Question about Linux HBA driver verion upgrade

[Gary L]

Hi

Our SAN admin sent a email to me let me upgrade the RHEL Linux SAN connect servers's HBA driver version from current 7.05.00-fo to 7.07.05.02 (HP Recommended)for support their SAN upgrade. I have a question?

Our Linux serers are all blade BL20P g3 box.
OS: RHEL ES3 update 4.
HBA Model: QLA2312 A6826A
HBA Firmware version: 3.03.11
HBA Driver version 7.05.00-fo

How to upgrade the HBA driver version?

I downloaded the "hp_qla2x00-2007-10-05" (include: hp_qla2x00src-7.07.05.08-1.linux.rpm and hp_qla2x00src-8.01.07.25-1.linux.rpm etc.) from hp.com. And I ran the command ./install installed them, reboot server and run the command
rpm -q hp_qla2x00src and
rpm –q fibreutils
according as its installation guide. I could see hp_qla2x00src-7.07.05.08-2 and
fibreutils-2.4-1
But, through check via command # cat /proc/scsi/qla2300/0 /1 the HBA driver version still 7.05.00-fo doen't update.

Through HP SANsurfer the version of HBA driver still old.

How to upgrade Linux HBA driver verison (HP-UX just install a higher version depot)?

Any answers will be very appreciate!

[Gary L]

And

How to upgrade HBA firmware version?

thanks

[skt_skt · Accepted solution]

i guess each rpm will have an associated read me file.. so that is the best one to follow..

unmount all SAN volume..(we do reboot the server after commenting the fstab entries for san file systems... we normally upgrade hba driver along with kernel upgrade if required)

uninstall the current rpm reinstall the new one(or existing one) which ever is applicable . Also check the licenses are still valid for the san management software like power path or which ever is applicable.

[Gary L]

Hi Santhosh

Thanks for your above suggestions.

The "readme" of hp_qla2x00-2007-10-05 just list how to install this rpm package (./install) That's it. I have followed the steps but it didn't work. Still show the old HBA driver version. So I thought probably the software that I downloaded was wrong or not necessary or need more ... So i post my questions wanna got a right way to upgrade the HBA driver version for RHEL.

You mean, the software "hp_qla2x00-2007-10-05" is correct for HBA upgrade? Just need uninstall the old one and install the new one?

[Don Vanco - Linux Ninja]

When you run the install do you see messages about a "new initrd file" being built?

The drivers are shoehorned into an initrd - it may be that for whatever reason a new initrd was not built, or if it was it is not being called at boot.

Look at the date stamps on the .img files in /boot - one should correspond to both your running kernel version AND to near the date/time you did the "upgrade"

Also - were there any changes made to /etc/modprobe.conf?? (should not have been for a simple upgrade, but worth a peek anyway)

I just installed the HBA drivers today (albeit for Blades) and the installer was actually "INSTALL" (in caps) - is that what you used???

HTH
Don

[Gary L]

Thanks Don.

I'm sorry for reply this and assign the points to you late.

Have a great day

-G

[Gary L]

Hi Don and Santhosh

I think I find out the reason why installed the new HBA driver but system still show the old one.

I should do some tasks in /boot/grub/grub.conf. Commented the old kernel boot "default=0" and change to new entry that added by Proliant HBA install script "default=3" initrd /hp-initrd-2.4.21-27.ELsmp.img.

I think, if reset those SAN linux servers the new HBA driver version will list.

Thanks a lot.

[Don Vanco - Linux Ninja]

Gary -
Unfortunately, without seeing your grub.conf file we can't really say what is "right".

By default, the driver installer should:
- look at the kernel you are running RIGHT NOW and build a driver for the /lib/modules/ tree
- (possibly) make edits to /etc/modprobe.conf to include options (or new options) for the driver - like multipath or load balance options if you've more than one FC port connection
- build a required initrd that includes the new drivers
- edit your grub.conf file to call the correct initrd (if it didn't simply copy off the current one and replace it with the new one with the existing name)

I believe by default it just renames the initrd for the current kernel and then replaces it with the new one - meaning all you should have to do is reboot and you're good to go (or manually unload the drivers, but that can be a PITA)

My fear is (without a machine I can check on myself) that you're actually talking about editing in the OLD initrd! Is there any way you can post up your grub.conf file and a long listing if the files in /boot?

