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  • 1.  HMC and firmware update/upgrade recommendations?

    Posted Tue January 16, 2024 10:42 AM
    I'm at HMC:  Version: 10 Release: 2 Service Pack: 1041
     
    FLRT says that's good.  Says there are no recommended upgrades.  Says Latest version: V10 R3 M1050.
     
    I'm at firmware ML1030_065_026.  FLRT recommends I update to ML1030_075_026 or upgrade to ML1050_052_052.
     
    What FLRT doesn't say is that if I upgrade my firmware to ML1050_052_052 I had better have my HMC at V10R3M1050 (PTF MF41419).  I left feedback.
     
    1 - What started this are some security concerns with my current level of HMC.
    2 - I seem to recall something about if I am using one hardware feature in a P10 then I should be at 104x of firmware but if I am using this other hardware feature I should be using a 105x of firmware.  Does the latest 105x of firmware cover this (allow both)?
    3 - Any reason not to upgrade HMC to V10R3M1050 and firmware to ML1050_052_052?  I do not usually subscribe to the notion that I should always be a level or more behind.
     
    We're at IBM i 7.5TR3 and AIX 7200-05-06-2320.  FLRT is recommending an upgrade of our AIX.


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    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
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  • 2.  RE: HMC and firmware update/upgrade recommendations?

    Posted Wed January 17, 2024 07:35 AM

    Hi Rob,

    I would definitely recommend that you upgrade the HMC, if only because of the vulnerability issues that have been fixed. 

    In the description of V10R3M1050 the server management support for firmware FW1050 is mentioned,

    so the upgrade of the HMC seems to be a prerequisite. 


    I have now installed it for several customers (always including the available iFix MF71422 !!) and have never had any problems.

    I don't know of any feature in a Power10 that wouldn't tolerate a 105x firmware and needs 104x instead.

    All of my customers' Power10 systems now run under HMC version V10R3M1050 and firmware level ML1050 without any problems or faults.

    I also don't think I should always be one level or more behind,

    but with the HMC and firmware I always wait until the first iFix or firmware sublevel is available.

    Greetings from Germany

    Stefan 



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    Stefan Pelzer
    Teamlead IBM i / Senior Consultant
    PROFI Engineering Systems AG
    Darmstadt
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: HMC and firmware update/upgrade recommendations?

    Posted Wed January 17, 2024 08:04 AM

    I stand corrected.  It wasn't 1050 that was the issue.  It was 1040.  1040 was a special STS or Short Term Solution.  Avoid it and go to 1050 as a LTS.

    https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7031014

    says:

    At the time of general availability, FW1040 is required to support the NED24 NVMe Expansion Drawer. FW1040 is a limited, interim release, and is different from IBM's normal releases in the following manner:
    - Normal releases have service pack support for 2 years after the release. However, FW1040 is only supported from GA until the next major FW version becomes available.
    - Only a single service pack for FW1040 is planned near the release of the next major FW version.
    - Clients who install FW1040 must perform a disruptive upgrade once the next major FW version becomes available.
    - IBM manufacturing installs FW1040 for customer orders with NED24 NVMe Expansion Drawers included. However, FW1030 is installed for customer orders without NED24 NVMe Expansion Drawers.
    - IBM is not planning to release IBM i PTFs for FW1040. Support will continue for the FW1030 stream ONLY until the next firmware release is published.



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    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: HMC and firmware update/upgrade recommendations?

    Posted Wed January 17, 2024 08:14 AM

    Aha!  The following was exactly what I was thinking:

    Feature exclusion between FW1040.00 and FW1030.20:
    The following feature is supported only with firmware level FW1040.00 and HMC 10.2.1040 and is excluded from FW1030.20:
    - NED24 NVMe Expansion Drawer (#ESR0)
    The following features are supported with firmware level FW1030.20 and HMC 10.2.1040 but are excluded from FW1040.00:
    - PCIe3 12 Gb x8 SAS Tape HBA adapter(#EJ2B/#EJ2C)
    - PCIe4 32 Gb 4-port optical FC adapter (#EN2L/#EN2M)
    - PCIe4 64 Gb 2-port optical FC adapter (#EN2N/#EN2P)
    - Mixed DDIMM support for the Power E1050 server (#EMCM)
    - 100 V power supplies support for the Power S1022s server (#EB3R)

    https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6992631



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    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: HMC and firmware update/upgrade recommendations?

    Posted Wed January 17, 2024 11:00 AM

    Hey Robert, 

                  Well you've pretty much nailed it all at this point but for sake of conversation. I haven't put on 1050 levels anywhere yet, but also don't know a reason not too. Of course you will need to do HMC level first, then the firmware. I suspect you already know that, but one feedback I gave the HMC dev guy Hari at Techxchange was, since the firmware is dependent on the HMC level, the HMC shouldn't let you get yourself into a mismatch situation. I actually used the line, Hari protect me from me. He said they did that in 1030. I haven't proved it saves me from me yet.. ;)



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    Shawn Bodily
    PowerHAguy on Youtube and Twitter
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: HMC and firmware update/upgrade recommendations?

    Posted Thu January 18, 2024 07:56 AM

    I've upgraded both vHMC's to:

    Version: 10
    Release: 3
    Build Level: 2311290123
    Service Pack: 1050
    Base version: V10R3
    MF71421 - iFix for HMC V10R3 M1050



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    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: HMC and firmware update/upgrade recommendations?

    Posted Fri January 19, 2024 08:10 AM

    Also, IBM, in their usual responsive state, has already updated the FLRT site so that the HMC level notice is posted by the firmware level recommendation.  Thanks IBM.



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    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
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    Original Message