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  • 1.  Firmware fcm deadline

    Posted Fri October 20, 2023 11:51 AM

    Hello, I received an email with this message, about a firmware deadline. What will really happen if this deadline is met?  Will the disks stop?  Will they stop serving?  thanks and regards.

    https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/hiper-flashcore-module-fcm-critical-update-needed-fcms-21x-firmware



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    Miguel Peralta
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  • 2.  RE: Firmware fcm deadline

    Posted Sun October 22, 2023 02:34 PM

    Hola Miguel!

    FCMs that are still on 2_1_x firmware will go offline if they have not had a firmware upgrade in the last 800 - 900 days

    In my experience, any device that reaches the status "offline" means  "not available for use". In other words, the FCMs won't receive writes and won't serve reads. In plain words,  your data in the FCMs/array won't be available until  they are fixed and reach the online status again.



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    Luis Lopez
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Firmware fcm deadline

    Posted Mon October 23, 2023 02:15 AM

    Hello Miguel,

    as I understood the FlashCore modules restart after the time period of 800-900 days.
    This can happen to all FlashCre modules at the same time, then the mDisk and possibly the pool goes offline.
    Explanation: If a firmware update of the FlashCore modules has never been done and the storage system has not been rebooted in the meantime, the modules have all been in operation since the same point in time.
    It would be worse if this would happen as described during a firmware update, this can then lead to a complete failure of the storage.

    Greetings Patrik



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    Patrik Groß
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Firmware fcm deadline

    Posted Mon October 23, 2023 07:40 AM

    Having had a similar experience with a piece of Cisco equipment I would take these warnings very seriously.

    https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/field-notices/705/fn70545.html?utm_source=email&utm_medium=customer-success&utm_campaign=intersight-field-firmware-upgrade&utm_content=field-notice-notifications

    Field Notice: FN70545 - SSD Will Fail at 40,000 Power-On Hours - BIOS/Firmware Upgrade Recommended



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    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Firmware fcm deadline

    Posted Mon October 23, 2023 11:17 AM

    When I am looking at the FCM firmware level on my FS5200 and I'm seeing levels: C5SG, SN10SN10, and MS3E in the GUI.  Does that mean I'm good?



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    Nicholas Frazee
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Firmware fcm deadline

    Posted Mon October 23, 2023 11:39 AM

    Hola @Nicholas Frazee,

    I think you are safe, FCM is a specific IBM drive with compression and encryption features. According to your FW levels you don't have FCMs installed on your system but:

    C5SG - Firmware for  Toshiba Drives

    SN10SN10 and MS3E - Firmwares for Samsung Drives

    If you had FCM, the firmware would look like in the letter: 

    2_1_x



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    Luis Lopez
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Firmware fcm deadline

    Posted Wed October 25, 2023 03:09 PM
    Edited by Nezih Boyacioglu Wed October 25, 2023 03:09 PM

    Hi Nicholas,

    You can check your drive firmware levels here

    just type your firmware levels in the search box and you'll see which drive, which firmware level is the latest one etc.



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    Nezih Boyacioglu
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Firmware fcm deadline

    Posted Mon October 30, 2023 01:12 PM

    Hello Miguel, 

    You can easily check the current version and on drives from Insights Standard or Pro. 

    Storage Stsem -> Drives -> slide over to firmware. :)



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    Brian Zupko
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    Original Message