============================================================================== FlashSystem Firmware Release Notes IBM Version: 6.3.1-p9 Date: April 18, 2014 ============================================================================== Contents ======== 1. Candidate Systems 2. Bug Severity Legend 3. Latest Changes 4. Upgrading Firmware 5. Errata 6. Release History 7. Contact Information ====================================================================== 1. Candidate Systems ---------------------- This patch can be loaded by: - RamSan 720/820 model 9834 - FlashSystem 720/820 model 9831 It is especially recommended for systems with: - customers using large amounts of access policies - customers running security scanners ====================================================================== 2. Bug Severity Legend ---------------------------------- The following table describes the bug severity terminology used in the release history: S1: Highest Recommend upgrade for all users as soon as possible. S2: Medium Recommend upgrade for all users at the next scheduled maintenance window. S3: Average Recommend upgrade at the next scheduled maintenance window for users experiencing these issues. All other users may wish to upgrade at the next scheduled maintenance window. S4: Low Upgrade at the next scheduled maintenance window may be performed at the discretion of the user if the issue is having a negative impact. S5: Lowest Upgrade is not necessary. Mostly cosmetic or minor annoyance fix. ====================================================================== 3. Latest Changes ---------------------------------- New Features: NONE Changes: NONE Bug Fixes: [30000] Trying to add a management controller back to the cluster after an unexpected crash could prevent future synchronization for configurations with a large number of access policies and/or logical units. This failure would result in stale information in the passive controller. (S1) [29528] Any attempts to run ssh with a command would leave a process open and thus creating a memory leak. Since security scanners do this operation repeatedly, they could cause a management controller to crash. (S2) Currently supported specifications are: SCSI-SAM-3 SCSI Architecture Model - v3 SCSI-SPC-3 SCSI Primary Commands - v3 SCSI-SBC-2 SCSI Block Commands - v2 SCSI-FCP-3 Fibre Channel Protocol for SCSI - v3 SCSI-SRP SCSI RDMA Protocol - v1 FC-PH-3 Fibre Channel Physical and Signaling Interface - v3 FC-AL-2 Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop - v2 IBTA-1.2 InfiniBand Trade Association Architecture Specification - v1.2 ====================================================================== 4. Upgrading Firmware ---------------------------------- 1. Verify the current firmware level and system type. 6.X.X firmware is valid for all FlashSystem 720 and FlashSytem 820 systems. 2. Backup the contents of the FlashSytem to an external device. This is a standard safety precaution to prevent accidental data loss. 3. Perform a clean re-boot of the system. 4. Upload the patch using either the web interface or the Windows command-line executable. To upload the patch using the web interface: A. Point a browser at the unit's IP address or hostname B. Log in using at least 'admin' group level permissions or higher C. Expand the System tree node in the left window pane D. Right-click on the Management node and select "Firmware Update" E. Follow the wizard instructions to locate the patch file, which will be named similar to "FlashSystemXXX-v6_X_X.patch" * OR * To upload the patch using the Windows command-line interface: A. Locate the "uploadPatch.exe" executable program which is included in the firmware package. If the firmware package does not include the program, please contact Technical Support to obtain it. B. Execute the patching program, giving it the patch file name and the IP address or hostname of the unit: uploadPatch.exe The patch filename looks like "FlashSystemXXX-v6_X_X.patch" To upload the patch using the Linux command-line interface: A. Locate the "uploadPatch" executable program which is included in the firmware package. If the firmware package does not include the program, please contact Technical Support to obtain it. B. Execute the patching program, giving it the patch file name and the IP address or hostname of the unit: uploadPatch.exe The patch filename looks like "FlashSystemXXX-v6_X_X.patch" 5. The patch may take several minutes to apply. After the patch upload is complete you are presented with the status of the upload. If there are any errors, or the upload does not complete after at least 5 minutes, contact Technical Support before proceeding! 6. Once you have successfully uploaded the patch to the system, the system must be power-cycled for the changes to take effect. Do not power-cycle if you notice any error messages. Please contact Technical Support if anything looks unusual after applying the patch file. 7. After power-cycling the system, the system will boot with the new firmware level, and all previous settings will be maintained. 8. Close and re-open all browser windows which have the web interface connected to the system to assure that any firmware changes to the web interface are re-downloaded to the browser instance. 9. In the unlikely event of a patch failure or failure of the unit to successfully complete the power-cycle, please immediately contact Technical Support before attempting to diagnose the problem. FAILURE TO INVOLVE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AFTER ENCOUNTERING UPGRADE PROBLEMS MAY LEAD TO DATA LOSS AND SYSTEM INSTABILITY =============================================================================== 5. Errata ---------------------------------- o [19605] The Qlogic SANbox2-8c 2Gb switch is not supported in Arbitrated Loop topologies. o [18088] When direct-connected to an Emulex HBA in Arbitrated Loop topology, "Unhandled ELS request" events may be emitted to the FlashSystem Event Log during Loop Initialization. These messages are harmless and can be safely ignored. o The 6.X.X firmware web management tool is incompatible with the 3.X.X firmware web management tool. Please close and reopen all web browser windows when switching between systems with different versions. o Due to a Java bug (Bug ID 6183877), occasionally typed text will not be displayed in text fields in the web management application. This only occurs under Linux. The workaround is to click off of the window containing the text field, and then back on the text field itself. ====================================================================== 6. Release History ---------------------------------- [B ] = Bug Fixes [C ] = Changes [N ] = New Features ** Release 6.3.1-p8 - Mar 11, 2014 ** [N 27565] Added support for AIX6.1TL5 SFHA6.0.1 [N 29084] The dStroy feature is now available for erasing flashcards. [B 29056] Using IBMi could result in stall writes to the system. (S3) [B 28489] When using access groups, removing logical units or access groups could result in stale information on the system. This would prevent users from being able to create new logical units with the same LUN. (S3) ** Release 6.3.1-p5 - Dec 11, 2013 ** [B 27255] Applying a system patch after a live flashcard patch has been applied will cause an early shutdown, which could make components unresponsive. (S2) [B 27532] Fixed InfiniBand controller issue where internal RAM timings would not be reset properly on boot and could lead to corrupted data. (S2) [B 26287] The wear leveling algorithm has been modified to prevent a possible condition which could stall DMAs to the host. (S2) [B 24482 Suppressed informational messages from SNMP in the system log. These debug level messages could cause system log overflow making the logs less useful. (S3) [B 26921] If a FlashSystem port is set to Arbitrated Loop, direct-connecting to an HBA may take excessively long to link up. (S4) [B 27276] In AIX environments with more than 32 Logical Units configured per host port, a fabric disruption could cause loss of access to the FlashSystem until the FlashSystem interfaces were reset or the FlashSystem was rebooted. (S4) [B 27325] In AIX environments, SCSI recovery (Abort Task Set) may disrupt unrelated Logical Units, leading to unnecessary recovery on those Logical Units. (S4) ====================================================================== 7. Contact Information ---------------------------------- 1-800-IBM-SERV