FSR Features and Upgrades - 5.2

PowerHA Tools for IBM i 5.2 is now available for all customers with a current maintenance contract. It has all the features and fixes from prior releases and adds the following:

• 58120: Support for FlashSystem Policy-based Replication

• 54908: Changes to support IBM i 7.5

• 53031: BRMS Exit Program Changes for 7.5

• 59763: CSM profile *CSMAUT

• 56361: New command: WRKCLDVOL

• 52509: SETUPFSR changes to control configuration migrations

• 46823: Support for iSCSI devices

• 55079: New command: STRCLDPVM

• 47287: CHKCSE checks if STRTCP is *YES

• 48045: APIs updated to support FlashSystem volume-group FlashCopy

• 51511: Better coverage for using the message queue specified in CSEDTA

• 59358: Flash system safeguarded sessions no longer require CSM

• 58835: QSTRUPPGM is not changed on flashcopy LPAR (CFGSTRPRSC must be added to client QSTRUP, calls multipath resetter)

• 58751: Don't delay for iCC transfer if iCC isn't installed

• 234684: Removed BRMS locking parameters (will use *FCNUSG and *SRCONLY)

The following features were added (or fixed) in the February 5th, 2024 build (20240205):

• 698538: Flashcopy doesn't remove userspace, preventing CFGSTRPRSC from running clean on source

• 685204: STR/CHKFSFLASH run on source should not try to release PowerHA licenses

• 678246: Add data exposure time parm to RTVCSMSSNS command

• 6788196: VGFC and SGC creating snapshots in wrong pool

• 678069: WRKCSE *SELECT for Volume fails when policy name contains a space

• 680745: Remove VGFC flash from PPRC target parameters

• 680745: Change Target Volume Pool to Target Snapshots Pool

• 684731: Print Java stack traces in select catch blocks

• 678195: CG FC mappings increment mix was only checked if the CG was running

• 666765: SVC Storage protection was counting backwards

• 666518: More log messages related to VGFC and PBR.

• 625627: Add more log files to DMPINF

• 461964: PowerVS API URL errors in SYD

• 503146: Improve Java JSON parsing messages

• 46853: Backup IDs on WRKSGCCPY need to be sorted

• 448932: Some 4.6 CSEDTA's weren't readable by 5.2

• 451494: Cal't call registered exit progrmas with program data

• 368771: CHKFSFLASH with bad RCCG results in MCH6902

• 234836: STRFSFLASH on source received CPF9E11

• 369619: STRSGCPY invalid check for inactive PPRC

• 368442: FSFC SVC WRKCSE opt 12 opt 17 doesn't show correct ID or allow changing copy rates

• 234795: WRKCSE opt 12 DS8K FC F8 wasn't working

• 234590: STRSGCPY should issue escape message if it fails

• 193104: VGFC SGC recovery pool ID defaults to 16448 (and it shouldn't)

• 185585: Remote VGFC wasn't monitoring PCYGM

• 184477: WRKCSE opt 1 needs to check input parameter for storage type

• 66009: Validation of VGFC CSE when CSE has no hosts defined should fail

• 61091: SGC groups issues IAS2026 when it shouldn't

The following features were added (or fixed) in the June 25th, 2024 build (20240205):

• 685192: Add PBR target flashcopy capabilities using environment variable

• 698378: Add checkpoint support for PBR

• 698598: Add SGC and DB2M license checks to RUNDSCMD

• 699156: Add REST retry logic for HTTP 429

• 699018: SVC REST token expires while waiting for replication to catch up

• 699268: Change detach for PBR to do chvolumegroupreplication -startrecoverytest

• 699534: Port 8453 is deprecated, use 443 instead

• 699550: Use *DS8K, *HMC and *SVC on wrkcsecrdl validate instad of *SSH and *REST

• 699565: SVC REST - warn if snapshotpreverseparent is set to NO

• 699566: Request PBR checkpoint - wait for next PCY checkpoint to be acheived

• 699910: handle HTTP 504 (gateway timeout errors) for SVC REST

• 700004: DMPINF does not handle PBR or VGFC environments correctly

• 705328: IPLLPAR should send an escale message if the IPL times out

• 705345: WRKCLDVOL disk field expanded to 32 characters

• 705861: Detached PBR FSR GMIR should prevent VGFC FSFC from starting

• 705866: Setting QIBM_FSFC_JAVA_FILE to a null string causes RunSsshTunnel class to fail

• 706056: FSR LUN check of FSR enviornment using CSM fails

• 715074: CHKCSE on production LPAR did not recognize combined FSFC+FSR license key for PowerVS

• 715075: PowerVS Java timeout too short for slow networks

The following features were added (or fixed) in the September 25th, 2024 build (20240925):

• 719154: FSR DS8K unknown replication type

• 720357: WRKCLDVOL cannot reliably show boot volume status

• 715143: PVS Detach must tolerate volume already detached

• 722102: PowerVS planned switch needs to update both sites

The following features were added (or fixed) in the December 4th, 2024 build (20241125):

• 719713: Update the PowerVS boot volume permissions

• 724335: Pause DS8K PPRC prior to stopping to prevent SNMP errors

• 724555: WRKCLDVOL should allow deletion of volumes in error status

• 724658: WRKCLDVOL MCH3601 if no rccg

• 723277: CHKCSE and SWCSE needs to fail if flashcopy userspace exists

• 723789: CHKCSE / SWCSE needs to check for cloudinit

• 724597: WRKCLDVOL volume create must allow specifying the volume pool

• 723240: RTVLPARSRC and IPLLPAR improvements

• 289576: Updates to support Detach and PCYGM

• 726394: STRFSFLASH times out too early waiting for target to connect

• 723622: Allow compatibility with *FC and *TGTF

The following features were added (or fixed) in the December 19th, 2024 build (20241125):

