Pete Helgren wrote:
And, all the co-req's for firmware updates to be compatible with
the VIOS version you are upgrading to have to be paid attention
to. Right down to the firmware the disk are running. That was my
chief complaint with my blade. There isn't a "one PTF's to rule
them all" option. Even a wizard or tool that would evaluate the
firmware updates needed on all the attached devices with a listing
would be a step in the right direction. My experience with the
blade center found it to be all piecemeal and slow.....so
difficult in fact that I haven't had the guts to update VIOS in 3
years...
You are right. I should have mentioned that you have to take care of
all components, and make sure the release they are all running is
compatible. I did not find yet a web site which clearly stands the
supported relationship between HMC, server firmware, VIOS and operating
system.
Web sites like the following still miss one or the other.
http://www-
933.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/firmware/supportedCombinations
http://www-
912.ibm.com/s_dir/slkbase.NSF/1444e529a72ba96486256a6400681992/c69799b7
0a28578c8625712c004fe06b?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,master
However, the upgrade operation, by itself, is quite simple (just run
updateios command).
And also, like before doing any important action, it is necessary
to take a backup.
Maybe in a non BCS environment it is easier. You can only
hope......
Never played with blades but even with classical systems like 770, you
may find surprises. I remember having huge troubles in the following
environment (in march 2012):
* last server firmware (AM730_066)
* last VIOS release (2.2.1.3) to provide NPIV for disk access
* up to date cum, groups, and single PTFs for IBM i 7.1
* last level 200307 device firmware for fiber chanel 5735 adapters
(found on FixCentral)
* external storage through uptodate Brocade SAN and uptodate DS8700
disks systems
* PowerHA on IBM i partitions using Geographic mirroring (in our
environment Geographic mirroring was only a temporary solution, the
target was to move to external storage mirror)
The issue occured when, during a switch back, we was varying on an IASP
on an IBM i partition which was at this time the production partition.
All partitions which was sharing the same 5735 adapter through the VIOS
got a freeze status, loosing their disk access.
Rebooting the VIOS was successful to get back access to disks.
Removing 200307 firmware level to go back to the previous one was the
circumvention to prevent the issue to occur again.
midrange.com
