PowerVM

I need to update firmware on a Power9 server with 2 VIOS and several IBM i and Linux (Red Hat) LPARs.  As my planned update can be done concurrent, I was hoping to do so. 

In the installation instructions it says that I must have working RMC connections to all LPARs before I do a concurrent upgrade.  On my server I have working RMC connections only to the two VIOS servers.  None to the IBM i or Linux LPARs.

A couple of years ago I was told by IBM that IBM i is not using RMC connections, and I see the same in an old post in the community:

https://community.ibm.com/community/user/power/communities/community-home/digestviewer/viewthread?GroupId=6061&MID=139992&CommunityKey=bf58b0ea-eb88-4a2b-86ea-12b586091d71&tab=digestviewer

Can someone please tell me what is correct?  Do I need a working RMC connection to all LPARs when my server has VIOS with working RMS connections in order to do a concurrent update?  And is it correct that IBM i don't use RMC connection?  And what about my Linux LPARs?

Thank you for your time.

I need to update firmware on a Power9 server with 2 VIOS and several IBM i and Linux (Red Hat) LPARs.  As my planned update can be done concurrent, I was hoping to do so. 

In the installation instructions it says that I must have working RMC connections to all LPARs before I do a concurrent upgrade.  On my server I have working RMC connections only to the two VIOS servers.  None to the IBM i or Linux LPARs.

A couple of years ago I was told by IBM that IBM i is not using RMC connections, and I see the same in an old post in the community:

https://community.ibm.com/community/user/power/communities/community-home/digestviewer/viewthread?GroupId=6061&MID=139992&CommunityKey=bf58b0ea-eb88-4a2b-86ea-12b586091d71&tab=digestviewer

Can someone please tell me what is correct?  Do I need a working RMC connection to all LPARs when my server has VIOS with working RMS connections in order to do a concurrent update?  And is it correct that IBM i don't use RMC connection?  And what about my Linux LPARs?

Thank you for your time.

Hello Bart,

Thank you for your answer.  I see you mention a VIOS update, but that is perhaps a typo?  I am planning for a Firmware update, not VIOS update.

This is the instructions I've been reading:  https://delivery04.dhe.ibm.com/sar/CMA/SFA/0a5qx/0/01VL950_092_045.html

2.2 Concurrent Firmware Updates

Concurrent system firmware update is supported on HMC Managed Systems only.
Ensure that there are no RMC connections issues for any system partitions prior to applying the firmware update.  If there is a RMC connection failure to a partition during the firmware update, the RMC connection will need to be restored and additional recovery actions for that partition will be required to complete partition firmware updates.

As you say IBM i don't use RMC.  So this instruction is misleading for IBM i partitions.  But what about Linux (Red Hat) partitions?  Do you know if they need a RMC connection?


Regards,

I need to update firmware on a Power9 server with 2 VIOS and several IBM i and Linux (Red Hat) LPARs.  As my planned update can be done concurrent, I was hoping to do so. 

In the installation instructions it says that I must have working RMC connections to all LPARs before I do a concurrent upgrade.  On my server I have working RMC connections only to the two VIOS servers.  None to the IBM i or Linux LPARs.

A couple of years ago I was told by IBM that IBM i is not using RMC connections, and I see the same in an old post in the community:

https://community.ibm.com/community/user/power/communities/community-home/digestviewer/viewthread?GroupId=6061&MID=139992&CommunityKey=bf58b0ea-eb88-4a2b-86ea-12b586091d71&tab=digestviewer

Can someone please tell me what is correct?  Do I need a working RMC connection to all LPARs when my server has VIOS with working RMS connections in order to do a concurrent update?  And is it correct that IBM i don't use RMC connection?  And what about my Linux LPARs?

Thank you for your time.

Hello Bart,

Thank you for your answer.  I see you mention a VIOS update, but that is perhaps a typo?  I am planning for a Firmware update, not VIOS update.

This is the instructions I've been reading:  https://delivery04.dhe.ibm.com/sar/CMA/SFA/0a5qx/0/01VL950_092_045.html

2.2 Concurrent Firmware Updates

Concurrent system firmware update is supported on HMC Managed Systems only.
Ensure that there are no RMC connections issues for any system partitions prior to applying the firmware update.  If there is a RMC connection failure to a partition during the firmware update, the RMC connection will need to be restored and additional recovery actions for that partition will be required to complete partition firmware updates.

