RE: Wrapping my head around firmware

For a single partition server, an HMC seems like a luxury I couldn't justify.

I think I'll update to the newest V910 this month and work on going further in the near future.

Thanks



-----Original Message-----
From: Rob Berendt [mailto:rob@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2020 6:42 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: Wrapping my head around firmware

Upon further reading I really think that IBM wanted to stop having people shoot themselves in the foot by upgrading firmware unintentionally, thus getting firmware out of sync with their HMC (if they had one).
You have to order the respective MH* ptf individually, or in combination with other PTF's, in order to get it. I do not think it will automatically be on any cume or group.
So order the one you want from the list at: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/server-firmware-stand-alone-ibm-i-systems

On my 9009-41A I upgraded, with my HMC, in December, to VL940_027 MH01833. If I didn't have enough on my hands with a DC move this upcoming downtime I would upgrade all the way to VL940_041_027 MH01844. I might upgrade that 41A any way since it's not part of the move.

If an HMC is on your horizon, and if you might "settle" for an older model which may not run a level of HMC code compatible with the highest levels of firmware would be the only reason I can think of not to upgrade to the latest.
We just unplugged our 7042-CR8 x86 based HMC's since they are at the highest level of HMC code supported for those.
See also:
https://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/flrt/mtm#tab_p6
https://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/flrt/sas?page=mtm-supported-hmc
See Note 4 for x86 based HMC's

We went with vHMC

Rob Berendt
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