check the time and date with the show date command.

    2. If necessary, modify the date with the set date mm/dd/yyyy command.

    3. If necessary, set the time, in GMT, using the set time hh:mm:ss command.

      1. You can get the current GMT from the partner node with the date -u command.

  2. Confirm the date and time on the target controller.

  3. At the LOADER prompt, enter bye to reinitialize the PCIe cards and other components and let the controller reboot.

  4. Press <enter> when console messages stop.

    • If you see the login prompt, go to the next step.

    • If you do not see login prompt, log into the partner node.

  5. Give back only the root with override-destination-checks option:

    storage failover giveback -ofnode impaired-node -only-root true -override -destination-checks true

    Note The following command is only available in the Diagnostic mode privilege level. For more information on privilege levels, see Understand the privilege levels for ONTAP CLI commands.

    If you encounter errors, contact NetApp Support.

  6. Wait five minutes after the giveback report completes, then check the failover and giveback statuses:

    storage failover show and storage failover show-giveback

    Note The following command is only available in the Diagnostic mode privilege level.

  7. If the HA internconnect links were taken down, bring them back up:

    system ha interconnect link on -node healthy-node -link 0

    system ha interconnect link on -node healthy-node -link 1

  8. Return the impaired controller to normal operation by giving back its storage:

    storage failover giveback -ofnode impaired_node_name

  9. If automatic giveback was disabled, reenable it:

    storage failover modify -node local -auto-giveback-of true

  10. If AutoSupport is enabled, restore/unsuppress automatic case creation:

    system node autosupport invoke -node * -type all -message MAINT=END

Step 6: Return the failed part to NetApp

Return the failed part to NetApp, as described in the RMA instructions shipped with the kit. See the Part Return and Replacements page for further information.