FPR1010-ASA-K9 - Random Reboots

[RohanJ]

Hi All,

I have a FPR1010-ASA-K9 which I bought new for my home office to replace a trusty old ASA5505 which served me for many years and I only decided to upgrade as I could finally get more then 100Mb/s internet. Since I have had this device it has a habit of just rebooting on its own and has done this during conference calls which is not ideal for a remote worker and it takes ages to start with its FXOS and then ASA software loads. I had a TAC case logged in March this year when it was just 3 months old and Cisco would not even help me without a support contract on it not even under warranty which I assume it would have something right?

The question for those of you with these devices can I ask what would be the normal output I should expect from a "sh env" in a 20-22 degree Celcius room (68-71 Fahrenheit) ?

For mine I get the following:

ciscoasa# sh env  

Cooling Fans:

-----------------------------------

   Chassis Fans:

   --------------------------------

Temperature:

-----------------------------------

   Processors:

   --------------------------------

   Processor 1: 45.0 C - OK  (CPU Temperature)

   Chassis:

   --------------------------------

   Ambient 1: 60.0 C - Warm (Inlet Temperature)

In the warmer months it will read - Ambient1 66.0 C - Critical 

With a PC gaming case fan on top of it  - Ambient1 37.0 C - OK

Current Software: ASA Version: 9.17.1 - ADSM: 7.17.1.152

I only assume at this point that the temp reading above is the problem, I have fully reset it when I upgraded the software and it still reboots when it pleases, as far as load goes it only really performs a FW role for my home network with my ISP's router in a DMZ so the land line phone service will work

Anyone got any ideas?

[marce1000]

 - Connect to the FPR1010 with : https://cway.cisco.com/cli/ , at the top left press or run System Diagnostics, at the right you can also press (or run) Crashdump Analyzer.

 M.

[Jitendra Kumar]

Check the below bug if it's hitting your case..

https://quickview.cloudapps.cisco.com/quickview/bug/CSCvs72393

[RohanJ]

Hi Jitendra

Thats an interesting link and it does show high temp readings for both CPU and Chassis, here is a "sh env" as it sits here doing pretty nothing right now. I dont understand what the "Ambient" actually means as its obviously not room temperature

Temperature:
-----------------------------------

Processors:
--------------------------------
Processor 1: 77.0 C - OK (CPU Temperature)

Chassis:
--------------------------------
Ambient 1: 60.0 C - Warm (Inlet Temperature)

[Jitendra Kumar]

Note: The maximum ambient operating temperature range is -40 to 140°F (-40 to 60°C)

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/routers/ic3000/hardware/pdoc/78-101320-01A0.pdf

[Jitendra Kumar]

I think below is your concern query. hope its resolution.

Ambient temperature is the temperature of the air around the chip. Operating temperature is the temperature of the chip (die) itself. Since the chip is (typically) generating heat, the operating temperature will be higher than the ambient temperature.

Measuring ambient temperature

Measuring a room or component’s ambient temperature is accomplished by using a thermometer or sensor. In order to make sure the reading is the most accurate, the measuring device should be kept in the shade, in the middle height of the room and in a well-ventilated space that allows the air to circulate freely. When measuring ambient temperature indoors, it is important to monitor the temperature values over the length of a day to pinpoint the maximum ambient temperature and the minimum. When determining the ambient temperature of an outdoor environment, it can be useful to look at historical temperature averages.

Importance of ambient temperature

Ambient temperature measurements are a crucial component in maximizing the longevity of devices, preventing malfunctions and avoiding damages. A few applications of knowing the ambient temperature of an item includes:

• Validating that a device’s internal cooling system is working sufficiently, such as a laptop fan.
• Ensuring that materials, such as food or chemicals, are stored safely.
• Determining the energy efficiency of a heating or cooling system.
• Analyzing components to make sure maximum and minimum temperatures do not affect functionality or use.
• Controlling the temperature of an environment within an acceptable range.
• Limiting the power dissipation, or power current, to a safer value.

Ambient vs room temperature

While ambient temperature is the actual air temperature of an environment, room temperature refers to the range of temperatures that most people feel comfortable in. Ambient temperature is measured with a thermometer while room temperature is based more on feeling. The ambient temperature of an environment may vary greatly from its accepted room temperature, such as when an air conditioner or heater malfunctions.

