HMC

Updating HMC

Michael Soucy posted Thu September 11, 2025 11:56 AM

Greetings,

I have a couple of questions about doing an update to our HMCs. We have two 7063 model CR2. The current software version is V10R31051. I'm thinking of going to V10R31062. The current firmware level on our Power 10s is ML1050_059. Looking on this IBM website it looks like V10R31062 is compatible with our firmware level.

HMC and System Firmware Supported Combinations

These are the steps I had in the procedure I wrote the last time we did an update.

Upload the iso file that was downloaded from Fix Central to a folder on the IFS.
Reboot the HMC.
Backup the HMC data to a folder on the IFS.
Check the time on the HMC to make sure it's correct.
Save the profile data to a thumb drive.
Update HMC with the FTP option and specify the name of the iso file and what IFS folder it is in.

Am I missing anything that I should be doing? The last time we did an update we also did an upgrade from V10R1 to V10R3. Those steps are in my procedure, and I believe I've excluded them steps from what I listed here. This will only be the 2nd time I will be doing this, so I want to double check that I'm doing this correctly.

If I do an HMC update, should I also do a firmware upgrade on our Power 10? I have a procedure for that and I'm assuming nothing has really changed with that process.

Thank you,

Mike

Vijay Kumar Bana posted Fri September 12, 2025 01:32 AM

Hi Mike,

Yes the procedure is correct. We can directly update HMC from V10R31051 to V10R31062. Please use 'updhmc' command or 'Update HMC' GUI task for that.

It's not mandatory to do a firmware upgrade on systems if HMC version is compatible current firmware level on system.

Regards,

Vijay

Artur Studzian posted Fri September 12, 2025 02:45 AM

Hi Michael,

take a look at this here

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/667847

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7242631

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/model-7063-cr2-and-vhmc-powervm-upgrading-hmc-version-v10r2m1030-v11r1m1110

Andrey Klyachkin IBM Champion posted Fri September 12, 2025 02:55 AM

Hi Mike,

you plan to update the HMC, not upgrade. You can spare steps 2 and 3.

You need the HMC reboot before the update procedure only if you have never rebooted it, and want to be sure that it is in a "clean" state.

Upgrade data is not used during the update.

What is definitely the correct step is to save all LPAR profiles data before doing any HMC update or upgrade.

Another suggested step is to ensure that you have BMC connection configured to your HMC, and find the password for it.

Regarding firmware updates, you should usually plan the maintenance time for the procedure. You don't need to do it together with the HMC update, because the new HMC version supports your firmware. But your firmware is not the freshest in release 1050 (unless you mean 1050.50, which is not the same as 1050_058), and there is already release 1060. Meanwhile, there were several critical security problems.