Upgrading a FlashSystem control enclosure

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An IBM® Storage FlashSystem 5200 control enclosure can be upgraded to an IBM Storage FlashSystem 5300 control enclosure, without taking the system offline, by replacing the node canisters. These are available as an orderable upgrade kit.

The following configuration limits and restrictions apply when upgrading a FlashSystem control enclosure:
  • FlashSystem 5300 supports different network adapters to FlashSystem 5200. Ensure that appropriate network adapters are ordered as part of the upgrade kit.
  • Review the FlashSystem 5300 expansion enclosure support in Enclosure location guidelines and reduce expansion attach if necessary.
  • Ethernet connectivity is significantly different for the on-board ports. Verify that requirements are met for switch ports, cables, and port speeds before upgrading.

Before you begin

  1. Do not add expansion enclosures during the upgrade.
  2. License keys are seeded from the machine type and model (MTM) and serial number of the system. Because the upgraded system will have a different MTM than the one you began with, the system will require a new license key after the upgrade.

Procedure

  1. Determine the ID of the node canister that is not the configuration node by referring to the management GUI or to the lsnodecanister CLI command. Note its slot number and node ID.
  2. Use the management GUI to select the non-configuration node that you identified in the previous step and select Show Dependent Volumes. Alternatively, run the lsvdiskdependency -node node_ID command where node_ID is the ID of the node to be removed. Resolve any node dependencies before you continue.
  3. Remove the identified node canister from the system configuration by using the rmnodecanister command or the management GUI.

    Wait for this operation to complete and for the canister to be in the Service state before you continue to the next step. The canister is in Service state when the system status LED is flashing and the fault LED is on.

  4. Remove the existing canister from the enclosure physically.
  5. If you are reusing the adapter from the old canister, transfer the adapter to the upgrade canister.
  6. Install the upgraded canister in place of the old one.
  7. Wait 25 minutes for the system to process the addition of the new canister.

    When the upgrade is complete, the system status LED changes to solid green. When the new canister is powered on, it automatically attempts to join the cluster.

  8. Confirm that the new canister joined the cluster by running the lsnodecanister command or by using the management GUI.

    When you have canisters with different MTMs in the same system, the system is considered to be in a mixed state. In a mixed-state system, all of the advanced features that are unique to the higher-level canister are disabled.

  9. If any I/O is taking place on the system, wait 30 minutes to ensure that the multipathing drivers are fully redundant, with every path available, and online.
  10. Repeat steps 1 - 8 for the second canister in the enclosure.

    These changes are not committed to the system until both canisters are upgraded to the same level. At that point, the MTM for the system is updated and any new features that are associated with the upgraded hardware are made available.

  11. Update the license key for the system.
    1. Download a license key for the upgraded system from the Entitled Systems Support (ESS) server.
    2. Use the activatefeature command to activate the license.
    3. Use the deactivatefeature command to remove the old license key after the activation completes.