Maintenance Storage Pool - Array Member F/W Upgrade

Question

So I have recently joined a company with a 7 device group with 3 pools - T1, T2 and T3, all running 8.1.6 firmware.

One of the devices is a PS6000xv with Type7 controllers - the firmware notes have the following to say: "Members with Type 7 or Type 10 controllers in the group show high latency during firmware updates, which can lead to I/O failures" - unfortunately this device is in the T1 pool.

I have enough space in the pool to move this device to the maintenance pool whilst firmware updates are being done.

MEM and HIT are (or will be) installed on all devices that access iSCSI directly. I will have to check the disk timeout settings on the VM's.

So the question is do I go for the Dell Storage Update Manager path of updating, or shuffle devices in and out of the maintenance pool for updates and manually update, or a mix of both (move the one potentially troublesome to maintenance then use DSUM)?

FYI DSUM will take 3 hours per firmware level to update, so will probably be done out of core hours, say 1am.

dwilliam62 · Answer

Hello,

Re: Type 7. Upgrade. The delay could occur or may not. So if concerned moving to maintenance pool is a good idea. Hopefully SANHQ is installed and you can also look at its IO contribution to see if there will be a performance impact while it's being updated.

My first question is are all these arrays under contract? If not, then you don't have a license to install new firmware. Since the software license for firmware and all add on software is maintained by the support contract.

When you download the firmware you agree to that.

Just because I prefer it, I use serial port to do updates. I have terminal servers so it's quiet easy and simple.

I can more closely monitor the update process and I log all the sessions as well.

You can run the update process on more than one member array at a time. I just stage the restarts until all members have completed the update process. I restart them one at a time and wait for the console message to appear show the member is back in the group. Then I wait a few minutes to allow it sync back into the group.

A quick "show member" at the Group CLI confirms the member is back and at the updated firmware.

Then do the next restart, and repeat the process.

So basically I prestage the firmware kits for each member during the day on all the members, then do the firmware update process after hours.

Regards,

Don

Aafterburned · Answer

Thanks for the advice Don.

dwilliam62 · Answer

You are very welcome!

Note: you have to get all the group members up to the same version before making the next jump.

I.e. you are at 8 going to 9.x then to 10.x. You have to have them all at 9.x before going to 10.x.

Regards,

Don

EqualLogic

Maintenance Storage Pool - Array Member F/W Upgrade

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