Problems due to mixed operating system levels in the cluster

Use the following guidelines to avoid problems due to mixed operating system levels in an IBM Storage Scale cluster.

For latest information about supported operating systems, see IBM Storage Scale FAQ in IBM® Documentation.

Verify that the installation toolkit is configured to operate only on supported nodes by using the following command:

./spectrumscale node list

If any of the listed nodes are of an unsupported OS type, then they need to be removed by using the following command:

./spectrumscale node delete node

If the node to be removed is an NSD node, then you might have to manually create NSDs and file systems before using the installation toolkit.

The installation toolkit does not need to be made aware of preexisting file systems and NSDs that are present on unsupported node types. Ensure that the file systems are mounted before running the installation toolkit and that they point at the mount points or directory structures.

For information about how the installation toolkit can be used in a cluster that has nodes with mixed operating systems, see Mixed operating system support with the installation toolkit.

Upgrades in a mixed OS cluster

Upgrades in a mixed OS cluster need to be performed carefully due to a mix of manual and automated steps. In this case, the installation toolkit can be made aware of a list of nodes that are running on supported OS that are to be upgraded. It can then upgrade these nodes. However, the remaining nodes need to be upgraded manually.