Power6 High-End Power Subsystem Firmware

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
• 2.0 Cautions and Planning Information
• 3.0 Firmware Information and Description
• 4.0 How to Determine Currently Installed Firmware Level
• 5.0 Downloading the Firmware Package
• 6.0 Installing the Firmware
• 7.0 Change History   (Revised 11/24/2009)

1.0 Systems Affected

The firmware level in this package is:

• EP350_034

2.0 Important Information

HMC-Managed Systems

Go to the following URL to access the HMC code packages:

•     http://www-933.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/

Installing Power Subsystem Firmware and System Firmware

Firmware updates should be performed on an entire Managed Frame and all Managed Systems
contained in that frame at one time.  The following instructions can be used to update
one Managed Frame and all Managed Systems that it contains.  The instructions can be
repeated as many times as needed until all Managed Frames have been updated.

1) Power off all Managed Systems in the Managed Frame

2) Reinstall the current firmware level on all Managed Systems in the Managed Frame:

   The following command can be used to determine the current firmware level:

      lslic -t sys -m <managedsystem_1> -F activated_level

   The following command will retrieve and reinstall the current firmware level on
   one Managed System:

      updlic -o a -m <managedsystem_1> -t sys -l <current_fsp_level> -r <repos>

      <current_fsp_level> is the level determined with the lslic command.

      <repos> is the location of the firmware such as "-r dvd", "-r ibmwebsite", etc.
      Additional parameters might be required, depending on the repository selection.
      If the firmware has already been retrieved to the HMC, the HMC hard drive (-r disk)
      should be used as the repository.

   After the firmware has been retrieved to the HMC, the HMC hard drive (-r disk) should
   be used as the repository to update the remaining Managed Systems:

      updlic -o a -m <managedsystem_2> -t sys -l <current_fsp_level> -r disk
      updlic -o a -m <managedsystem_3> -t sys -l <current_fsp_level> -r disk
      ......
      updlic -o a -m <managedsystem_N> -t sys -l <current_fsp_level> -r disk

   These commands can be run in the background in parallel to speed up the processing.

   Wait for all updlic commands to complete before proceeding to step 3.

3) Install and activate new BPC firmware only (during this step the Managed Systems will
   transition from "Power Off" to "No Connection" and then back to "Power Off"):

   Select 1 Managed System as the target of the updlic command and update BPC firmware.
   The following command will retrieve firmware from the repository and update the BPCs:

      updlic -o a -m <managedsystem_1> -t power -l latest -r <repos> .....

      <repos> is the location of the firmware such as "-r dvd", "-r ibmwebsite", etc.
      Additional parameters might be required, depending on the repository selection.
      If the firmware has already been retrieved to the HMC, the HMC hard drive (-r disk)
      should be used as the repository.

4) Wait for all Managed Systems to return to "Power Off" state.

5) Install and activate new firmware on all Managed Systems in the Managed Frame.

      updlic -o a -m <managedsystem_1> -t sys -l latest -r <repos> .....

      <repos> is the location of the firmware such as "-r dvd", "-r ibmwebsite", etc.
      Additional parameters might be required, depending on the repository selection.
      If the firmware has already been retrieved to the HMC, the HMC hard drive (-r disk)
      should be used as the repository.

   After the firmware has been retrieved to the HMC, the HMC hard drive (-r disk) should
   be used as the repository to update the remaining Managed Systems:

      updlic -o a -m <managedsystem_2> -t sys -l latest -r disk
      updlic -o a -m <managedsystem_3> -t sys -l latest -r disk
      ......
      updlic -o a -m <managedsystem_N> -t sys -l latest -r disk

   These commands can be run in the background in parallel to speed up the process.

   Wait for all updlic commands to complete before proceeding to step 6.

3.0 Firmware Information and Description

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.

Power Subsystem firmware file naming convention:

     02EPXXX_YYY_ZZZ

• XXX is the release level
• YYY is the service pack level
• ZZZ is the last disruptive service pack level

An installation is disruptive if:

• The release levels (XXX) are different.

• The service pack level (YYY) and the  last disruptive service pack level (ZZZ) are equal.

• 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.

An installation is concurrent if:

• The service pack level (YYY) is higher than the service pack level currently installed on your system.

Firmware Information and Update Description

4.0 How to Determine Currently Installed Power Subsystem Firmware Levels

5.0 Downloading the Firmware Package

Follow the instructions on the web page. 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

Example: EPXXX_YYY_ZZZ

Where XXX =  release level

• If the release level will stay the same (Example: Level EP330_075_075  is currently installed and you are attempting to install level EP330_081_075) this is considered an update.
• If the release level will change (Example: Level EP330_081_075 is currently installed and you are attempting to install level EP340_096_096) this is considered an upgrade.

7.0 Change History