update-ux vs patching with the QPK bundles

[Bill Costigan]

If you are staying with the same major HPUX version (e.g. 11iv1) is the result of using update-ux to install a later version of HPUX any different from just applying the Quality bundles of that later date?

I'm asking this because the instructions for updating to vPar A.30.05 says you must first update to HP-UX 11.11 Dec '06. and talks about using update-ux. I'm wondering if I should just install the Dec. '06 patch bundles instead.

[Steven E. Protter · Accepted solution]

Shalom,

update-ux is for major version upgrades. 11.11 to 11.23, 11.23 to 11.31

Major patch bundles are what you use to get to December 2006 and you don't need update-ux for that unless you are starting out with 11.00

So the document is wrong IMO

SEP

[Tim Nelson]

Another example is while attempting to install IVM 3.5. It is dependant on 11.23 Dec 2007 release.

Simply applying a patch bundle does not solve the dependancy that somebody included in the IVM 3.5 depot.

In this case you MUST either cold install with the Dec 2007 or run the update utility to get you there.

I have been an opponent to update-ux but, for the sake of maintenance releases it seems to work reliably. Updated 2 systems 3 times each and did not have any issue.

Now this is 11.23 not 11.11.

Create DRD (n/a for 11.11) or Ignite Image.
execute the update
check logs and functionality
revert to old version
and test again and again until the fear goes away ;)

[Bill Costigan]

Thank you.

Based on your advice, my plan is to start with the patch and if later, swinstall complains about the wrong version of HPUX, I'll then use update-ux.

[Torsten.]

Patch bundles will patch existing software, but update-ux will update products (the core OS, all the drivers and even independent software units that will not be updated during patching).

from the man page:

"update-ux will always attempt to update the OS. These bundles are installed by default from HP-UX 11i OE CDs:

HPUXBase32 or HPUXBase64
HPUXBaseAux
FibrChanl-00 (64-bit OS only)
GigEther-00
RAID-00 (64-bit OS only)
FDDI-00 (32-bit OS only)
OnlineDiag
CDE language bundle based on installed CDE.
Other network drivers based on installed software.
"




So update-ux is NOT only used to update from a lower to a higher version (e.g. 11.11 to 11.23), but also used to update from an older to a newer release within the same version.

[Armin Kunaschik]

With HP-UX 11.11 the update of QPK (and probably Hardware Enablement and Feature Bundles) should do the trick.
Starting with 11.23 there are more bundles to take care of e.g. HPUXBaseAux or HPUX11i-OE-Ent.
But it's not necessary to use update-ux within the same OS version.
Simply install/update all installed packages from the new installation media/depot.
I did it like that several times with 11.23 (update to 0712) and got no problems at all.

My 2 cents,
Armin

[Torsten.]

Armin, in the scenario Tim described you'll have no other choice. This software won't install unless you update-ux to the december version.

Overall, more and more bundles became independent, this means you need to upgrade the product, patching will not do this.

[Armin Kunaschik]

Torsten, I described my so called 'best practice', things work like described, if you go from an earlier 11.23 to 11.23.0712.
Just install HPUXBaseAux and all dependent bundles and you'll get a working 11.23.0712.
You need to know what you're doing, but the bundle dependencies will prevent you from making big mistakes.
You need to take a look to the list of installed bundles anyway because update-ux selects the bundles as if you would do a new, cold installation.

Is there an official HP opinion about this?
Looks like we have more than one way to do it right...

My 2 cents,
Armin

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Bill:

There is a somewhat parallel discussion in this thread (although specifically with regard to NFS):

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1217124

Regards!

...JRF...