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HMC Version 6 Release 1.0 Available Again
HMC V6.1 has been re-released. This code contains the long-awaited function allowing the HMC to use a proxy server when contacting IBM Service over the Internet. Recovery media and ISO image files are again available through the HMC Corrective Service web site: https://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/sas/f/hmc/home.html Important steps must be taken before and after the upgrade. Before upgrading, administrators need to determine if they have an HMC affected by an internal modem problem that would cause the HMC to hang. This problem exists on... [More]
Tags:  upgrade hmc |
Configuring Call-Home on an HMC Using SSL Instead of VPN
HMC V5.2, released in February, allows you to configure call-home to IBM Service using Secure Socket Layer connections. For many customers, this is preferable to using the Internet VPN option. Here are instructions for configuring outbound communication using SSL: 1. Go to the Remote Support menu under Service Applications. 2. Select the Customize Outbound Connectivity task. 3. Connectivity options include Modem, Internet, Internet VPN and Pass-Through Systems. (Pass-Through Systems are i5/OS partitions.) For SSL connectivity, select the... [More]
Tags:  hmc |
Remote console terminal - HMCconsole, mkvterm and vtmenu
Probably the default method of accessing the console of an LPAR managed by an HMC is to use the HMC from WebSM, and then open a console window. What's wrong with this? 1. Cut and paste don't work well. 2. It is inherently insecure even when WebSM uses ssl The vterm is still passed over the network in clear text. Next option: Use the 'mkvterm' command after doing an ssh login to the hmc. 1. You get an ssl protected session. 2. It can be tough getting the parameters right. Undocumented command makes this easy: Use 'vtmenu' which prompts you... [More]
Tags:  hmc |
New 153 Release of p590/p595 Microcode
If you're planning to upgrade the microcode on your p590/p595 system, I recommend waiting for the 153 version which should be out soon. (The current version is 150, Nov 2005) If you have already planned an outage for the upgrade, I would consider downloading the 153 ISO image from the server located in Boulder. open a DOS window ftp testcase-blue.boulder.ibm.com enter 'anonymous' as the id enter 'your e-mail address' as the password cd /hardware/fromibm/9119/ bin mget 01SF230_153_120.iso Be sure to check the prereq's before upgrading: -... [More]
Tags:  hmc |
My Best Practices for Maintaining Microcode/HMC
System microcode and HMC versions are becoming increasingly coupled. New microcode requires the latest HMC version. And the latest HMC version may not be fully backward compatible with older microcode. Customers are responsible for maintaining the HMC and system microcode on most pSeries models. To avoid problems, here are "my best practices" for maintaining HMC-microcode. This list intended for mission critical, production systems. Further it is intended for system microcode, rather than adapter microcode. You'll notice that some of the... [More]
Tags:  hmc |