334 IBM Midrange System Storage Hardware Guide
Upgrading firmware and NVSRAM
The microcode of the DS5000 storage subsystem controllers consists of two packages:
Controller firmware
NVSRAM
The NVSRAM is similar to the settings in the BIOS of a host system. The firmware and the
NVSRAM are closely tied to each other and are
not independent. Be sure to install the correct
combination of the two packages.
The upgrade procedure needs two independent connections to the DS5000 storage
subsystem, one for each controller. It is not possible to perform a microcode update with only
one controller connected. Therefore, both controllers must be accessible either through Fibre
Channel or Ethernet. Both controllers must also be in the Optimal state.
In general, the controller, NVSRAM, and ESM firmware upgrades can be done online during
non-peak periods of traffic if your DS5000 storage subsystem model has redundant
controllers, and if a redundant driver is installed in all the hosts being serviced by your
DS5000 storage subsystem.
In the above conditions, after the upgrade is initiated, the files are transferred to one
controller, which then copies them to the other.
The activation procedure can be done immediately after the transfer, or later during a period
with less I/O access. During the activation, the first controller moves all logical drives to the
second one, and then it reboots and activates new firmware. After that, it takes ownership of
all logical drives, and the second controller is rebooted in order to have its new firmware
activated. When both controllers are up again, the logical drives are redistributed to the
preferred paths.
If you choose to not activate the transferred image at the same moment of the firmware
transfer, remember that a normal reboot of a controller or a power cycle of the DS5000
storage subsystem does not activate the new firmware; it is only activated after the user
specifically chooses to activate the firmware.
Important: Before upgrading the storage subsystem firmware and NVSRAM, make sure
that the system is in an optimal state. Fix any problems before you proceed with the
upgrade.
Important: Make sure to install the firmware for each of the DS5000 storage subsystem
components (ESM, drives, controller, and NVSRAM) in the sequence described in the
readme file for that version.
Update the controller firmware and then the NVSRAM, or both at the same time.
Any power or network/SAN interruption during the update process might lead to
configuration corruption or extended downtime. Therefore, do not power off the DS5000
storage subsystem or the management station during the update. If you are using in-band
management and have Fibre Channel hubs or managed hubs, then make sure that no
SAN-connected devices are powered up during the update. Otherwise, this can cause a
loop initialization process and interrupt the process.
To Next Page
Loading...
Need help?
General