As you say IBM i don't use RMC.  So this instruction is misleading for IBM i partitions.  But what about Linux (Red Hat) partitions?  Do you know if they need a RMC connection?


Regards,

I need to update firmware on a Power9 server with 2 VIOS and several IBM i and Linux (Red Hat) LPARs.  As my planned update can be done concurrent, I was hoping to do so. 

In the installation instructions it says that I must have working RMC connections to all LPARs before I do a concurrent upgrade.  On my server I have working RMC connections only to the two VIOS servers.  None to the IBM i or Linux LPARs.

A couple of years ago I was told by IBM that IBM i is not using RMC connections, and I see the same in an old post in the community:

https://community.ibm.com/community/user/power/communities/community-home/digestviewer/viewthread?GroupId=6061&MID=139992&CommunityKey=bf58b0ea-eb88-4a2b-86ea-12b586091d71&tab=digestviewer

Can someone please tell me what is correct?  Do I need a working RMC connection to all LPARs when my server has VIOS with working RMS connections in order to do a concurrent update?  And is it correct that IBM i don't use RMC connection?  And what about my Linux LPARs?

Thank you for your time.

Hello Bart,

Thank you for your answer.  I see you mention a VIOS update, but that is perhaps a typo?  I am planning for a Firmware update, not VIOS update.

This is the instructions I've been reading:  https://delivery04.dhe.ibm.com/sar/CMA/SFA/0a5qx/0/01VL950_092_045.html

2.2 Concurrent Firmware Updates

Concurrent system firmware update is supported on HMC Managed Systems only.
Ensure that there are no RMC connections issues for any system partitions prior to applying the firmware update.  If there is a RMC connection failure to a partition during the firmware update, the RMC connection will need to be restored and additional recovery actions for that partition will be required to complete partition firmware updates.

As you say IBM i don't use RMC.  So this instruction is misleading for IBM i partitions.  But what about Linux (Red Hat) partitions?  Do you know if they need a RMC connection?


Regards,

I need to update firmware on a Power9 server with 2 VIOS and several IBM i and Linux (Red Hat) LPARs.  As my planned update can be done concurrent, I was hoping to do so. 

In the installation instructions it says that I must have working RMC connections to all LPARs before I do a concurrent upgrade.  On my server I have working RMC connections only to the two VIOS servers.  None to the IBM i or Linux LPARs.

A couple of years ago I was told by IBM that IBM i is not using RMC connections, and I see the same in an old post in the community:

https://community.ibm.com/community/user/power/communities/community-home/digestviewer/viewthread?GroupId=6061&MID=139992&CommunityKey=bf58b0ea-eb88-4a2b-86ea-12b586091d71&tab=digestviewer

Can someone please tell me what is correct?  Do I need a working RMC connection to all LPARs when my server has VIOS with working RMS connections in order to do a concurrent update?  And is it correct that IBM i don't use RMC connection?  And what about my Linux LPARs?

Thank you for your time.

I need to update firmware on a Power9 server with 2 VIOS and several IBM i and Linux (Red Hat) LPARs.  As my planned update can be done concurrent, I was hoping to do so. 

In the installation instructions it says that I must have working RMC connections to all LPARs before I do a concurrent upgrade.  On my server I have working RMC connections only to the two VIOS servers.  None to the IBM i or Linux LPARs.

A couple of years ago I was told by IBM that IBM i is not using RMC connections, and I see the same in an old post in the community:

https://community.ibm.com/community/user/power/communities/community-home/digestviewer/viewthread?GroupId=6061&MID=139992&CommunityKey=bf58b0ea-eb88-4a2b-86ea-12b586091d71&tab=digestviewer

Can someone please tell me what is correct?  Do I need a working RMC connection to all LPARs when my server has VIOS with working RMC connections in order to do a concurrent update?  And is it correct that IBM i don't use RMC connection?  And what about my Linux LPARs?

Thank you for your time.