• 727297: FSR IPL with LASTCONFIG does not start job scheduler entry

• 726394: STRFSFLASH times out too early waiting for target to connect

• 727609: PCYGM Detach no longer requires warning message

The following features were added (or fixed) in the February 27th, 2025 build (20250227):

• 730377: DDD locks aren't showing which job holds it

• 731564: WRKSTRPRSC needs to handle VLAN id'sn

• 728760: Fixed 16 char password issues for some instances

• 730077: Dynamically create DSCLI classpaths (compatibility with 7.9.42.46+)

• 728393: Enhanced logging of licenses

• 729622: Better FSR direction logging

• 714744: PowerVS doens't consistently use attended IPL on detach

The following features were added (or fixed) in the March 26th, 2025 build (20250326):

• 732393: 5.2 ctl and 4.6 source gets mac errors on chkcse

• 733159: Incorrectly running DSCLI for DS8K Global Mirror when CSM is checked

• 733126: Update fiber adapters numbers to PHAT tool kit

• 732515: QZRDWRTCDT API Licensing error

• 732513: DS8K volume ranges always errors on field 47

• 730197: Deal with API KEYs with dashes

The following features were added (or fixed) in the September 29th, 2025 build (20250929):

• 742887: IBM i 7.6 compatibility updates

• 733967: FS REST API's need to work with FS SSL set to level 6

• 729674: Add into the chkpprc routine a call to lsession for both directions if CSM is marked as *YES, and if a session exists, the secondary volumes are not allowed to be '-'

• 734375: FSR PowerVS volume group names > 10 chars run into each other

• 716818: New command to issue generic REST command to FlashSystem

• 734868: Cloud-init not properly disabled

• 729822: Add LPAR profile *CURRENT

• 735207: Update STOPLPAR to specify type of user role ( *USER, *CSM, *CSMAUT )

• 735477: WRKCSE volume import with bad credentials needs a better message

• 733159: Incorrectly running DSCLI for DS8K Global Mirror when CSM is checked

• 731856: On WRKCSE opt 16, add 'suppress host offline alerts' for flash systems

• 735662: Create procedure to trigger ds8k script rewrite in qzrdiastrp

• 734034: FSR PBR shouldn't use consistent/inconsistent status.

• 716845: LUN switch doesn't work with latest PCYBSD HA code

• 730056: After setupfs* display the build date

• 737324: PowerVS onboarding log enhancements

• 738517: Extend openJava2Tunnel method's buffer from 2000 to 4000

• 738656: listASPnumbers does not list the ASP numbers

• 738999: CFGSTRPRSC remove license requirements

• 731564: WRKSTRPRSC needs to handle VLAN id's

• 368693: Support HMC profile *current

• 734753: Check PPRC state before changing it

• 722906: Changes to startup program CFGSTRPRSC call

• 740718: Update QZRDRTVCSE and QZRDWRTCSE to use vgfc pprc fields

• 729506: Create an API which returns lists of toolkit things

• 739825: Add additional delays when getting "too many requests" from SVC using REST

Upgrading to 5.2 is only recommended from version 4.6 or 5.1 - upgrading from any other build or release will require manually recreating all WRKCSE, WRKCSEDTA and WRKCSECRDL entries. Use the following command to display the build date:

DSPDTAARA DTAARA(QZRDHASM/BUILD)

All the controllers and source LPARs in a cluster must be at the same version (i.e. 5.2). We strongly recommend that they also all be at the same build date. The version and build date is stored in data area QZRDHASM/BUILD.

The 5.2 controllers will support non-cluster source LPARs running at 4.6, 5.1 or 5.2, which facilitates upgrading source LPARs in stages - however, if a 5.2 controller is at an October 2024 build or newer the source LPAR should also be at an October 2024 build or newer too (whether 4.6 or 5.2).

Firewall changes may be necessary between the controllers and FlashSystem / Storwize units. In version 5.2 of the toolkit, communications with Storwize / FlashSystem units changes from ssh to REST API's which use port 7443.

1. Upgrade the controllers to 4.6
2. Ensure no SWCSE commands are in process.
3. End the toolkit subsystem:

   
   ENDSBS QZRDFSR *IMMED

4. Generate a text file with all of the WRKCSE / WRKCSEDTA information:

   
   QZRDHASM/DMPINF ENV(*ALL) EXTDLOGS(*NO)

5. Save the DDD information:

   
   MKDIR '/tmp/ddd46backups'
   QZRDHASM/SAVDDD PATH('/tmp/ddd46backups')

6. On each controller, issue the restore command:

   
   RSTLIB SAVLIB(QZRDHASM) DEV(*SAVF) SAVF(QGPL/QZRDHASM52) MBROPT(*ALL) ALWOBJDIF(*ALL) OMITOBJ((QZRDHASM/*ALL *DTAQ))

7. Update to the most recent Secure Java jar file (not required for PowerVS):
   Download it from here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/jsch/files/jsch.jar/0.1.55/jsch-0.1.55.jar/download
   Place it on all controllers in /QIBM/Qzrdhasm/ssh/
   Then update the links:

   RMVLNK OBJLNK('/QIBM/Qzrdhasm/jsch.jar') 
   ADDLNK NEWLNK('/QIBM/Qzrdhasm/ssh/jsch.jar') OBJ('/QIBM/Qzrdhasm/ssh/jsch-0.1.55.jar') 

8. On each controlling partition issue the setup command:

   
   SETUPFSR NODEROLE(*CTL) MIGRATE(*YES)