IBM Support

IT16632: SMBIOS versions higher than 2.8 are not supported by IBM Systems Director

 

APAR status

  • Closed as documentation error.

Error description

  • The highest version of System Management BIOS (SMBIOS) supported
by IBM Systems Director (ISD) is SMBIOS 2.8. Managing a system
with firmware that has been updated to an SMBIOS version that is
 higher than 2.8 may result in unexpected problems.

Impact:

There may be some unexpected issues if managing a system with
firmware that has been updated to an SMBIOS version that is
higher than 2.8.  For example the wmicpa.exe process within ISD
may crash. This may result in systems that are managed by ISD to
be improperly discovered.  In some cases the UUID may be
discovered in reverse Byte order, which when coupled with an
Out-of-Band discovery, may result in 2 different identifiers for
the same device thus causing confusion on which device ISD
should perform inventory management functions on.

Local fix

  • There is no usage change that will avoid this issue.

Problem summary

  • The latest version of System Management BIOS (SMBIOS) supported
by IBM Systems Director is SMBIOS 2.8.  Managing a system with
firmware that is updated to a SMBIOS version more recent than
2.8 may result in unexpected problems.

Currently, on this page of the IBM Systems Director Knowledge
Center:

http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SSAV7B_6.3.7/com.i
bm.director.plan.helps.doc/fqm0_r_hardware_requirements_for_runn
ing_agents.html

The information regarding supported SMBIOS version is not
documented correctly as follows:

? System Management BIOS (SMBIOS) 2.1 or later is required for
all x86-compatible systems in an IBM® Systems Director
environment.

This has been changed to:

? System Management BIOS (SMBIOS) version SMBIOS 2.8 or earlier
is required for all x86-based systems in an IBM® Systems
Director environment.

Platforms:

All x86 based systems.

Versions:

IBM Systems Director Platform Agent 6.3.5, 6.3.6 and 6.3.7.

Problem conclusion

  • Online documentation was changed

Temporary fix

  • 



Comments


    

  • 



APAR Information




    

  • APAR number
    IT16632
    • 

  • Reported component name
    IBM DIR AGT WIN
    • 

  • Reported component ID
    5765DRXWA
    • 

  • Reported release
    637
    • 

  • Status
    CLOSED  DOC
    • 

  • PE
    NoPE
    • 

  • HIPER
    NoHIPER
    • 

  • Special Attention
    NoSpecatt / Xsystem
    • 

  • Submitted date
    2016-08-26
    • 

  • Closed date
    2016-11-15
    • 

  • Last modified date
    2016-11-15
    • 





    

  • APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:
    

    • 

  • APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:
    

    • 



Fix information


    



Applicable component levels


    








      
              
                            

              

              [{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SUPPORT","label":"IBM Worldwide Support"},"Component":"","ARM Category":[],"Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"637","Edition":"","Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU058","label":"IBM Infrastructure w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SGZ2Z3","label":"IBM Systems Director"},"Component":"","ARM Category":[],"Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"637","Edition":"","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB35","label":"Mainframe SW"}}]
              

                                                                    

          
 
        

      

    

      

        

          

            
Document Information


            

            


                        

            Modified date:
            

            22 August 2022
            

            
                      

        


        

        


      

    

  



    

  

  
    
            

          
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