Updating the system software in a Metro Mirror 3-site configuration with clustered systems

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Depending on which systems you are updating the software on in your configuration, different steps can be necessary.

Use the following information to determine which steps you need to complete before and after a software update on systems in a Metro Mirror 3-site configuration.
Note: Update one system at a time.
  1. To update the system software on an auxiliary-far site clustered system, see the instructions that are listed under Section A in Table 1.
  2. To update the system software on the master or auxiliary-near site clustered system with no host I/O processing on it, select one of the following options:
    • Stop replication to the auxiliary-far site and continue auxiliary-near site replication before you update. To use this option, see the instructions that are listed under Section A in Table 1.
    • Exclude the system at the auxiliary-near site before you start the update. This option stops replication to the auxiliary-near site and continues replication on the auxiliary-far site, including potentially failing over the site that is sending changes to the auxiliary-far site. To use this option, see the instructions that are listed under Section B in Table 1.
    • If the site to be excluded is the periodic source for any replication, see the instructions that are listed under Section C in Table 1.
  3. If you are updating a system at either of the near sites that is processing host I/O operations, see the instructions that are listed under Section A in Table 1.
  4. To update multiple systems, see the instructions that are listed under Section D in Table 1.
Table 1. Detailed instructions to update the system software in a 3-site configuration with clustered systems
Section Instructions
A
Using the management GUI
To stop replication in the management GUI, complete these steps:
  1. In the management GUI, select Copy Services > Remote Copy.
  2. On the 3-Site Partnership page, select a 3-site consistency group to open the details page for the group.
  3. Select Actions > Stop Group.
  4. Click Confirm.
  5. When the process completes, verify that graphic for the overall 3-site consistency group shows that asynchronous copy as stopped.
  6. Repeat these steps for all of the 3-site consistency groups in the 3-site partnership.

Update the system software on system at the auxiliary-far site.

To start 3-site consistency groups, complete these steps:
  1. In the management GUI, select Copy Services > Remote Copy.
  2. On the details page for the 3-site partnership, select a 3-site consistency group to open the details page for the group.
  3. Select Actions > Start Group.
  4. Click Start.
Using the command-line interface
  1. Enter the stop3sitercconsistgrp command to stop replication to the auxiliary-far site.
    [root@ORCH-HOST cli]# stop3sitercconsistgrp CG0
[root@ORCH-HOST cli]# ls3sitercconsistgrp
name state            primary periodic_copy_source sync_copy_state         periodic_copy_state freeze_time cycle_period   status
CG0  stopped          AuXNear AuXNear              consistent_synchronized idling                        0 350            online
  2. Update the system software on system at the auxiliary-far site.
  3. Enter the start3sitercconsistgrp command. 
    [root@ORCH-HOST cli]# start3sitercconsistgrp CG0
[root@ORCH-HOST cli]# ls3sitercconsistgrp
name state            primary periodic_copy_source sync_copy_state         periodic_copy_state freeze_time cycle_period    status
CG0 3site_consistent AuXNear AuXNear              consistent_synchronized stopped                       0 350              online
B
Using the management GUI
To exclude a site from a 3-site consistency group, complete these steps:
  1. In the management GUI, select Copy Services > Remote Copy.
  2. On the 3-Site Partnership page, select Actions > Exclude Site. When the site is excluded, the management GUI displays the Synchronous Link Stopped message in the Status details tile for the affected 3-site consistency groups. This status is removed when the site is rejoined to the consistency groups.
    Note: If the excluded site is the asynchronous source for 3-site consistency groups, the other near site becomes asynchronous source automatically until the site is joined back into the 3-site configuration. In addition, after the site is excluded the overall status for 3-site consistency groups becomes Asynchronous only after a near site is excluded.

Update the system software on system at the excluded site.

