P51A upgrade from AIX 5.2 to AIX 5.3

[kat000003]

Hi all.

I'm planning to upgrade 5 X IBM P51A machines from AIX V5.2 to 5.3 in the next few weeks. Though the AIX upgrade itself should be simple enough (smit installp, install latest available software), I suppose I need to ensure that my firmware on these machines is up to the required levels.

Where can I find info relevant to my upgrade or is there anyone here that can advise on best practises for this type of 'project'?

My environment consists of the following: DS4300 storage unit, 2 SAN switches (IBM 2005-16B) and then my P51A's.

Not sure if more info is required to advise, but please let me now. Hoping that someone will be able to point me in the right direction.

Thanks
kat000003

 

[khalidaaa]

Have a look at this for the required DS4300 firmware:

http://www.championsg.com/Champions...DS4000_matrix/$File/DS4000_Interop_Matrix.pdf

Not sure if you need any firmware upgrade to your P51A!

Regards,
Khalid

 

[p5wizard]

And AIX 5.2 to 5.3 is a reinstall, though you can do a migration install (with least impact to local customization.)

For latest p5 firmware (microcode), start from here:

http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/firmware/gjsn?mode=95&mtm=9110-51A

You'd want to test out an upgrade of AIX and DS4k device driver on a non-production server first I'd guess.


HTH,

p5wizard

 

[DukeSSD]

You should also upgrade any device microcode to the latest berore the new OS install, see p5wizard's link above for this.

Also on the 5.3 media you will find a premigration script to check out your system before you try the upgrade.

And you'll be taking two mksysbs before you start.

 

[kat000003]

Thanks everyone for the input so far. I have started looking at the requirements again, as I need to complete this project on all of my servers by the end of July.

Regarding the premigration script, is this something that I'll need to do before I boot from the first disk of the AIX 5.3 software to perform a migration installation? In other words, is the premigration script a set of checks that is run from the prompt or is it run directly before the migration procedure, once the machine has been rebooted?

I have looked at the links, just a question on the firmware;
I have run lsdev and lsattr -El on my Development server (will attempt the microcode and AIX upgrade on this server first) for my specific devices, but how can I be sure that I have downloaded the right microcode for each device, as the output from these commands did not give me any information like the FC or version number which confirms that the correct device's firmware is being downloaded.

Lastly, which command is run to apply the binaries to the server to update the MC?

Thanks again for the feedback!

kat000003

 

[ogniemi]

try Microcode Discovery Service... - you will get direct links to microcodes updates for your system and describtions

look on page 45 of the following document:

http://www-941.ibm.com/collaboratio.../296/p5+Firmware+Best+Practices.pdf?version=1

http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/mds/fetch?page=mds.html

you can also use it offline.
remember to copy fresh "catalog.mic" to the "/var/adm/invscout/microcode/" location. The fresh copy you can get from

https://techsupport.services.ibm.com/server/mdownload/catalog.mic

Update invscout fielsets as well before you start.

More info about inventory scout:

http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/mds/fetch?page=invreadme.html

 

[kat000003]

Thanks ogniemi, that helped a lot!!!

Have run invscout and uploaded the file. I have also downloaded all of the suggested rpm's.

I'll be testing the firmware upgrades and AIX migration to V5.3 on my Dev box next Saturday, I first have to upgrade the firmware on my DS4300 this Saturday, as I'm adding another 3TB expansion unit next week...

Feels like I don't have time to breathe.

Thanks again!