Questions about LeftHand OS 12.0 -> 12.5 upgrade and VSAs NICs parameters change

[Bianko]

Hi at all, I have 2 nodes StoreVirtual VSA cluster in network raid 10 on two VMWare ESXi 5.5 hosts.
By reading through HP StoreVirtual LeftHand documentation I remained with some confusion about upgrading VSAs and also on changing frame size and flow control settings on systems already in cluster and management group.

1) Upgrading. I read that there are two ways:
- Let do it itself like an online upgrade on one system at a time
- Taking out one VSA at a time from cluster and management group and upgrade them.

2) Changing  Flow Control and Jumbo Frame settings on VSA System NICs:

The documentation appears to discourages from changing these settings with systems already in a cluster but, at the same time, tells that you can through CMC or direct console. It tells that it is better to make these changes when VSA systems are in the "Available Systems" folder of CMC.
I have seen that through direct console I can do these changes, instead I cannot through CMC because these settings are grayed out.

I have read how to remove from cluster and management group a VSA. But I do not understand what are the effects and if it is a best practise removing them, one at a time, making changes (upgrading and changing network settings) and reinsert them in the cluster waiting for restriping to complete before doing same things on the other system.

Can you please help me on these doubts?

Thank you

Francesco B.

[Bart_Heungens]

Hi,

Updates happen online in a sequenced way, one by way... So you wont have any downtime. 1 important thing with this, since you have only 2 nodes I assume (hope) you have a FOM Failover Manager or Network Quorom functioning. This is needed to maintain quorum (majority) and keep the volumes online...

You don't need (want) to remove the VSA from the MG to obtain this...

To give you an idea I have 7 years 100% of uptime with my VSA's. Just manage and maintain it like it should be and use the strength of NetworkRAID10... Read about it here http://www.bitcon.be/?p=3255

Kr,

Bart