FSFC Features and Upgrades - 5.2

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

• 58120: Support for FlashSystem volume-group Flashcopy

• 53031: BRMS Exit Program Changes for 7.5

• 59763: CSM profile *CSMAUT

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

• 37482: Only show IBM i LPARs when prompting the HMC

• 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)

• 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: Can't call registered exit programs 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):

• 678209: Add backup id to msg IAS1507

• 698437: WRKCSE flash from PPRC target fails to expand options

• 698534: Update QZRDSGCAP for Ver 2

• 698598: Add SGC and DB2M license checks to RUNDSCMD

• 698880: Toolkit fails to interpret output from pcloud-v2-volumesclone-getall API

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

• 699156: Add REST retry logic for HTTP 429

• 699425: Do not include CSEDTA name when deriving FSFC snapshot names

• 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

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

• 699929: PowerVS FC needs an option to remove target volumes from a consistency set and stop replication on them

• 700004: Option 14 on WRKSGCPY for VGFC volumes is still looking for volume pool tagged with safeguard_copy

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

• 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

• 706114: Added command RSTJOBSCDE to restore held job scheduler entries

• 706317: Before failing FSFC lock requiest, verify job exists and is active, and fix up RLSCSELCK

• 706634: Fix FC source IPL process, remove need for *FC entry in wrkstrprsc

• 707849: freeHostConnection should check for nul connections pointer

• 708255: Flashcopy Manager Operations missign from display for VGFC CSE

• 708508: MCH3402 in logMessage called from getLock

• 713181: FSFC needs to clear TMRESERVE fields for *CHGONLY

• 713304: VGFC matching load source volume to host tagged for IO

• 713849: PowerVS volumes-clone improvements to cleaning up failed clones

• 714809: DSPCLDCLN prompting on APIKEY without having API keys defined caused MCH0601

• 715075: PowerVS Java timeout too short for slow networks

• 715143: PowerVS Detach tolerates volumes already detached

• 715176: MCH0601 from SBMPHATPGM when sending *CHGONLY BRMS from target to source

The following features were added (or fixed) in the August 8th, 2024 build (20240808):

• 125881: FVT minor errors

• 678105: CRTOUTQ errors in src.log

• 706176: Calls to Cloud API's should have the option to be more resilient to timeouts

• 713304: FSFC VGFC must match load source with tagged vFC

• 715143: PVS Detach must tolerate volume already detached

• 717571: PowerVS changes to setBoot

• 719154: FSR DS8K unknown replication type

• 713849: PVS FSFC Execute - use rollbackprepare, prelim use of flash tier

• 718318: PowerVS FSFC should use the parameter targetReplicationEnabled when creating clones

• 718561: WRKCLDVOL should block deleting volumes which are replicating

• 716778: RUNSVCCMD and 8.7.0.0 don't play nice

• 713524: IASP VGFC requires isVgfcTarget to be initialized

• 717020: WRKSGCPY fails if no copies present

• 66123: Validation of VGFC csedta when CSE defines non-existing target pool id should fail

• 720357: WRKCLDVOL cannot reliably show boot volume status

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

• 722102: PowerVS planned switch needs to update both sites

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

• 721201: BRMS xfer sometimes gets recv() error target

• 719713: Update the PowerVS boot volume permissions

• 709528: When saving BRMS on the target, specify TGTRLS(*CURRENT)

• 723622: Allow compatibility with *FC and *TGTF

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

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

• 713405: QZRDIAEXT2::checkThings needs to accept license 99

• 705815: BRMS Xfer occurs too soon after cloud backups

• 719064: FSFC VG Flashcopy from PPRC target

• 725493: FSFC VGFC flashes into the wrong pool

• 723421: FSFC must block concurrent uploads and quiesce

• 723240: RTVLPARSRC and IPLLPAR improvements

• 723004: STRSFLASH stuck waiting for flash at 0000000

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

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

• 727187: Various VGFC fixes

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

• 731545: QZ_FSFC_UPTIME_HOURS does not work when target is in restricted state

• 731479: WRKCSE opt 16 change label 'Production host' to 'Host name' to avoid confusion

• 728394: Allow for remote storage tier parameter for an FSFC CSE

• 730776: Flash copy is failing due to the unavailability of the primary IP.

• 728760: Fixed 16 char password issues for some instances

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

• 730524: Better VGFC logging

• 729364: FSFC IPL needs to reset offline asps too.

• 728779: WRKCSE opt 16 FSFC help text incorrectly specifies 'prod' when it should be generic.

• 728393: Enhanced logging of licenses

• 728252: Do not call exit pgm *FINISH on source before IPL

• 727801: FSFC *CHGONLY needs to turn off brms flashcopy state before locking down fcnusg

• 727857: Accommodate BRMS change from *PRTF to *PRTQ

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

• 733686: Toolkit must recognize that network feature is in BR2

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

• 732625: VGFC with tagged LS isn't using all the connections

• 732088: Handle BRMS functional ID if removed when ENDFSFLASH *RSTFCNUSG is run

• 732515: QZRDWRTCDT API Licensing error

• 732513: DS8K volume ranges always errors on field 47

• 732166: Add mpath reset to the *FC leg in cfgstrprsc

• 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

• 742021: Virtual tape device failed to vary on due to another device in use (when trying to restore BRMS to PROD in FSFC)

• 743184: PowerVS FSFC was not honoring storage tier on WRKCSE

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

• 734220: Reduce size requirements on *CHGONLY BRMS XFER

• 734377: When virtual tape IP ISCSI address is Specified as not '*NONE' IP is not Copied in the CSE Data

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

• 734507: PowerVS FSFC needs to be able to bail after clone execution and not cancel.

• 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

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

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

• 730056: After setupfs* display the build date

• 738310: Add RSTLIB(*SAVLIB) to the restore of libraries

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

• 738999: CFGSTRPRSC remove license requirements

• 739495: Update FSFC controller to ignore HSCLA9D6 when IPLing the FC LPAR

• 731564: WRKSTRPRSC needs to handle VLAN id's

• 368693: Support HMC profile *current

• 739657: SGC *LAST is not selecting the last one

• 742470: FSFC from MMIR target stops RCCG before quies

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

• 728760: Storage passwords don't work if 16 characters.

• 739758: Configure a delay before IPL'ing the FC target

• 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 release will require manually re-creating all WRKCSE, WRKCSEDTA and WRKCSECRDL entries. Use the following command to display the version and 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.

Use WRKCSE opt 2 to update any FSFC environments using FlashCopy from FlashSystem MMIR targets. Add the source device IP and consistency group. This will enable the toolkit to pause replication before a FlashCopy to prevent torn pages.

1. Ensure the controllers are at 4.6 or 5.1 before proceeding.
2. Ensure no STRFSFLASH or STRFLASH or 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(*COMPATIBLE) OMITOBJ((QZRDHASM/*ALL *DTAQ))

7. Update to the most recent Secure Java JAR file.
   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 if a new jar file is downloaded:

   RMVLNK OBJLNK('/QIBM/Qzrdhasm/ssh/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:

   
   QZRDHASM/SETUPFSFC NODEROLE(*CTL) MIGRATE(*YES)