Like so many things in our IT world, rarely is their one exact correct answer. You say what if "n-1" needs a critical fix. Well, it was just "n" previously. What if "n" introduced a major catastrophic bug, like causes data corruption. You want that to be fixed before you ever go to it, often in both a PTF and the next "n". A month of "n" being available may not be long enough. But really, its never quite clear cut.
Original Message:
Sent: Mon January 08, 2024 07:40 AM
From: Robert Berendt
Subject: When will 8.6.0 become a recommended release?
Never really understood the n-1 concept. What if n had a critical fix that patched n-1? I've seen this, a lot. I could see not upgrading to n within the first month (unless it's a very critical patch). But waiting until the next patch comes out that fixes flaws in it, just doesn't compute with me.
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Robert Berendt IBMChampion
Original Message:
Sent: Mon January 08, 2024 07:21 AM
From: Frank da Silva
Subject: When will 8.6.0 become a recommended release?
Hi Evelyn,
I'm a nervous nelly - unless there is a HIPER which could affect us then I not would jump to a LTS version with 2 PTF releases. I would rather milk the lower LTS release and then jump across (84011 then jump to 85010). We run a simple config with DRP without any FC/RC/HS features. Some other users I have spoken to will not jump to the latest PTF within a stream and would rather run N-1; as someone said earlier it depends on each environment's circumstances.
Thanks for the note.
Frank
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Frank da Silva
Original Message:
Sent: Mon January 08, 2024 06:49 AM
From: Evelyn Perez
Subject: When will 8.6.0 become a recommended release?
Hi Frank,
Waiting for 9 revisions is a really really long wait at that point you are getting really close to EoS for a code level. I expect 8.4.0 to go end of support this year. You should be using the recommended versions as per our support matrix when looking at going to a new LTS. This generally happens at the .2 or .3 ish range of the PTF cycle.
Please note that we are generally releasing fewer ptfs over time with the exception of PSIRTs.
Additionally - anyone looking to implement new feature functions should be looking at the non-LTS release followed by the next LTS recommended release as these have the same test cycles, but different PTF strategies.
As per the original discussion 8.6.0 should get a recommended Flag on it imminently.
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Evelyn Perez
IBM Senior Technical Staff Member
IBM Storage Virtualize Software Architect for SVC and FlashSystem
Original Message:
Sent: Fri January 05, 2024 06:45 AM
From: Frank da Silva
Subject: When will 8.6.0 become a recommended release?
we have refreshed our estate to FS5200 running 840x, but I waited for 9 revisions before upgrading from 850x. However the last one arrived with 8500 - I downgraded the box to 840x and then hit an issue where the NVMe drives would not upgrade as the disk type could only be upgraded if the code was on 850x.
I tend to wait for 9 revisions before upgrading to a LTS stream - unless there is a Hyper in the latest release which could mean an outage, which
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Frank da Silva
Original Message:
Sent: Tue December 12, 2023 04:59 PM
From: Edward Yeates
Subject: When will 8.6.0 become a recommended release?
OK - I'll ask the same question again....
When will 8.6.0 become a recommended release? I have an existing FS5200 running 8.5.0 and a new one shipped with 8.6.0
Why is the IBM Upgrade Planning Website not recommending my current 8.5.0 system to 8.6.0? It means I can't use some of the 8.6 technology like policy based replication etc.
When will it be safe to upgrade to 8.6 ?
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Edward Yeates
Original Message:
Sent: Fri November 17, 2023 11:30 AM
From: Edward Yeates
Subject: When will 8.6.0 become a recommended release?
New FS5200 has been ordered to sit alongside an existing FS5200. I am assuming 8.6.0 will come shipped on the new FS5200.
I'm planning to the Volume Group Snapshots and PBR for the new FS5200 and would like to replicate to the existing one as well as using similar policies and set-up on the current one.
But it's difficult to ignore the Planning page which seems to be telling me not to upgrade the current FS5200 yet: IBM Storage Virtualize Family of Products Upgrade Planning
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Edward Yeates
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