I also can't say with certainty when the SANSurfer utility will report the new driver - it should be current over a reboot, but at a minimum you should restart the agents. Sorry I don't know them by name, but you should be able to look over /etc/init.d and see the script for it, and likely run:
"service SANSurfer_Agent_Name restart" (with the correct script)

[Gary L]

Hi Don

I met a problem, when I done the ./INSTALL (install new HBA driver), changed the /boot/grub/grub.conf, reboot server. System reset stop at
...
mounting root filesystem
mount: error 2 mounting ext3
pivotroot: pivot_root )/sysroot, /sysroot/initrd ) failed:2
umount initrd/proc failed:2
Freeing unused kernel memory: 228k freed
Kernel Panic: No init found. Try passing init= option to kernel.

grub.conf
==========
# cat /boot/grub/grub.conf
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
# root (hd0,0)
# kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/vg00/lv00
# initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/cciss/c0d0
#default=1 # commented out by Proliant HBA install script
default=5
fallback=1
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES (2.4.21-50.EL)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-50.EL ro root=/dev/vg00/lv00
initrd /initrd-2.4.21-50.EL.img
title Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES (2.4.21-50.ELsmp)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-50.ELsmp ro root=/dev/vg00/lv00
initrd /initrd-2.4.21-50.ELsmp.img
title Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES (2.4.21-27.ELsmp)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-27.ELsmp ro root=/dev/vg00/lv00
initrd /initrd-2.4.21-27.ELsmp.img
title Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES-up (2.4.21-27.EL)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-27.EL ro root=/dev/vg00/lv00
initrd /initrd-2.4.21-27.EL.img

# This entry (no. 4) added by Proliant HBA install script
# in package cpq_cciss-2.4.64-6.rhel3
title HP-2.4.21-27.EL
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-27.EL ro root=/dev/vg00/lv00
initrd /HP-initrd-2.4.21-27.EL.img


# This entry (no. 5) added by Proliant HBA install script
# in package cpq_cciss-2.4.64-6.rhel3
title HP-2.4.21-27.ELsmp
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-27.ELsmp ro root=/dev/vg00/lv00
initrd /HP-initrd-2.4.21-27.ELsmp.img


/boot
=====
config-2.4.21-27.EL
config-2.4.21-27.ELsmp
config-2.4.21-50.EL
config-2.4.21-50.ELsmp
grub
HP-initrd-2.4.21-27.EL.img
HP-initrd-2.4.21-27.ELsmp.img
initrd-2.4.21-27.EL.img
initrd-2.4.21-27.ELsmp.img
initrd-2.4.21-27.ELsmp.img.old
initrd-2.4.21-50.EL.img
initrd-2.4.21-50.ELsmp.img
kernel.h
message
message.ja
System.map-2.4.21-27.EL
System.map-2.4.21-27.ELsmp
System.map-2.4.21-50.EL
System.map-2.4.21-50.ELsmp
vmlinux-2.4.21-27.EL
vmlinux-2.4.21-27.ELsmp
vmlinux-2.4.21-50.EL
vmlinux-2.4.21-50.ELsmp
vmlinuz-2.4.21-27.EL
vmlinuz-2.4.21-27.ELsmp
vmlinuz-2.4.21-50.EL
vmlinuz-2.4.21-50.ELsmp

[Gary L]

Additional input:

/lib/modules]# ll
total 24
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Jul 24 2007 .
drwxr-xr-x 11 root root 4096 Feb 17 2005 ..
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 4096 Feb 1 13:46 2.4.21-27.EL
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 4096 Feb 1 13:46 2.4.21-27.ELsmp
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Jul 24 2007 2.4.21-50.EL
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Jul 24 2007 2.4.21-50.ELsmp

no HP-initrd-2.4.21-27.ELsmp.img and HP-initrd-2.4.21-27.EL.img entries there.

The kernel boot throug below entry
title HP-2.4.21-27.ELsmp
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-27.ELsmp ro root=/dev/vg00/lv00
initrd /HP-initrd-2.4.21-27.ELsmp.img