Using SCSI and PCI Hot-Plugging

Hot-plugging is the capability to physically add, remove, or replace system components while a system is running. Dynamic reconfiguration, available on certain SPARC servers, enables a service provider to remove and replace hot-pluggable system I/O boards in a running system, thereby eliminating the time lost in rebooting. Also, if a replacement board is not immediately available, the system administrator can use dynamic reconfiguration to shut down a failing board while the system continues to operate.

With the Solaris 8 release, you can use the cfgadm command to hot-plug SCSI devices on SPARC- and IA-based platforms and PCI adapter cards on IA-based systems. The cfgadm command enables you to perform the following tasks.

• Display system component status.

• Test system components.

• Change component configurations.

• Display configuration help messages.

With the cfgadm command you can reconfigure system components while the system is running. The cfgadm command guides you through the steps needed to add, remove, or replace system components. See cfgadm(1M) for more information.