[Marius Gunnerud]

Do you by chance have a cooler room you can place the firewall in to see if this betters the situation?

Another possibility, if you are seeing random reboots, could be that you are hitting a memory leak bug.  My suggestion in this case would be to down grade to 9.16.3 which is the current starred ASA release, or upgrade to 9.18.2 if you do not want to downgrade.

[RohanJ]

Hi Marius,

Without Smartnet on this device I cant get software downloads for it, I have 50+ other devices on Smartnet just not one one these. It shipped with 9.13.1 and seeing Cisco wouldnt assist me any further I did manage to get them to give me links to software and ADSM its running now

As strange as this sounds I actually have it propped up on Cisco Live USB keys still in their plastic boxes to get air under it, it does sit between a C3560CG and 2504 WLC with about half an inch gap separating them all and those other devices report normal temps, maybe I could move it onto another lower shelf and see if that makes an differrence

The ASA5505 it replaced made it through hot summers without ever complaining, this device is quite sensitive it seems

[RohanJ]

Thanks for the quick response M.

I wasnt aware of this tool and dumped the "sh tech" into it and it does report an issue with the environment as per below, I suppose the question what exactly is the temp referring to as its certianly not the room I am sitting in 2 metres away from it?

Environmental monitors detected a problem with the device

Environmental monitors detected a problem with the device. If the issue is related to the thermal cooling of the device, ensure that the front and reach vents and fans are not obstructed and that the ambient temperature is within the operating range of the ASA firewall.

Ambient 1: 60.0 C - Warm (Inlet Temperature)

[Marius Gunnerud]

Well, it is not referring to the air temperature in the room, but the air temperature that surrounds the immediate area around the firewall, so it is giving off some heat.  Do you have a fan that you can set up and point at the firewall to circulate the are around the firewall better?

[marce1000]

        >...I wasnt aware of this tool and dumped the "sh tech" into it

 - Remember to use the particular buttons provided in the tool , as I explained , too.

 M.

[RohanJ]

Hi Everyone,

Aologies for not responding I have had a few busy days.

M - I found the buttons you referred to eventually however I believe the FPR rebooted via hardware so it didnt capture any logs at all, CLI tool gave it a clean bill of health apart from the heat related message I posted earlier

Jitendra - thanks for all the info on the ambient temps, it does explain what is possibly going on here and this device needs some movement of air to survive

Marius - I already had an old PC fan sitting on it for summer months as it would reboot daily without it, its in an open shelf with heaps of space around it to give off heat but it appears to do a poor job of it, my old ASA5505 would just soldier on regardless how hot it got

I spent the weekend with a little project to build a better cooling solution, the 140mm fan I had on it already used to run about 1800RPM so it was quite noisy, I went out and got a PWM fan controller and a dual 140mm fan kit with AGRB disco lights built in so I now have cool devices with a little colour however I can run these fans down to 900RPM and all the way up to 1600RPM, we finally have peace again. The C3560G with its big heatsink didnt need airflow but I figure I would build a frame and cable mnanagment system to make it look tidy!

Summary - It seems these FPR1000 series devices have poor heat dissapation and probably should have used the chassis as an additional means to get rid of heat, sure it has more holes than a kitchen sieve but the heat seems to stay within it if there is no air movement at all, to market this thing as a "desktop" device for offices I bet there is a few of these heating up and rebooting in the wild, god help the ones locked in a small cabient with now airflow

Again thanks for the suggestions, there is a great community here and some really good contributors I keep returning to learn from

[RohanJ]

As a point of reference...

No assited cooling, in a 20 degree Celsius room

Processors:

   --------------------------------

   Processor 1: 75.0 C - OK  (CPU Temperature)

   Chassis:

   --------------------------------

   Ambient 1: 60.0 C - Warm (Inlet Temperature)

With the fan running

Processors:

   --------------------------------

   Processor 1: 39.0 C - OK  (CPU Temperature)

   Chassis:

   --------------------------------

   Ambient 1: 30.0 C - OK (Inlet Temperature)