Enable your IBM power systems environment to reach a supported level

If you have an IBM power Systems environment, it is important that you get enough hardware and software support. This support not only ensures that there is room for manoeuvre in the event of a system failure, but also allows you to get new versions and bug fixes that will help prevent you from getting frustrated in the first place. Keeping your running software and firmware up to date is easier when you need to migrate to new hardware.

Get a supported version

In order for your power Systems environment to reach a supported level, you need to know what hardware and software is currently running. Each power Systems environment is different: you may have a separate server, and all resources (such as processors and memory) are assigned to one operating system. More often, the system is running a logical partition (LPAR), also known as a virtual machine (VM), and allows you to partition a server so that resources can be shared.

Once you know what software and hardware you are using in your environment, you can review the links in the Resources section to determine whether you need to upgrade to a later version. However, it is important to note that modern hardware and software systems may be highly interdependent. Components in your infrastructure may need to be upgraded together or upgraded in a specific order. In addition, this article is unlikely to cover all components, so I will focus on the most common hardware, operating systems, and utilities in the power Systems environment.

There are several key components in the power Systems environment that may need to be upgraded. For each component, you must understand:

What is it used for?

Is your version supported

How to upgrade it

What is the impact of the upgrade?

The following sections provide a checklist of important items to check.

Hardware Management Console

The first thing I'm using is the IBM hardware Management Console (HMC). In a smaller environment with only two or three lpars, there may not be any HMC. If you do not have an HMC, skip to the next section.

The HMC is a device that provides a tool for system administrators to plan, deploy, and manage power Systems servers. The HMC runs as an embedded application on an intel-based workstation. It can be connected to a Power Systems server (managed system) and can be used to control and maintain LPARs.

Determining the HMC version

If you have permission to access the HMC through a browser, you can click the Update HMC to view the version. Another approach is to use Secure Shell (SSH) to connect to the HMC command line. There you can run the following command to display the HMC version:

Lshmc-v

Effect of HMC Maintenance

Verify that your HMC is compatible with your hardware environment and that all prerequisites are met. These requirements depend on your HMC model and the Power Systems server it manages. You may also need to take a few steps to upgrade the HMC. Following the documentation on the IBM Support portal, you can view all the prerequisites.

The good news is that if the prerequisites are met, the HMC can be upgraded without a complete outage. As explained in the IBM power Systems HMC Implementation and Usage Guide, the HMC is independent of the server. When maintenance is performed on the HMC, the server and all partitions can remain active, allowing you to easily keep the HMC at the latest maintenance level.

System firmware

The Power Systems firmware is part of the licensed Internal code that runs on the managed system (licensed internal codes). It is critical for managing IBM PowerVM virtualization features.

Determine system firmware version

Run the following command on the IBM AIX LPAR to determine the system firmware:

Lsmcode

If you use the HMC to manage your system, you can also use the HMC graphical user interface (GUI) to view the firmware version. Just select the server and click Updates and View System information.

The system firmware contains version levels and service packs. The term version level refers to the firmware that supports most new features, such as introducing new hardware, or important new features or features. Migrating to a new version is called an upgrade. Upgrades are often destructive, meaning that downtime is required in the power Systems environment, but some service packs provide fixes and enhancements in a specific firmware release. The firmware update installation in the same major firmware version is called an update. If you use the HMC to manage your power Systems server, you can perform concurrent firmware updates, that is, no downtime is required on a managed system.

For power Systems servers that are not managed by the HMC, firmware updates and all upgrades are disruptive. This means that the managed system will be shut down and restarted.

Integrated Virtualization Manager

Some power Systems servers are managed by Integrated Virtualization Manager (IVM). IVM provides a web-based system management interface that does not produce separate HMC costs. IVM enables you to configure virtualized I/O adapters through a virtual I/O Server (VIOS).

Note: Because IVM itself runs VIOS, the upgrade process is described in the update single VIOS and dual VIOS configuration.

Virtual I/O Server

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VIOS is software that runs in a dedicated LPAR. It supports the sharing of physical resources between client LPARs in the same managed system.

Update single VIOS and dual VIOS configuration

In most power Systems configurations, VIOS plays a key role because the client LPAR relies on it for network connectivity and storage. IVM managed systems must have only one VIOS. In contrast, HMC-managed systems typically use a dual VIOS configuration.

The update VIOS requires downtime on the VIOS itself. In a single VIOS configuration, downtime on the VIOS means that clients that depend on it will lose their network and storage connections. Even if your system is managed by the HMC, it is possible to adopt a single VIOS configuration. In a dual-VIOS configuration, if full redundancy is configured, you should upgrade one VIOS at a time, and for client partitions, there is no downtime.

When updating VIOS, pay special attention to upgrading the annotation. The process from one VIOS version to another may vary, and you may need to consider some prerequisites during the upgrade process.

Upgrade AIX

Importantly, your IBM AIX LPAR will not lose its software support. By keeping the AIX version in the latest version, you can take advantage of the PowerVM virtualization features. If you need to, you can also ensure that you have the latest bug fixes and services and support from IBM.

Upgrading AIX to the latest version within the same major version is known as an update. Moving to a new major version, such as upgrading from AIX 6.1 to version 7.1, is called migration. There are many different ways to update and migrate AIX.

Other software, applications, and middleware

Countless different types of software can be run in the power Systems environment. IBM offers the assurance of binary compatibility, enabling applications created on earlier versions or technology-level AIX to run the same way on newer versions or technology-enabled AIX, without recompiling.

If you are planning to migrate to newer, supported versions of AIX, check with different software vendors that your target environment will be fully supported.

Conclusion

Keeping your power Systems firmware and software up to date may be a daunting task, but when all of them reach a supported level, be sure to create a plan to keep the system up to date. Keep your environment in a state where support contracts can be covered appropriately, and many new features and bug fixes will make this practice worthwhile.