Power7 System Firmware
Applies to: 9117-MMD and 9179-MHD
This document provides information about the installation of
Licensed
Machine or Licensed Internal Code, which is sometimes referred to
generically
as microcode or firmware.
Contents
1.0
Systems Affected
This package provides firmware for Power 770 (9117-MMD) and Power
780 (9179-MHD) servers
only.
The firmware level in this package is:
1.1 Minimum HMC Code Level
This section is intended to describe the "Minimum HMC Code Level"
required by the System Firmware to complete the firmware installation
process. When installing the System Firmware, the HMC level must be
equal to or higher than the "Minimum HMC Code Level" before starting
the system firmware update. If the HMC managing the server
targeted for the System Firmware update is running a code level lower
than the "Minimum HMC
Code Level" the firmware update will not proceed.
The
Minimum HMC Code level for
this firmware is: HMC V7 R7.6.0
(PTF MH01326 or MH01327) with PTF MH01328 (Mandatory fix for HMC V7
R7.6.0).
For
information
concerning HMC releases and the latest PTFs,
go
to the following URL to access Fix Central.
http://www-933.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/
For specific fix level
information on key components of IBM
Power Systems running the AIX, IBM i and Linux operating systems, we
suggest using the Fix Level Recommendation Tool (FLRT):
http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/flrt/home
NOTES:
-You must be logged in as hscroot in order for the
firmware
installation to complete correctly.
- Systems Director Management Console (SDMC) does not support this
System Firmware level.
2.0 Important
Information
Downgrading firmware from any
given release level to an earlier release level is not recommended.
If you feel that it is
necessary to downgrade the firmware on
your system to an earlier release level, please contact your next level
of support.
IPv6 Support and Limitations
IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is supported in the System
Management
Services (SMS) in this level of system firmware. There are several
limitations
that should be considered.
When configuring a network interface card (NIC) for remote IPL, only
the most recently configured protocol (IPv4 or IPv6) is retained. For
example,
if the network interface card was previously configured with IPv4
information
and is now being configured with IPv6 information, the IPv4
configuration
information is discarded.
A single network interface card may only be chosen once for the boot
device list. In other words, the interface cannot be configured for the
IPv6 protocol and for the IPv4 protocol at the same time.
Concurrent Firmware Updates
Concurrent system firmware update is only supported on HMC
Managed
Systems
only.
Memory Considerations for Firmware Upgrades
Firmware Release Level upgrades and Service Pack updates may consume
additional system memory.
Server firmware requires memory to support the logical partitions on
the server. The amount of memory required by the server firmware varies
according to several factors.
Factors influencing server firmware memory requirements include the
following:
- Number of logical partitions
- Partition environments of the logical
partitions
- Number of physical and virtual I/O devices
used by the logical partitions
- Maximum memory values given to the logical
partitions
Generally, you can estimate the amount of memory required by server
firmware to be approximately 8% of the system installed memory. The
actual amount required will generally be less than 8%. However, there
are some server models that require an absolute minimum amount of
memory for server firmware, regardless of the previously mentioned
considerations.
Additional information can be found at:
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/powersys/v3r1m5/topic/p7hat/iphatlparmemory.htm
3.0 Firmware
Information
and Description
Use the following examples as a reference to determine whether your
installation
will be concurrent or disruptive.
For systems that are not managed by an HMC, the installation
of
system
firmware is always disruptive.
Note: The concurrent levels
of system firmware may, on occasion,
contain
fixes that are known as Deferred and/or Partition-Deferred. Deferred
fixes can be installed
concurrently, but will not be activated until the next IPL.
Partition-Deferred fixes can be installed concurrently, but will not be
activated until a partition reactivate is performed. Deferred
and/or Partition-Deferred
fixes,
if any, will be identified in the "Firmware Update Descriptions" table
of this document. For these types of fixes (Deferred and/or
Partition-Deferred) within a service pack, only the
fixes
in the service pack which cannot be concurrently activated are
deferred.
Note: The file names and service pack levels used in the
following
examples are for clarification only, and are not
necessarily levels that have been, or will be released.
System firmware file naming convention:
01AMXXX_YYY_ZZZ
- XXX is the release level
- YYY is the service pack level
- ZZZ is the last disruptive service pack level
NOTE: Values of service pack and last disruptive service pack
level
(YYY and ZZZ) are only unique within a release level (XXX). For
example,
01AM720_067_045 and 01AM740_067_053 are different service
packs.
An installation is disruptive if:
- The release levels (XXX) are different.
Example: Currently installed release is AM710, new release is AM720
- The service pack level (YYY) and the last disruptive
service
pack level (ZZZ) are the same.
Example: AM720_120_120 is disruptive, no matter what level of AM720 is
currently
installed on the system
- The service pack level (YYY) currently installed on the
system
is
lower than the last disruptive service pack level (ZZZ) of the service
pack to be installed.
Example: Currently installed service pack is AM720_120_120 and new
service
pack is AM720_152_130
An installation is concurrent if:
The release level (XXX) is the same, and
The service pack level (YYY) currently installed on the system
is the same or higher than the last disruptive service pack level (ZZZ)
of the service pack to be installed.
Example: Currently installed service pack is AM720_126_120,
new
service pack is AM720_143_120.
Firmware Information and Update Description
| Filename |
Size |
Checksum |
| 01AM760_034_034.rpm |
41859233 |
58029
|
Note: The Checksum can be found by running the AIX sum
command against
the rpm file (only the first 5 digits are listed).
ie: sum 01AM760_034_034.rpm
4.0
How to Determine Currently Installed Firmware Level
For HMC managed systems:
From the HMC, select Updates in the navigation (left-hand) pane, then
view the current levels of the desired server(s).
Alternately,
use the Advanced System
Management Interface (ASMI) Welcome pane. The current server
firmware appears in the top right
corner.
Example: AM760_yyy.
5.0
Downloading the Firmware Package
Follow the instructions on Fix Central. You must read and agree to
the
license agreement to obtain the firmware packages.
Note: If your HMC is not internet-connected you will need
to
download
the new firmware level to a CD-ROM or ftp server.
6.0 Installing the
Firmware
The method used to install new firmware will depend on the release
level
of firmware which is currently installed on your server. The release
level
can be determined by the prefix of the new firmware's filename.
Example: AMXXX_YYY_ZZZ
Where XXX = release level
- If the release level will stay the same (Example: Level
AM710_075_075
is
currently installed and you are attempting to install level
AM710_081_075)
this is considered an update.
- If the release level will change (Example: Level AM710_081_075 is
currently
installed and you are attempting to install level AM720_097_096) this
is
considered an upgrade.
Instructions
for installing firmware updates and upgrades can be
found at http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/powersys/v3r1m5/index.jsp?topic=/p7ha1/updupdates.htm
IBM i Systems:
See "IBM Server Firmware and HMC Code Wizards":
http://www-912.ibm.com/s_dir/slkbase.NSF/DocNumber/408316083
NOTE:
For all systems running with
the IBM i Operating System, the following IBM i PTFs must be applied to
all IBM i partitions prior to installing AM760_034:
- V7R1M0 - MF51869
- V6R1M1 - MF51864
These PTFs can be ordered through Fix Central.
7.0 Firmware History
The complete Firmware Fix History for this Release level can be
reviewed at the following url:
http://download.boulder.ibm.com/ibmdl/pub/software/server/firmware/AM-IOCp-Firmware-Hist.html