Edit: Some links no longer work.
Originally posted July 2, 2013 on AIXchange
I had an old CR2 HMC running version 7.4.0.1 that was managing some POWER7 servers along with an old POWER5 server running version SF240_415 microcode. I wanted to go to the latest (as of this
writing) HMC code version, 7.7.7 SP1.
I immediately wondered if the latest HMC code could manage that older version of POWER5 microcode. Happily, it can, with this version of firmware. It’s also a match for the version of microcode that was running on the POWER7 machines.I went ahead and downloaded the 7.7.7.0 files to my HMC so that I could do the upgrade. This January 2011 post covers what the basics of what I wanted to accomplish.
To get the latest files (as opposed to those referenced in my old post), I used this command:
getupgfiles -h 170.225.15.40 -u anonymous –passwd ftp -d
/software/server/hmc/network/v7770
It worked like a charm. It rebooted and I was running 7.7.7.0 — until I received this message:
lshmc –V
A connection to the Command Server failed.
I found this technote:
Problem(Abstract)
A connection to the Command Server failed.
Symptom
hscroot@bldhnethmc01:~> lshmc -v
connect: Connection refused
A connection to the Command Server failed.
Resolving the problem
Reboot HMC
That made me laugh. I tried the reboot, and had no luck. Then it dawned on me that this was an old HMC. Would 7.7.7 even run on it? And shouldn’t I have looked into that before doing the upgrade?
Although not specific to AIX, this is relevant information:
Important Notes:
* Version 7.7.7 is not supported and cannot be installed on HMC models C03, C04 or CR2.
* If an HMC is used to manage any POWER7 processor based server, the HMC must be a model CR3 or later model rack-mount HMC or C05 or later deskside HMC.
Lucky for me I had a CR3 available. I was able to upgrade that HMC with no problems. Once I was at 7.7.7.0, I wanted to get the latest fixpack, so I went to the updates tab on the HMC and selected UPDATE HMC. This information was helpful:
To install SP1, do the following:
a) In the HMC Navigation pane, select Updates.
b) In the Work pane, click the Update HMC button. The “HMC Install Corrective Service Wizard” panel is displayed.
c) On the Current HMC Driver Information panel, click Next.
d) On the Select Service Repository panel, click Remote Server, then click Next.
e) On the Installation and Configuration Options panel (if using a local FTP server, modify the entries as appropriate for your local FTP server):
Remote server type: FTP
Remote Server: public.dhe.ibm.com
User ID: anonymous
Password:
Remote directory: /software/server/hmc/updates
Click Next.
On the Select Service Package panel, scroll down to HMC_Update_V7R770_SP1.iso , click to select, and click Next.
After clicking on Finish, I received this message:
Management console corrective service installation in progress. Please wait…
Corrective service file offload from remote server in progress…”
It took quite a while to download the .iso image, but once that happened, the upgrade completed as expected in around 30 minutes:
The corrective service file offload was successful. Continuing with
HMC service installation…
Verifying Certificate Information
Authenticating Install Packages
Installing Packages
— Installing ptf-req ….
— Installing RSCT ….
src-3.1.4.2-13008
rsct.core.utils-3.1.4.2-13008
rsct.core-3.1.4.2-13008
rsct.service-3.5.0.0-1
rsct.basic-3.1.4.2-13008
— Installing CSM ….
csm.core-1.7.1.20-1
csm.deploy-1.7.1.20-1
csm_hmc.server-1.7.1.20-1
csm_hmc.hdwr_svr-7.0-3.4.0
csm_hmc.client-1.7.1.20-1
csm.server.hsc-1.7.1.20-1
— Installing LPARCMD ….
hsc.lparcmd-3.0.0.1-1
ln:
creating symbolic link `/usr/hmcrbin/lsnodeid’
: File exists
ln:
creating symbolic link `/usr/hmcrbin/lsrsrc-api’
: File exists
ln:
creating symbolic link `/usr/hmcrbin/mkrsrc-api’
: File exists
ln:
creating symbolic link `/usr/hmcrbin/rmrsrc-api’
: File exists
— Installing InventoryScout ….
— Installing Pegasus ….
— Updating baseOS ….
Corrective service installation was successful.
You’re then prompted to reboot. In my case, that also took a nice long while, but it did eventually come back.
Lessons learned from this experience:
1. Don’t assume anything, even when you’re using a crash and burn test box.
2. Make sure your hardware can support the software you plan to run on it.
And the one lesson relearned: Updating your HMC remotely really is the way to go.