Question
========
What are the supported methods to test SEA failover?

Answer
======
Here are the supported methods to test or force SEA failover:
Manual Failover:

On vio server:
$ lsdev -type adapter
or
$ oem_setup_env
# lsdev -Cc adapter |grep ent

– Note which ent is the SEA
# entstat -d entX —> check for the status (PRIMARY, or BACKUP)

– Set ha_mode to standby on primary with chdev command:
# chdev -l entX -a ha_mode=standby
or
$ chdev -dev -attr ha_mode=standby
– Reset it back to auto and the SEA should fail back to the primary:
# chdev -l entX -a ha_mode=auto
or
$ chdev -dev -attr ha_mode=auto

Primary VIOS shutdown
– Reboot the VIOS on the primary for fail over to backup
adapter
– When the primary VIOS is up again, should fail back to the
primary adapter.

Primary VIOS error
– Deactivate primary VIOS from the HMC for fail over to
backup adapter
– Activate the primary VIOS for the fail back to the primary
again

Physical link failure
– unplug the link of the physical adapter on primary for fail
over to the backup adapter
– and replug of physical link of physical Ethernet adapter on
primary for the fail back to the primary

Reverse boot sequence
– Shut down both the VIO servers
– Reboot the VIOS with backup SEA and the adapter becomes
active
– Reboot the VIOS with primary SEA and fail back happens to
the primary SEA