Thank you to Nezih Boyacioglu for his offline help.
Original Message:
Sent: Mon April 29, 2024 02:45 PM
From: Robert Berendt
Subject: IBM 8969-F24 FOS recommendations
Finally hit the right phase of the moon and got the activation code. This started the broadcom part. Then it tells me to wait (you'll get an email later). Once you get that email you go back into Fix Central and start kind of over again but this time you can actually download the software.
Followed the manual and now I'm upgraded. Didn't see any disruption between our Power system and it's vtl. This site doesn't have SAN disk (yet).
I had a looping ping going to the management port. There is a time in firmwaredownload where it restarts some stuff and during that time I got 8 consecutive "Request timed out." messages.
Time to complete:
firmwaredownloadstatus
[1]: Mon Apr 29 18:04:05 2024
Firmware is being downloaded to the switch. This step may take up to 30 minutes.
[2]: Mon Apr 29 18:13:37 2024
The internal firmware image is relocated successfully.
[3]: Mon Apr 29 18:13:37 2024
Firmware has been downloaded to the secondary partition of the switch.
[4]: Mon Apr 29 18:14:45 2024
The firmware commit operation has started. This may take up to 10 minutes.
[5]: Mon Apr 29 18:17:54 2024
The commit operation has completed successfully.
[6]: Mon Apr 29 18:17:54 2024
Firmwaredownload command has completed successfully. Use firmwareshow to verify the firmware versions.
USSG8969F24-2:rob> firmwareshow
Appl Primary/Secondary Versions
------------------------------------------
FOS v9.1.1d_lw
v9.1.1d_lw
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Robert Berendt IBMChampion
Original Message:
Sent: Mon April 29, 2024 12:05 PM
From: Robert Berendt
Subject: IBM 8969-F24 FOS recommendations
I changed my FixCentral download type from ftps to https. That got me further. However, after filling out the info there it kept getting stuck on telling me to log out of broadcomm and then to continue. Tried 3 different browsers.
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Robert Berendt IBMChampion
Original Message:
Sent: Mon April 29, 2024 11:41 AM
From: Robert Berendt
Subject: IBM 8969-F24 FOS recommendations
Tried that and got:
An error occurred
SAN b-type, SAN24B-6 Switch (8960-F24, 8969-F24) (All.Releases)
Fix Central was unable to complete your request. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Please use the feedback option to report the problem, and include the following details:
Cmn.ServiceProviderError
No suitable deliveryPreference found in request. Broadcom requests does not allow FTP.
Selected Fix ID(s): [SAN_Storage_Networking_b_type]
Order State History: [Initial, Order Fixes, Order Updates Started, Order Updates Failed]
Order Time: Mon Apr 29 15:39:10 UTC 2024
Entry URL:
https://prod.fixcentral.cis.ibm.net/support/fixcentral/swg/downloadFixes?parent=SAN%20b-type&product=ibm/StorageAreaNetwork/SAN24B-6+Switch+(8960-F24)&release=All.Releases&platform=All&function=fixId&fixids=SAN_Storage_Networking_b_type&includeRequisites=0&includeSupersedes=0&downloadMethod=mget
HSB Order ID: H73108461
FC Order ID: 608997300
Web ID:
rob@mycorp.com
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Robert Berendt IBMChampion
Original Message:
Sent: Mon April 29, 2024 11:37 AM
From: Robert Berendt
Subject: IBM 8969-F24 FOS recommendations
What path? Select product, Product Group = System Storage, Select from System Storage = Storage area network (SAN), Select from Storage area network (SAN) = SAN b-type, SAN24B-6 Switch (8960-F24, 8969-F24),
"Abstract: Links to firmware, software and release notes on the Broadcom Portal"
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Robert Berendt IBMChampion
Original Message:
Sent: Mon April 29, 2024 10:58 AM
From: Nezih Boyacioglu
Subject: IBM 8969-F24 FOS recommendations
Yes, but you need to follow the Fix Central path to download the required FoS
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Nezih Boyacioglu
Original Message:
Sent: Mon April 29, 2024 10:40 AM
From: Robert Berendt
Subject: IBM 8969-F24 FOS recommendations
I just want to confirm one thing, just because the "Type" and "Model" show the IBM values of 008969 and F24 doesn't mean that the fos has been customized by IBM, does it? I just use the fos for Brocade G610 as per https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/fibre-channel-networking/fabric-os/fabric-os-software-upgrade/9-1-x/Introduction_91x/Supported-Hardware-and-Software-SW-UPG.html right?
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Robert Berendt IBMChampion
Original Message:
Sent: Fri April 26, 2024 08:31 AM
From: Robert Berendt
Subject: IBM 8969-F24 FOS recommendations
Let me preface this that we are not one of those shops who stay on a level until it hits End of Service (or worse). This week I upgraded our file transfer site from a.b.1 to a.c.1 the day after the .1 version came out for level c.
Fiber channel switch support has come under my responsibility now. Changed when we upgraded switches. Either I will upgrade our 8969-F24 switches or I'll have our BP do it. I am trying to get recommendations outside of our BP as they tend to stay more on the 1 level above EOS mentality.
Our 8969-F24 switches are currently at 9.0.1c. We use them to interface between two Power 10's, a DD6900 VTL, and a FS7300 SAN at one site. The other site is a Power 9 and a DD6900 VTL with a FS7300 planned for later. The Power 9 is currently using internal disks.
I am looking at this site: IBM SAN b-type Firmware Version 9.x Qualification
The link for "* FICON qualified release." doesn't work but I've submitted feedback for that. Well, it doesn't work for me as it tells me I'm not authorized. Having done a few sites served up by Domino I can tell that link is relying upon that. Honestly IDK what level to choose by the following:
The recommended version for open systems 9.2.1a
The recommended version for FICON environments is 9.2.0b
What level is recommended for my setup?
Got any good links on how to upgrade?
These switches are supposed to be redundant. We have two 8969-F24 at each location and, in theory, if I unplug one the other should continue on uninterrupted. I am hoping this means that I can upgrade one and then the other when the first one completes. Does the redundancy get negatively impacted due to the different release levels?
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Robert Berendt IBMChampion
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