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"viosupgrade" Checklist for Upgrading Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) from 2.2.6.65 to 3.1

Question & Answer


Question

I need to upgrade my PowerVM Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) to version 3.1 because version 2.2.x reached End of Support.
There are three methods available for upgrading to version 3.1
  1. Method #1 - Use viosupgrade tool on the Virtual I/O Server partition (for non-NIM users)
  2. Method #2 - Use viosupgrade AIX NIM tool (for NIM users)
  3. Method #3 - Use the manual upgrade method, which involves 3 tasks
    1. Manually back up the VIOS metadata by using the viosbr -backup command
    2. Install VIOS 3.1 via AIX NIM Server, Flash Storage, or Hardware Management Console (HMC)
    3. Restore the VIOS metadata by using the viosbr -restore command
NOTE
viosupgrade tool is included in 2.2.6.30 and above.  The enhancement version of this tool available as interim fix at
  • viosupgVIO.200807.epkg.Z
  • IBM recommends installing this interim fix at 2.2.6.65 before doing the VIOS upgrade.
This document provides a checklist of recommendations to consider in order to prepare a PowerVM Virtual I/O Server to be upgraded from version 2.2.6.65 to 3.1 using viosupgrade tool.
The upgrade to version 3.1 is considered a major upgrade as it involves doing a new and fresh installation.  Therefore, carefully review the checklist below, as well as miscellaneous information and unsupported upgrade scenarios before performing the upgrade.
For cross-product compatibility information and fix recommendations, refer to the Fix Level Recommendation Tool (FLRT) - Power System Recommendations.

Cause

I need to upgrade the Virtual I/O Server to version 3.1 because my current version reached End of Support.

Answer

"viosupgrade" Checklist
SYSTEM REQUIREMENT
Complete
= X
 COMMENTS
VIOS version 3.1.3 requires Power8 or later.
For more details on VIOS and system compatibility information, refer to the System Software Maps for PowerVM Virtual I/O Server.
Ensure Power system requirement is met before proceeding to the VIOS Requirements.
Note 1:  VIOS 3.1 is not supported on Power7 and older hardware. 
Note 2:  Only VIOS versions 3.1.0, 3.1.1, and 3.1.2 are supported on Power7+ ("D" models, such as 9117-MMD). 
For more details about your system type and model, search here for your system sales manual.
Note 3: Early versions of VIOS 3.1 have reached End of Service Pack Support (EoSPS).  IBM recommends upgrading from 2.2.6.65 to a 3.1 version that is fully supported.  See VIOS Lifecycle for details.
VIOS REQUIREMENTS
Complete
= X
 COMMENTS
1. VIOS 3.1 installation software
(VIOS entitlement verification required)
See:
  1. How to Obtain Installation Software for PowerVM Virtual I/O Server
  2. How to build the mksysb file for VIOS 3.1 Migration / Installation?
2. Spare disk(s) needed as the viosupgrade process will create a disk clone of the original 2.2.6 VIOS rootvg.
If the current VIOS rootvg is mirrored, it can be temporarily unmirrored and removed from rootvg to be used for the alternate disk install.
See unmirrorios and reducevg commands for more details.
To remirror, click here.
3. For minimum VIOS 2.2.6 level required, see Recommended upgrade paths to VIOS version 3.1
MUST READ if your current 2.2.6.X release date is newer than the release date of the 3.1 version you want to upgrade to.
4. A custom mksysb image is required with viosupgrade -a option if additional software was installed at 2.2.6.
The additional software may include (but it is not limited to):
  • IBM approved applications for VIOS, such as third party multipath software needed to configure SAN storage (e.g. EMC powerpath) OR
  • Software installed from the VIOS Expansion Pack.
VIOS Storage Prerequisite
Ensure the SAN Storage Mulitpath Software installed at 2.2.6 is supported at the VIOS 3.1.X version that you plan to upgrade to before creating the custom mksysb
  • Note 1:  SDDPCM reached end of support as noted at How To Migrate SDDPCM to AIXPCM.  Therefore, it is not supported in VIOS 3.1. 
  • Note 2:  Third party multipath software must be updated to the latest version before the VIOS upgrade.  Contact the Storage Vendor for more details
  • Note 3:  Remove any Storage Multipath Software installed at 2.2.6 that is no longer used before creating the custom mksysb
To create the custom mksysb:
  1. Do a new, clean install of VIOS 3.1 on a dummy Virtual I/O Server partition
  2. Install the additional software.
  3. Create the custom mksysb using backupios:
$ backupios -file filename.mksysb -mksysb
This is the image that will need to be used with viosupgrade command.
5. Use viosupgrade with -g option to restore customized files.
viosupgrade tool does a New and Complete installation.  Consequently, any customized configurations that might exist on the currently running system before the installation starts (including the time zone), are not included in the new installation image. You must save and backup any customized configurations before running the viosupgrade command and restore them after the installation completes.
  • Note: Device numbers (ent#, hdisk#, fcs#, etc) will be reconfigured sequentially after the viosupgrade. For example, if before the upgrade you had hdisk0, hdisk1, and hdisk4, after the upgrade, you may see hdisk0, hdisk1, and hdisk2, where hdisk2 is the old hdisk4 before upgrade.
The viosbr backup and restore commands handle only the configurations related to the virtual I/O. The viosupgrade command provides the -g option to save the required configuration files from the currently installed image to the new VIOS image. 
Related resource:
6. Determine if there are logical volumes configured in VIOS rootvg and used as backing devices for virtual SCSI disks.
 Rootvg LV backed vSCSI disk backup restore not supported.
7. If the VIOS is part of a Shared Storage Pool cluster, you must use viosupgrade with -c option.  Click here for unsupported scenarios.
Note 1: viosupgrade should not be done if "Node Upgrade Status" is UP_LEVEL
$ cluster -status -clustername <CLUSTER_NAME> -verbose
Note 2: After viosupgrade completes and the VIOS boots from the 3.1 disk, do not boot back from the old 2.2 disk if you encounter any issues.  Contact your local IBM SupportLine Representative for investigation.
8. If the VIOS is not part of a Shared Storage Pool cluster, refer to the Related Resources section below.

 

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Document Information

Modified date:
18 July 2023

UID

ibm16258119

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