To join the site back into the 3-site configuration, complete these steps:
  1. In the management GUI, select Copy Services > Remote Copy.
  2. On the 3-Site Partnership page, select Actions > Re-join Site. When the site is rejoined into the configuration, the Synchronous Link Stopped message in the Status details tile for the affected 3-site consistency groups is removed.
Using the command-line interface
  1. Enter the ch3sitercconsistgrp -exclude command to exclude the site from 3-site replication and continue replication in 2site-periodic state until the maintenance is complete. In the following example, the master is being excluded.
    [root@ORCH-HOST cli]# ch3sitercconsistgrp -exclude Master CG0
  2. When the update is complete, enter the ch3sitercconsistgrp -join command to rejoin the site to each consistency group.
C
Using the management GUI
To change the asynchronous source in the management GUI in a 3-site consistency group, complete the following steps:
Note: Asynchronous source is the management GUI equivalent for periodic source (-periodicsrc) in the CLI.
  1. In the management GUI, select Copy Services > Remote Copy.
  2. Under Partnerships, select 3-site partnership.
  3. On the details page for the 3-site partnership, select a 3-site consistency group to open the details page for the group.
  4. On the consistency group details page, select Actions > Switch asynchronous source to change the flow of data to the auxiliary far site.
    Note: Alternatively, on the 3-site partnership details page, select Switch asynchronous source from the selected 3-site consistency group overflow menu.

    The Switch asynchronous source page appears and displays the current and new replication synchronous source type.

  5. On the Switch asynchronous source page, verify the switch to the new replication type and click Switch.
  6. When the process completes, go to the consistency group details page to verify the change in asynchronous source.
Using the command-line interface
To change the periodic source with the command-line interface, complete these steps:
  1. Enter the ch3sitercconsistgrp -periodicsrc command to switch the periodic source.
    [root@ORCH-HOST cli]#  ch3sitercconsistgrp -periodicsrc AuxNear CG0

    The 050988 Configuration change requested by the last command has completed successfully event notification confirms that the procedure is successful. The 050990 Configuration change requested by the last command has failed event notification indicates that the procedure failed. Confirmation of the result of the command can be found in the event log. For more information, see Informational events.

  2. Enter the ls3sitercconsistgrp command to verify the periodic source change.
    [root@ORCH-HOST cli]# ls3sitercconsistgrp
name state            primary periodic_copy_source sync_copy_state         periodic_copy_state freeze_time cycle_period status
CG0  3site_consistent AuXNear AuxNear              consistent_synchronized stopped                         350          online
D
Using the management GUI
To stop replication in the management GUI, complete these steps:
  1. In the management GUI, select Copy Services > Remote Copy.
  2. On the 3-Site Partnership page, select a 3-site consistency group to open the details page for the group.
  3. Select Actions > Stop Group.
  4. Click Confirm.
  5. When the process completes, verify that graphic for the overall 3-site consistency group shows that asynchronous copy as stopped.
  6. Repeat these steps for all of the 3-site consistency groups in the 3-site partnership.
To exclude a site from a 3-site consistency group, complete these steps:
  1. In the management GUI, select Copy Services > Remote Copy.
  2. On the 3-Site Partnership page, select Actions > Exclude Site. When the site is excluded, the management GUI displays the Synchronous Link Stopped message in the Status details tile for the affected 3-site consistency groups. This status is removed when the site is rejoined to the consistency groups.
    Note: If the excluded site is the asynchronous source for 3-site consistency groups, the other near site becomes asynchronous source automatically until the site is joined back into the 3-site configuration. In addition, after the site is excluded the overall status for 3-site consistency groups becomes Asynchronous only after a near site is excluded.

Update the system software on each system.

To join the site back into the 3-site configuration, complete these steps:
  1. In the management GUI, select Copy Services > Remote Copy.
  2. On the 3-Site Partnership page, select Actions > Re-join Site. When the site is rejoined into the configuration, the Synchronous Link Stopped message in the Status details tile for the affected 3-site consistency groups is removed.
To start 3-site consistency groups, complete these steps:
  1. In the management GUI, select Copy Services > Remote Copy.
  2. On the details page for the 3-site partnership, select a 3-site consistency group to open the details page for the group.
  3. Select Actions > Start Group.
  4. Click Start.
Using the command-line interface
  1. Enter the stop3sitercconsistgrp command to stop replication on the auxiliary-far site.
  2. Enter the ch3sitercconsistgrp -exclude command to stop Metro Mirror replication to the auxiliary-near site.
  3. When the update is complete, enter the ch3sitercconsistgrp -join command on the auxiliary-near site to restart Metro Mirror replication.
  4. Enter the start3sitercconsistgrp command to start auxiliary-far site replication.