Pillar Axiom 300 Storage System
 
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PLA-Support>Sun Systems>DISK>Pillar Axiom>SN-DK: Ax600
 

This article describes the process to upgrade an Axiom 300, 500, or 600 from Release 3.x to Release 4.x

In this Document

Goal

Fix

Applies to:

Goal

The purpose of this document is to outline code update procedures for Axiom Systems

REFERENCE - Pillar Axiom: How to Find Pillar Axiom firmware and patches in MOS [ID 1422199.1]

Fix

Pillar Axiom: Standard Ax600/500/300 Software Upgrade from R3.x to R4.x

03 Feb 2010 Kevenson Initial Creation
23 Feb 2010 Lstowell Update to Audit Pre-Reqs

This document outlines the steps to update an Axiom 600/500/300 from Release 3.x to Release 4.x. Please read this entire procedure in advance before attempting the upgrade so you are familiar with the process and concepts.
Upgrade requests require advance scheduling and may be limited by the resources available to support the upgrade. See also:
- Customer Release Notes R4.0
- Standard Software Upgrade or Standard Axiom Multiple Package Upgrade if required to meet prerequisites.
- Standard Axiom Upgrade R2 to R3 if required to meet prerequisites.

1. Upgrade Procedure Overview

• The upgrade is disruptive and cannot be reversed. All I/O to the Axiom be stopped during the upgrade.
• The upgrade takes about one hour. Larger systems may take up to 1.5 hours. This does not include the time required for any prerequisite upgrades or preparing client hosts for halting all I/O to the Axiom.
• CAUTION: All upgrades to Release 4.x require release 03.03.25 or higher. Please contact the Oracle Support Center for instructions for upgrading systems at lower revisions.
• CAUTION: If any issues are encountered during the upgrade, please do not attempt any recovery actions without contacting the Oracle Support Center.
• CAUTION: The Ax600, Ax500 and Ax300 use unique packages that are not binary compatible. Do not attempt to install an Ax500 package on an Ax300. Do not attempt to install an Ax300 package on an Ax500. Do not attempt to install either an Ax300 or Ax500 package on an Ax600.
• Ax600 package names all begin with “Ax600”, for example: Ax600_FN_040002-034100.tgz
• Ax500 package names all begin with “Ax500”, for example: Ax500_FN_040002-034100.tgz
• Ax300 package names all begin with “Ax300”, for example: Ax300_FN_040002-034100.tgz
• Packages that may be installed on an Ax600, Ax500, or Ax300 begin with “AxX00”, for example: AxX00_N9_999999-999999.tgz
• Be sure the first 5 characters in the upgrade file name matches the system type as noted above.

All upgrades require a System Configuration Audit. The Axiom must be on Release 03.01.00 or higher in order to perform this audit. The Support Center will arrange for the log collection and analysis. If there are any issues discovered in this audit, the upgrade cannot proceed until the issue is investigated and resolved.

If the Software Modules screen has any components listed as “Cannot Read”, use the FN package for the upgrade. This package contains all of the upgrade components, but contains a null compatibility matrix. This package is used with the matching NP package. The FN package is installed, then after the upgrade is complete, if there are no Cannot Read components listed, the NP compatibility matrix is staged. The Support Center may also advise the use of this FN and NP package combination for specific upgrades.

The special “N9” package file AxX00_N9_999999-999999.tgz is used only as instructed by the Support Center.

