Upgrade to RP7400

[Darren Gibbs]

I currently have a 2-node cluster comprised of two N-class servers sharing disks on an XP256 array via Fibre. This weekend we're upgrading the primary node to an RP7400. This basically means that the current N-Class server will be given new 750 Mhz processors and a new system board. With the new system board we must load new Hardware Enablement patches. No changes are being made to the failover node.

Does anyone have any experience with this or think we should anticipate the cluster having problems? In research I've done, I haven't seen any required patches or a new version of MCSG being needed for this.

[melvyn burnard]

Well I have no idea what is involved here regarding the actual upgrade, but here is my 0.02c worth froman SG angle.
If the hardware upgrade results in ANY hardware path chaanges, you will have problems due to these changes. The best solution in this event is to rebuild the cluster as a SINGLE node cluster, running all the packages on the remaing node.
Upgrade the removed node, check everythiing, and then rebuild the cluster by adding in the upgraded node, wit the hardware path changes all mad3e and tested.

If NO hardware path changes will result, then no issues as far as I know with SG.
Just halt the node, make your changes and reboot.


HTH

[Mladen Despic]

Darren,

We've done the exact same thing without a problem.
Well, there was a problem with a power supply module for one of the CPUs, so we just reduced the number of CPUs from 8 to 6 until the replacement part was put in later.

In our case, there was no need to re-build the cluster.

HTH,

Mladen

[Jeff Schussele]

I think Melvyn summed it up pretty well...no HW path changes occur no reconfig required.
The only other thing that might be a gotcha would be that if the HostID value changes due to new HW you'll want the CE to reset it to what is was prior to change. Don't want to break the MC/SG license. Note: this is something ONLY HP personnel can do.

Rgds,
Jeff

[Darren Gibbs]

Thanks for the info guys. Good point about the Host ID and hardware addresses. For the Host ID, we've talked with our CE's about this and plan to utilize the current ID with the new system board since the client license keys for our Autosys job scheduler is generated using the machine's Host ID.

Concerning the hardware pathing, the CE informed us that in order to perform this upgrade, they have to basically disassemble the whole server. This includes pulling all LAN, Fibre, SCSI, GIG-E, and even GSP cards. In fact, we were told that we will get a new GSP card. Anyway, our CE has made drawings of which slot every card is in and we're doing the same. The main concern is getting the Fibre cards in their right slot so that the WWN will match as we're using Secure Manager on the XP which keys off of the WWN.

Thanks again for the info. Darren