Equallogic PS6010 upgrade firmware 6.0.11 to 7.1.x

Hi, PS6010XV can provide faster data access than PS6010. But I think both arrays share same software portfolio. I found this thread ‎Firmware upgrade | DELL Technologies and here the recommended firmware upgrade path from version 5.2.x is as follows: 5.2.x -> 6.0.11 -> 7.1.11 -> 8.1.4. It’s important to note that you should restart after every upgrade before loading the next version. In your case, since you’re trying to upgrade from 6.0.11 to 7.1.14, it might be worth trying to upgrade to 7.1.11 

Thanks for the reply. I don't have the version 7.1.11 but I have 7.1.14 and 7.1.9 and neither one works. Both come up with the same messages

"08:35:46 Verifying kit integrity.
08:36:11 Currently group compatibility level is:    11.1 through 12.0
08:36:11 Allowable group compatibility level is:    11 through 12
08:36:12 Upgrade would make new compatibility level: 13
08:36:12 Cannot update the firmware.  The member does not meet the update path
08:36:12 requirements specified in the Release Notes.  In some cases, you need
08:36:13 to update to an interim version on all the group members before
08:36:13 You cannot upgrade to this firmware version because of compatibility issues. Update aborted.
"

I think I need to find a 7.0,x somewhere.

The issue is likely due to you making too large of a leap to 7.1, as there are several versions of 6.x that need to be applied, as well as a couple of critical updates that have to be done prior to going to 7.x.x.x. So I would work up and through the 6.x versions, and then you would go to 7.0.x.

Let me know if this helps.

@xoy​  do you have more than one array in that group?   If so, you can upgrade one past the compatibility level of the other members.  

 Please run show members at the CLI     

  GrpName>show members 

 then please paste the text output. 

 Regards, 

Don

#iworkfordell

Thanks for all the replies. As mentioned before, I was able to upgrade 2 arrays from 6.0.11 to 7.1.14

According to https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-ca/000206908/ps-series-firmware there 6.0.11 is the highest 6.x firmware, the next one would be 7.0.1.

Unfortunately I don't have access to any 7.0.x version.

The array that doesn't want to accept the upgrade is part of a group with 2 members. I already upgraded the other member to 7.1.4. Currently "member show" shows this:

IMS-GroupA> member show
Name       Status  Version    Disks Capacity   FreeSpace  Connections
---------- ------- ---------- ----- ---------- ---------- -----------
ims-colo-e online  V6.0.11 (R 16    3.66TB     569.48GB   0
  q10ka              393352)
ims-colo-e offline            0     0MB        0MB        0
  q15ka
IMS-GroupA>

The member "ims-colo-eq15ka" is the one that was upgraded to 7.1.14 and it shows offline because of the firmware mismatch. I can SSH into it and it will say that the other member is offline (the one still at 6.0.11)

Hello, 

 I think something else is amiss.  Make sure each member can ping the other.  It wont let you upgrade past the compatibility level of the other members.  As you showed in your earlier post.  6.0.x and 7.1.x should work together.  You should not have to go to 7.0.x first.   But with the other member being offline it should prevent you from upgrading. 

 If you can't ping then check the network.  You could try powering down both members and bring them back online.  Power down for 5 mins 

 Don 

#iworkfordell

The members can ping each other but they see each other as being offline. From time to time the member on firmware 6.0.11 prints this message:

"719:28:ims-colo-eq10ka:psgd:14-Jan-2024 17:08:20.530029:psgd_member.c:2146:WARNING:18.3.11:Array ims-colo-eq15ka is running incompatible firmware and cannot join the group. (3328 2817 3072)"

So the member running 6.0.11 clearly thinks that the firmware 7.1.x is not compatible with it's own firmware.

Possibly stupid (uninformed) question: in an Equallogic group with more than one member, is there a "master" and a "slave" member ? If so, is it possible that the "master" is the member which is not upgraded yet, while the "slave" is the upgraded one ?

Hello, 

 Not a dumb question at all.  The answer is no.   It does not operate as a master/slave.  One member will be the "Group Lead"  however, it's purpose is to handle login requests and be the holder of the event logs.  Any member can be the group lead. 

 All members in a group must be at the same firmware level, or at a compatible level with all other members. 

 So for groups with multiple members they must be upgrade in steps, so that no member can be upgraded beyond the compatibility level of the lowest firmwared member. 

 Regards, 

don 

#iworkfordell