HW - FIRMWARE

FIRMWARE:



ADAPTER/SYSTEM FIRMWARE:

lsmcode -A                   displays microcode (same as firmware) level information for all supported devices 
                             (Firmware: Software that has been written onto read-only memory (ROM))
lsmcode -c                   shows firmware level for system, processor

invscout:
it helps to show which firmware (microcode) should be updated:

1. download: http://public.dhe.ibm.com/software/server/firmware/catalog.mic
2. copy on the server to:  /var/adm/invscout/microcode
3. run: invscout (it will collect data and creates: /var/adm/invscout/<hostname>.mup)
4. upload <hostanme>.mup to: http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/mds/fetch?page=mdsUpload.html

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SYSTEM FIRMWARE UPDATE:
(update is concurrent, upgrade is disruptive)

1. download from FLRT the files
2. copy to NIM server (NFS export) the files or put onto an FTP server (xml and rpm was in it for me)
3. makes sure there are no deconfigured cpu/ram in the server, or broken hardware devices
4. On HMC -> LIC (Licensed Internal Code) Maintenance -> LIC  Updates -> Channge LIC for the current release
(if you want to do an upgrade (not update) choose: Upgrade Licensed Internal Code)
5. Choose the machine -> Channge LIC (Licensed Internal Code) wizard
6. FTP site:
    FTP site:10.20.10.10
    User ID: root
    Passw: <root pw>
    Change Directory: set to the uploaded dir

7. follow the wizard (next, next..), about after 20-30 minutes will be done

"The repository does not contain any applicable upgrade updates HSCF0050" or ..."The selected repository does not contain any new updates."
It can happen if ftp user was not created by official AIX script: /usr/samples/tcpip/anon.ftp
Create ftp user with this and try again.

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ADAPTER FIRMWARE LEVEL:


For FC adapter:
root@aix1: /root # lscfg -vpl fcs0
  fcs0             P2-I2  FC Adapter

        Part Number.................09P5079
        EC Level....................A
        Serial Number...............1C2120A894
        Manufacturer................001C
        Customer Card ID Number.....2765            <--it shows the feature code (could be like this: Feature Code/Marketing ID...5704)
        FRU Number..................09P5080         <--identifies the adapter
        Network Address.............10000000C92BC1EF
        ROS Level and ID............02C039D0
        Device Specific.(Z0)........2002606D
        ...
        Device Specific.(Z9)........CS3.93A0        <--this is the same as ZB
        Device Specific.(ZA)........C1D3.93A0       
        Device Specific.(ZB)........C2D3.93A0       <--to verify the firmware level ignore the first 3 characters in the ZB field (3.93A0)
        Device Specific.(ZC)........00000000
        Hardware Location Code......P2-I2


For Network adapter:
lscfg -vpl entX --> FRU line

ROM Level.(alterable).......GOL021                <--it is showing the firmware level


For Internal Disks:
lscfg -vpl hdiskX

Manufacturer................IBM
Machine Type and Model......HUS153014VLS300



Firmware (Microcode) update should be started from FLRT (Fix Level Recommendatio Tool).
After selecting the system, it will be possible to choose devices to do an update, and read description, how to do it.
Check with Google the "FRU Number" to get the FC Code (this is needed to get the correct files on FLRT)

Basic steps for firmware upgrade:

0. check if /etc/microcode dir exists
1. download from FLRT to a temp dir the needed rpm package.
2. make the rpm package available to the system:
    cd to the copied temp dir
    rpm -ihv --ignoreos  --force SAS15K300-A428-AIX.rpm

3. check:
    rpm -qa
    cd /etc/microcode --> ls -l will show the new microcede
    compare filesize within the document
    compare checksum within document: sum <filename> (sum /usr/lib/microcode/df1000fd-0002.271304)

4. diag -d fcs0 -T download        <--it will install (download) the microcode

Description about: "M", "L", "C", "P" when choosing the microcode:

    "M" is the most recent level of microcode found on the source.
    It is later than the level of microcode currently installed on the adapter.  
                                             
    "L" identifies levels of microcode that are later than the level of microcode currently installed on the adapter.
    Multiple later images are listed in descending order.                

    "C" identifies the level of microcode currently installed on the adapter.                        
                                                 
    "P" identifies levels of microcode that are previous to the level of microcode currently installed on the adapter.
    Multiple previous images are listed in the descending order. 

5. lsmcode -A                <--for checking


To Back level the firmware
diag -d fcsX -T "download -f -l previous"