Cisco 9140 and Cisco MDS 9120

[Ali Merchant]

WE have 4 EVA 5000 running VCS 3.028 and 2 X Cisco MDS 9120 and 2 X 9140. Switches are running ver 2.0X. We have updated to the lastest code in a while. Trying to locate the latest firwmare 3.1.1 but not sure if its available. Are there any knows issues with upgrading the firware? I never done the firmware upgrade via the Fabric manager and was wondering if anyone can outline simple steps?

[Jonathan Harris_3]

Version 3.1 is available from some places, but I just use HP's download page, which is currently running 3.0.3: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=371567&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=371565&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=54

Details of how to do the upgrade via Fabric Manager are available in the Fabric Manager configuration guide: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps5989/products_configuration_guide_chapter09186a0080679bc9.html

Theoretically, it works as follows:
1. Download and unpack the firmware to a server
2. Click the 'Software Install...' button in Fabric Manager
3. Select switches
4. Select download location, transfer protocol and system and kickstart images
5. Click finish, at which point all the switches download the images and apply them whilst you sit there sipping a cup of coffee.

In reality, the upgrade process to v3 was a bit of a pain to be honest.

The images are large which causes a few problems. Firstly, you need to ensure you have sufficient space in bootflash. Then, you'll find that they exceed the maximum transmission size for TFTP, so you have to use a different protocol using a server (we used SCP). Finally, there's a maximum time limit on the download in Software Install of 10 minutes, so if you're downloading over even average links, the images don't save to bootflash in time.

Also, you need to upgrade your Fabric Manager and Device Manager software, because 2.0 / 2.1 software doesn't play nicely with 3.0 firmware.

So, revised implementation schedule:
1. Download and unpack zip file to FTP/SCP server.
2. Go in to CLI of each switch, make sure there's sufficient space in bootflash (you can check bootflash space in Device Manager, if you prefer) and download the System and the Kickstart images from your FTP/SCP server.
3. Go in to FM and hit the 'Software Install...' button.
4. Select switches you want to upgrade.
5. On the next page, tick the box in the bottom right corner saying 'Skip Image Download'.
6. Select System and Kickstart images for each switch.
7. Click Finish and enjoy your cup of coffee.
8. After the switches are all upgraded, open the .jar file that came in the zip file on your FM/DM box. This will upgrade FM/DM to 3.0.3 to match the switch firmware. Reboot box.

Done :o)

[Peter Mattei]

The current HP supported and recommended SAN OS release is 3.0(3)
Go for that!

If you are using Continuous Access EVA please also note the following out of the SAN Design Reference Guide:
When configuring storage networks that support HPâ s Continuous Access
technology or Data Replication Manager, change the Fibre Channel switch default load
balance setting to Src-ID/D-ID.

Use the command: MDS 1 (config)# in-order-guarantee

This is a very important setting to guarantee data integrity in case of recovery operations occurring.

Cheers
Peter

[Ali Merchant]

Hello Peter,

Can you please type out the whole command because I do have CA ver 2.1 and I didnt clearly understand the whole syntax that I need to type on all 4 switches.

[Ali Merchant]

Hello Jonathan,

Can you clarify step #8. What is the name of the Jar file that I would execute on my server that has the firwmare extracted to make my DM and FM 3.01.

[Ali Merchant]

Hello Peter,

What is src Id and DST id? How do I find that out on my switches so I can enter the command properly?. I have one cisco 9140 in PROD communicating with Cisco 9140 in DR and same goes for Cisco 9140. I have a 4 GB ISL between them.

[Jonathan Harris_3]

Taking your various points:

You can view the current load-balancing setup by issuing the following command (where 'vsan-id' is your vsan number:

switch# show vsan

You should get output similar to this:

FH-9509-SW01# sh vsan 100
vsan 100 information
name:VSAN0100 state:active
interoperability mode:default
loadbalancing:src-id/dst-id
operational state:up

If it doesn't show "loadbalancing:src-id/dst-id" then you need to set load-balancing correctly. Enter the following:

switch# conf t
switch(config)# in-order-guarantee

When you unzip the file you downloaded from HP, there are several files:
4 x .pdf docs
2 x .bin images
1 x m9000-fm-3.0.3a.jar

Double-click the m9000-fm-3.0.3a.jar and it will install the upgrades to FM/DM on that machine.