2. Upgrade Notes

• All upgrades must be tracked by a Service Request. Open this Service Request in advance of the upgrade in order to allow time for the mandatory audit.
• The upgrade cannot be reversed.
• Plan for the necessary system down time for the upgrade. The Axiom upgrade typically takes an hour, larger systems may take up to 1.5 hours. The upgrade is disruptive and must be done with all I/O halted.
• This upgrade time of 1 to 1.5 hours does not include the time required to prepare client hosts for halting all I/O.
• This does not include time necessary for upgrades to bring the Axiom to the minimum supported prerequisite of 03.03.25 for the upgrade to R4. Depending on the currently installed software, these prerequisite upgrades may be disruptive or non-disruptive.
• [Optional] Request Professional Services. If assistance in performing the upgrade is desired, contact the Support Center to arrange for a Professional Services engagement. This should be done in advance to allow scheduling of resources.
• Provide logs for the mandatory upgrade system audit. The results of this audit and any corrective actions required will be tracked in the upgrade Service Request. The Axiom must be on release 03.01.00 or higher in order to perform the upgrade audit.
• Review the R4.x Release Notes. If any changes in feature licenses are desired, contact the Account Representative.
• Upgrades to R4 require that the Axiom be 03.03.25 or higher. Contact the Support Center for the instructions and software packages to upgrade to at least 03.03.25.
• Upgrades of 03.04.00 system require special handling, contact the Support Center for instructions.
• Make sure all required software packages are available. The specific packages will depend on the currently installed release. Systems at 03.03.25 or higher use the R4.x FN package. The Support Center will provide the specific package file names to be used for the upgrade.
• If the Axiom is at 03.03.25 or higher, the R4 upgrade package may be staged at any time. Staging the upgrade package does not affect data access.
• Increase the Session Time-Out to 90 minutes before staging software.
• The FN package contains the software and is staged and then installed. The NP package is staged after the upgrade completes only if there are no “Cannot Read” components after the upgrade.
• When the R4 upgrade FN package is staged, the Axiom should automatically select all components where the Installed Version is not the same as the Package Version. The Restart System option at the bottom of the components list should also be automatically set by the Axiom. If this does not happen, please do not proceed without contacting the Support Center for assistance.
• Check the Software Modules screen after staging the upgrade to make sure that there are no components labeled as Incompatible. Do not proceed if there are any Incompatible components without assistance from the Support Center.
• Halt all client I/O to the Axiom before beginning the upgrade.
• Perform a complete system check before beginning the upgrade. Note any resources that are Offline, Partially Offline, or Conservative. The upgrade will not begin if any component in the Axiom is in Warning status.
• Perform a complete system check after the upgrade.
• All components should be Green and Normal.
• Check the software versions. The specific component versions are available from the Support Center.
• Check for Incompatible or Cannot Read components.
• Check that all LUNs and File Systems are Online
• [Only If Required] Install the Special N9 Matrix if instructed to do so by the Support Center. This is typically done to resolve hardware compatibility issues where the Vital Product Data on a specific piece of hardware is missing or incomplete. This may also be done if new hardware is added that is functionally compatible, but may be a newer part number than the installed software.

2.2 Pre Upgrade System Base Configuration (COD) Audit
The audit is performed using a set of system logs that contain the “System Configuration” option. The Axiom must be on release 03.01.00 or higher in order to perform this upgrade audit.
CAUTION: If the Axiom configuration is modified after the audit is complete, the audit is no longer valid and should be repeated before attempting the upgrade.
If any issues are found, the upgrade must be delayed until they are resolved with one of multiple resolutions:

•   The issue is harmless and will not affect the ability to upgrade.
•   The issue is a known issue and will be resolved by the specific upgrade release.
•   The issue may require a special software package or upgrade procedure.
•   The issue may be due to a condition in the Axiom that should be resolved before or during the upgrade.
•   The issue is only a warning that a specific condition exists in this Axiom that may affect the ability to upgrade to a future point release.
•   The upgrade can proceed if the system is reset. This is suitable for lab or demonstration systems where the schedule for the upgrade is critical and the data and configuration do not need to be preserved or can easily be restored.

A periodic call-home file may be used to perform the audit as long as the system configuration has not been modified since that call-home.
A small manual log set may also be used, as long as it contains the System Configuration. However, if any problems are found during the audit, a full system log set may be requested for resolution.

To collect a manual log set for the audit:

1.   Go to the System screen and select the “Networking” option under the “Global Settings”. Make sure the Call-home “Large Files: Always attached” option is set.
2.   Go to the Support screen and select “Collect System Information” under the “Tools” menu on the left, and then select “Collect System Information” from the action menu on the right.
3.   [Optional] If the option is available and the Axiom is configured for call-home, select the “Send to configured call-home server immediately after collection.
4.   Select the “Debug Logs” option. Do not select “Event Log” or “Statistics”.
5.   Press the “Options” button next to the Debug Logs and press both of the “Un select All” buttons.
6.   Select ONLY the “System Configuration” option and then press OK to begin the log collection.

3. Update Procedure
Do not begin the upgrade if there are any exceptions:

• The Axiom must be on 03.03.25 or higher.
• The System Restart option must be selected
• There must be no Compatibility warnings.

3.1 Stage the R4.x FN Upgrade Package
The upgrade to R4 is done with the FN and NP combination. The Support Center will advise on the package(s) to be used.
Set the administrator session time out to at least 90 minutes for the duration of the staging and upgrade.
The staging of the FN upgrade package may be done at any time prior to the upgrade.
Do not stage the NP package until after the upgrade is complete.

2.Stage the AxN00_FN_04xxxx-xxxxxx.tgz software update package with the GUI or pdscli. Make sure the first 6 characters of the package file match the Axiom hardware type.

• File names beginning with Ax600 should only be used on Ax600 systems.
• File names beginning with Ax500 should only be used on Ax500 systems.
• File names beginning with Ax300 should only be used on Ax300 systems.
• File names beginning with AxX00 can be used on any system type.

3. Verify that the Staging completes successfully.

4. The Axiom GUI should automatically select the components for the upgrade. Make sure all components where the Installed version is not the same as the Package Version have a check box. Make sure the Restart System check box

TIP: If you see the notice “Requires Support administrator account role”, for a component, the Axiom is indicating that the component Installed Version and Package Version are the same. This can happen if the NP package is installed before the upgrade is complete, since there are no software components in the NP type package.

