Backup-Archive Client Updates
Schedule the automatic installation of software updates for IBM Spectrum Protect backup-archive clients.
You can use the Operations Center to simultaneously update multiple clients at a scheduled time. This function is sometimes referred to as client deployment.
- Server requirements
- IBM Spectrum Protect servers must meet the following requirements:
- Hub and spoke servers must be running IBM Spectrum Protect V8.1.3 or later.
- Hub and spoke servers must have a high-level address and low-level address specified. You can configure these settings by using the SET SERVERHLADDRESS and SET SERVERLLADDRESS commands.
- The hub server must have a server password specified. You can configure this setting by using the SET SERVERPASSWORD command.
- The hub server must be defined to the spoke servers, and the certificate of the hub server must be added to the truststore file of each spoke server. You can manually exchange certificates between the hub and the spoke servers. For more information, see Securing communication between the hub server and a spoke server in the IBM Spectrum Protect documentation.
- The port that is specified by the RESTHTTPSPORT server option must be open to allow secure communication between the Operations Center and the hub server. The default port number is 8443.
- Spoke servers must have a directory-container storage pool or FILE storage pool available to store update packages. The Operations Center automatically selects a storage pool to use.
- Client requirements
- IBM Spectrum Protect backup-archive clients that you plan
to update through the Operations Center must meet the following requirements:
- The passwordaccess option must be set to generate.
- The autodeploy client option must be set to a value other than no. For more information about this option, see Autodeploy.
- 32-bit backup-archive clients are not supported. If a 32-bit backup-archive client is detected on a 64-bit operating system, it is upgraded to the 64-bit version.
- The client scheduler must be running.
- The client system must be running and the client must have connected to the IBM Spectrum Protect server at least once.
Microsoft Windows clients must meet the following additional requirements:- The client scheduler must be started as a Windows service and not from the command line. To minimize the chance of a restart, the scheduler service is shut down before the new client is installed, and restarted after the installation. If the scheduler is not run as a Windows service, a restart is required when the client is updated.
- The command-line version of the Windows registry utility (reg.exe) is required. This tool is generally installed as part of the operating system installation on supported Windows operating systems.
The Operations Center determines the software updates that are available by using a catalog file that is on an IBM website. The CLIENTDEPLOYCATALOGURL server option specifies the URL of the catalog file that is used. Update packages are automatically downloaded to the hub server, imported, and replicated to spoke servers. The number of available updates for each version depends on the number of major releases that are listed in the catalog file. The number of updates might also be limited by a configuration setting that specifies how many update packages are retained for each product version.
Before an update package can be installed, it must be downloaded to the hub server, imported, and replicated to the spoke servers. In rare cases, this process can take more than a day to complete. A status of "Preparing update packages" is shown until an update is ready to be scheduled.
query actlog search="update"The term release is used generally in the Operations Center to include fix packs, patches, and new product releases.
The following items are shown on the page:
- Repository Settings
- The first time you open the Backup-Archive Client Updates page, you must
specify where to store update packages and how many packages to retain. The directory location that
you specify is also used to store installation files that are imported from the update packages.
Choose a location that has at least 40 GB of free space available.
Tip: The number of packages that you choose to retain applies for each installed product version. If multiple versions are installed, ensure that enough space is available to store the specified number of packages.
You can later view or change these settings on the Updates page (
> Settings > Updates). - Installed
- Shows the number of backup-archive clients that have the specified software version installed.
- Releases
- Shows the number of updates that are available for each installed product version. The number of updates depends on how many major releases are listed in the catalog file that is used for automatic client deployment operations. Only the latest fix pack for each major release is available. The number of updates might also be limited by a configuration setting that specifies how many update packages the Operations Center retains for each product version.
- Scheduled
- Shows the number of clients for which an update installation is scheduled.
- Candidates
- Shows the number of clients that are eligible to be updated to the specified software version.
To be eligible, a client must meet the following requirements:
- The client system is running and the client has connected to the IBM Spectrum Protect server at least once.
- The platform of the client system and the installed client version level meet the update package requirements.
- Only the backup-archive client software is installed on the client system. Other IBM Spectrum Protect client software is not installed
For more information about using IBM Spectrum Protect commands, see the IBM Spectrum Protect documentation.