Update support pack

[Rick Hobbs]

I have a client, a large bank, rolling out CIM7 SP2. There is no external Internet access to update the Version Repository. How can I manually download the Support Pack and update the version repository?

[Rob Buxton]

Copy it to CD?

It seems you cannot configure the VCRM for automatic updates, so you'll want to set up an easily maintanable structure under the top repository directory.

You may just need to rely on copying the softpaq off the Smart Start CD, checking the configurable items are flagged Read/Write and configure them

[Rick Hobbs_1]

But, is the Version Repository database available for download? If yes, would you know the URL?

[David Claypool]

Rick:

I think we need to clarify a few things...

The Version Control Database (aka VCDB) was relegated to 'legacy' when IM7SP1 came out with Version Control Repository Manager/Version Control Agents. It was maintained for a period of time to give folks to change over, and the last update to VCDB is dated June 2003. No newer updates are available or planned.

The 'Legacy Version Control' capability is not featured in IM7's replacement, HP Systems Insight Manager, which came out just before the end of 2003.

VCRM/VCA do not require the VCDB. As Rob indicates, if your VCRM can't get its updates by directly downloading from the Internet, you can manually update the VCRM catalog...

- VCRM has the ability to suck the PSP off of a SmartStart CD. Just pull up the VCRM UI locally or remotely, put the SS CD in your client machine and let it do the work.
- You can always download the PSP manually from the HP site by following the trail down the "support & drivers" link in the header of all pages on hp.com (or go there directly at http://h18013.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/index.html)
- You also can load and run VCRM on any device you want, ProLiant or not, Insight Manager 7 running on it or not. That means you could take someone's workstation that has Internet access and they could get the automatic updates. Copy them off manually (burn a CD or use one of those neat USB keys) to carry to the machine with the production VCRM used by IM7. If that station has Internet access and also can see the production VCRM (like if it was dual-homed), you can use the VCRM to distribute the update to the production VCRM.

Lastly, since you say your client is "rolling out" IM7 now, please be aware that its replacement, HP Systems Insight Manager, has already been released. When the first update, hpSIM 4.1 (already announced) becomes available next month, the clock starts ticking for 6 months at the end of which IM7 SP2.3 will be end-of-life.

I would encourage you not to put too much effort and training into rolling out IM7 and plan to move to hpSIM as soon as possible to minimize the impact on your users. hpSIM 4.1 has a data migration facility that will allow you to take a lot of the work you've invested in setting up IM7 to the new platform.