Firmware compatibility matrix?

[CA1437590]

I have an EVA 5000 with VCS 3.028. I need to upgrade the VCS firmware and I'd like to see some sort of compatibility matrix so I know what firmware I need on the SAN Switches and HBA's.

I have Brocade SAN Switches all at 5.2.0a.

Is there any such thing around?

[Mikhail Zakharov]

IMHO there is no such thing as direct correlation between firmware of array and switches. I adhere to a following rule:
production FOS-firmware = (newest FOS-version) â 1

[Mikhail Zakharov]

Production FOS = newest version - 1

[CA1437590]

That was my thinking as well but our local HP tech told me that we needed to upgrade all HBA's and switches to the latest firmware before we upgrade the EVA. That didn't seem necessary to me so I was looking for some verification.

[Sheldon Smith · Accepted solution]

It depends on if you want your SAN to have a configuration supported by HP or not.

The compatibility matricies ("Streams documents") are available internally to HP personnel. You would need to contact your HP rep for the current compatibility information based on your storage array, OS, and hardware platform.
One quick "rule of thumb": Check your HBA firmware versions against what is available on the HP web site: http://hp.com/go/san
Look for your HBA (depending on how old, either under "Host Bus Adapters" or "Retired Products") and look at the most recent firmware listed. It is highly probable that version of the firmware is supported in the appropriate compatibility matrix.

[Timothy Cusson]

Every version of VCS firmware has a "Release Notes" document, doc # 5697-6378. This document spells out what versions of OS are supported.

Also, there is a Customer Advisory document
for VCS 3.110, it states...

If you currently have a supported configuration running VCS v3.028 or v3.100 and HP Command View EVA v5.x or v6.x, the only required task is to update the EVA3000/5000 with VCS v3.110. There are no changes in the dependency of Host Bus Adapter (HBA) firmware and/or drivers, or in the dependency of Fibre Channel switch firmware between VCS v3.028 and v3.110. This is true for any supported operating systems attached to VCS v3.028. Therefore, this upgrade can be accomplished by an HP customer.

This document has pointers to other docs that have the HBA and driver versions.

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