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  • 1.  Power HA toolkit for IBM i versions

    Posted Mon October 14, 2024 10:25 AM

    I am using Power HA toolkit for IBM i to initiate snapshots from IBM i through Copy Services Manager to my FS7300.

    I believe Power HA toolkit for IBM i is an IBM i Lab Services team offering and not a regular LPP.

    If I run DSPDTAARA DTAARA(QZRDHASM/BUILD) I get:

    'OS VRM: V7R3M0      Toolkit version: 4.6          '
    'Build date: 080123  Time: 102024  Debug: *NO      '
    'Builder: TKH                                      '

    How do I tell if there are any updates to that?  How do I apply such updates?

    Do I need to be concerned with compatibility issues between Power HA toolkit for IBM i and Copy Services Manager and FS7300?

    Power HA toolkit for IBM i: Build 4.6

    FS7300:  8.6.0.4

    IBM Copy Services Manager:   6.3.7.0



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    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    260-599-3160
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Power HA toolkit for IBM i versions

    Posted Mon October 14, 2024 03:09 PM
    Edited by Rohit Chauhan Mon October 14, 2024 03:24 PM

    Hello Robert,

    Power HA toolkit for IBM i is developed by IBM Technology  Expert Labs formerly Lab services which consists of various tools specializing in Power HA and the external storage solutions. PowerHA Tools 4.6 will continue to be supported for some time. The latest version is 5.2 but of course it is not applicable for all environments and clients. 

    Version 5.2 of our toolkit has been released and is available to all customers with active toolkit maintenance agreements. The primary new features support: 
    • FlashSystems Volume Group Flashcopy
    • FlashSystems Policy-Based Replication
    • FlashSytems SafeGuarded Copy without CSM

    PowerHA Tools maintenance provides support for code issues, runtime support and upgrades. Customers are responsible for contacting IBM Technology Expert Labs (Formerly Lab Services) either via case or sending and email to iessspt@us.ibm.com for code updates.

    Please refer to the below mentioned link showing the compatibility matrix.

    PowerHA Tools Compatibility Information (ibm.com)



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    Rohit Chauhan
    Senior Technical Specialist
    Norway
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  • 3.  RE: Power HA toolkit for IBM i versions

    Posted Mon October 14, 2024 03:30 PM

    That chart is EXACTLY what I am looking for.  Perfect.

    Now those cautions about 8.7.0 are putting the fear of God into me.  I may stick with 8.6.0.5 for now.



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    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    260-599-3160
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Power HA toolkit for IBM i versions

    Posted Mon October 14, 2024 03:43 PM

    Does the following mean that the issue with 8.7.0 is resolved by putting on 8.7.0.1?

    Or does it mean that the issue was noticed on 8.7.0.1?

    It does say "...have been fixed?".  To me this implies there is a fix.

    https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6340241?mhsrc=ibmsearch_a&mhq=SVAPAR-141920



    ------------------------------
    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    260-599-3160
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Power HA toolkit for IBM i versions

    Posted Mon October 14, 2024 04:08 PM

    Hello Robert,

    It does mean that the mentioned APAR have been fixed in the relevant update version shown in the table . Example : SVAPAR-140080 was resolved in 8.7.0.1.

    Which issue are you referring exactly with 8.7.0 ?



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    Rohit Chauhan
    Senior Technical Specialist
    Norway
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Power HA toolkit for IBM i versions

    Posted Mon October 14, 2024 04:21 PM

    I find the words "Flash System can crash" particularly disconcerting:

    We've heard some reports from clients on 8.7.0.0 that the Flash System can crash when doing volume-group snapshots. Flash Systems is aware of this under SVAPAR-141920 which has an associated ifix.



    ------------------------------
    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    260-599-3160
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Power HA toolkit for IBM i versions

    Posted Mon October 14, 2024 04:50 PM

    Yes, SVAPAR-141920 is fixed in 8.7.0.1. 

    Description: Under specific scenarios, adding a snapshot to a volume group could trigger a cluster recovery causing brief loss of access to data



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    Rohit Chauhan
    Senior Technical Specialist
    Norway
    ------------------------------