3.2 Perform the Upgrade

1. Collect a System Information file and save it locally. You may be asked to transfer this information to the Support Center. Do not clear the system logs unless you are specifically instructed to do so by the Support Center.
2. Verify System Health. The system and all components must be in Green and Normal status.
3. Log in to the GUI, go to the Health Summary screen, and verify that all components display a Green and Normal status.
4. Go to Storage and check the status of all LUNs and/or file system(s). All should be “Online” with no Conservative, Degraded, Offline status, or Pinned  Data.
5. Make sure there are no Administrator Actions in the bottom left of the GUI. Provide the full text details of any Administrator Actions and do not proceed with the upgrade without advice from the Support Center.
6. Do not proceed with the upgrade if any of these checks fail. If there are any questions. Contact the Support Center for assistance.
7. Set the Session Timeout to at least 90 minutes.
8. Stop all I/O. Wait at least 15 minutes before beginning the upgrade to allow all data to be flushed to storage.
9. [Optional] Disable Call home.
10. Make sure there are no Back Ground Processes. Check the status bar at the bottom of the GUI for any running tasks. The upgrade will not proceed if there are any running tasks.
11. Check the Software Modules screen. There should not be any component marked as Incompatible. For every component where the Package Version is not the same as the Installed Version, the Axiom GUI should have automatically selected the check box for that component. The System Restart check box just below the components should also be automatically checked and greyed out. Do not proceed with the upgrade if these check boxes are not automatically selected. The upgrade confirmation screen must indicate that System Restart is required.
12. Launch the upgrade. The task bar should indicate “Update Software in Progress.” and the Health Summary screen should show “Upgrading” for all components. ***Tip: Once the upgrade is started, it will stay at 0% if there is an event driven Call home in progress until that call home completes. There will not be a displayed task for an event type call home. Disabling Call home in advance of the upgrade can prevent this from happening.
13. After the components have been upgraded, the Axiom will restart, which disconnects the GUI session. It takes about 4-5 minutes before the Axiom management IP can be pinged again. The GUI login screen will appear, but will not allow an additional login for another 2-3 minutes. ONLY the “administrator” and “pillar” accounts will be allowed to log in while the Axiom is starting up. Other accounts are not allowed to log in until the Axiom has loaded and validated the System Configuration.
14. As soon as possible, log in to the GUI as “administrator” or “pillar” and monitor the start up. Be prepared to provide the Support Center with the last “Booting 0x0nn” state observed for the Slammers if the upgrade fails.
15. Perform another complete Systems Check:

• Check the Software Components. For the administrator Account on Release 4, there must be only one version for each component except disk drive        firmware. Pilot Software and Slammer Software versions should be exactly the same.
• Check all LUNs and File Systems to make sure they are online.
• Check for Administrator Actions on the bottom left of the GUI.
• Check the Software Modules screen to make sure there are no components that display “Cannot Read” or “Incompatible”
• Check the Software Modules screen to make sure there are no “Cannot Read” entries.

• If there are any components listed as cannot read, do not stage the NP package. The NP package is staged, but is not installed. This is a cosmetic issue and can be resolved later. The Support Center will open a separate Service Request and instruct you to gather appropriate logs to resolve the issue.
• If there are no “cannot read” entries, stage the NP package. Check for Administrator Actions indicating Incompatible components. Check the software modules screen for incompatible components. If either exist, notify the Support Center. Most of these can be solved by staging the AxX00_N9_999999-999999.tgz package.

Note: after staging an NP package, it is normal to see a notice displayed for the software components: “Requires Support administrator account role.” This is because the installed component is equal to the staged component version and only the support account can perform an “update” to the same version as installed.

    16. Do not stage the N9 matrix unless instructed to do so by the Support Center.

    17.  Return the System to Production. Enable Call home if it was disabled.

3.3 Notes on Compatibility Warnings

There are two types of compatibility issues: hardware and software.
Hardware compatibility notices can be caused by:

1. Incomplete Vital Product Data. This is information stored in many of the Axiom hardware components. Typical warnings are “cannot read” for disk drives, batteries, etc. These are all harmless and can be resolved by staging the AxX00_N9_999999-999999.tgz until the affected component can be replaced.
2. Unrecognized Part Numbers. These are typically caused by installed hardware that is newer than the Compatibility Matrix version installed. Provide the details to the Support Center to make sure the installed software is capable of handling the component, and then install the AxX00_N9_999999-999999.tgz matrix or a higher revision Compatibility Matrix [NP package] as instructed.
3. Software compatibility notices indicate that the installed software components are not compatible with each other or that the Axiom is unable to determine the revision information.
4. Incompatible notices for Pilot Software, Slammer Software, Slammer PROM, Brick Firmware, Brick FC Firmware, or Brick SATA2 Firmware should always be investigated and resolved.
5. Brick Disk Drive Firmware should never be marked as incompatible unless it is also marked as “Cannot Read”
6. If the Axiom is Green and Normal, and a compatibility notice for Pilot Software exists, remove and replace a Slammer bezel to see if that corrects the condition.

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