OB1110_082 / FW1110.00 Release Notes

Fix Readme

Abstract

This document provides information about the installation of Licensed Machine or Licensed Internal Code, which is sometimes referred to generically as microcode or firmware.

This package provides firmware for IBM Power System S1122 (9824-22A), IBM Power System S1124 (9824-42A), IBM Power System L1122 (9856-22H) and IBM Power System L1124 (9856-42H) servers only.

Release notes for OB1110_082 / FW1110.00

Read the following important information for this first release of Power 11 firmware.

ISSUE: eBMC with Static IPs
Details: eBMC with static IPs will fail to communicate to the HMC and allow access when a gateway is specified and the network connection doesn't have a router (in other words, BMC and HMC are directly connected or only connected to a local shared switch).
Avoid the issue: Use DHCP. For static IPs do either : (1) leave/set the default gateway at 0.0.0.0 when setting up the initial network configuration on the eBMC (2) Only connect HMC to BMC ETH1
Recovery: When using static IPs, set the default gateway of 0.0.0.0 in ASMI network interface/connection. This requires physical presence at the system via link local access to the eBMC.

Content

Minimum HMC Code Level

This section is intended to describe the "Minimum HMC Code Level" required by the System Firmware to complete the firmware installation process. When installing the System Firmware, the HMC level must be equal to or higher than the "Minimum HMC Code Level" before starting the system firmware update. If the HMC managing the server targeted for the System Firmware update is running a code level lower than the "Minimum HMC Code Level" the firmware update will not proceed.

The Minimum HMC Code levels for this firmware for HMC x86, ppc64 or ppc64le are listed below:

x86 - This term is used to reference the Virtual HMC appliance that runs on x86 with hypervisors KVM, XEN, VMWare ESXi.

ppc64 or ppc64le - Describes the Linux code that is compiled to run on Power-based Hardware appliance or PowerVM based LPARS (Logical Partitions).

The Minimum HMC Code level for this firmware is: HMC V11.1.1110.0 (V11R1M1110).
The Minimum HMC Code level for vHMC is: V11.1.1110.0 (V11R1M1110). Download of the Power Hardware Management Virtual Appliance (vHMC) install images for x86 hypervisors and PowerVM are available at the Entitled Systems Support site (ESS).

The Minimum HMC level supports the following HMC models:

HMC models: 7063-CR2
x86 - KVM, XEN, VMWare ESXi (7.0.2 and 8.0.3)
ppc64le - vHMC on PowerVM (POWER9, POWER10 and Power11 systems)

For information concerning HMC releases and the latest PTFs, go to Fix Central.

For specific fix level information on key components of IBM Power Systems running the AIX, IBM i and Linux operating systems, we suggest using the Fix Level Recommendation Tool (FLRT).

NOTES:
- You must be logged in as hscroot in order for the firmware installation to complete correctly.
- Systems Director Management Console (SDMC) does not support this System Firmware level.

Important Information

Concurrent Firmware Updates

Concurrent system firmware update is supported on HMC Managed Systems only.

Ensure that there are no RMC connections issues for any system partitions prior to applying the firmware update. If there is an RMC connection failure to a partition during the firmware update, the RMC connection will need to be restored and additional recovery actions for that partition will be required to complete partition firmware updates.

Memory Considerations for Firmware Upgrades

Firmware Release Level upgrades and Service Pack updates may consume additional system memory.

Server firmware requires memory to support the logical partitions on the server. The amount of memory required by the server firmware varies according to several factors.

Factors influencing server firmware memory requirements include the following:

Number of logical partitions
Partition environments of the logical partitions
Nhumber of physical and virtual I/O devices used by the logical partitions
Maximum memory values given to the logical partitions

Generally, you can estimate the amount of memory required by server firmware to be approximately 8% of the system installed memory. The actual amount required will generally be less than 8%. However, there are some server models that require an absolute minimum amount of memory for server firmware, regardless of the previously mentioned considerations.

Additional information is at: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/power11/9824-42A?topic=resources-memory

SBE Updates

These Power servers contain SBEs (Self Boot Engines) that are used to boot the system. SBE is internal to each of the Power chips and used to "self boot" the chip. The SBE image is persistent and is only reloaded if there is a system firmware update that contains an SBE change. If there is an SBE change and the system firmware update is concurrent, then the SBE update is delayed to the next IPL of the CEC which will cause an additional 3-5 minutes per processor chip in the system to be added onto the IPL. If there is an SBE change and the system firmware update is disruptive, the SBE update will cause an additional 3-5 minutes per processor chip in the system to be added onto the IPL. During the SBE update process, the HMC or op-panel will display service processor code C1C3C213 for each of the SBEs being updated. This is a normal progress code and the system boot should not be terminated by the user. Additional time estimate can be between 12-20 minutes per drawer or up to 48-80 minutes for maximum configuration.

Firmware Information

Use the following examples as a reference to determine whether your installation will be concurrent or disruptive.

For systems that are not managed by an HMC, the installation of system firmware is always disruptive.

Note: The concurrent levels of system firmware may, on occasion, contain fixes that are known as Deferred and/or Partition-Deferred. Deferred fixes can be installed concurrently, but will not be activated until the next IPL. Partition-Deferred fixes can be installed concurrently, but will not be activated until a partition reactivate is performed. Deferred and/or Partition-Deferred fixes, if any, will be identified in the "Firmware Information and Description" table of this document. For these types of fixes (Deferred and/or Partition-Deferred) within a service pack, only the fixes in the service pack which cannot be concurrently activated are deferred.

Note: The file names and service pack levels used in the following examples are for clarification only, and are not necessarily levels that have been, or will be released.

System firmware file naming convention:

01O?xxxx_yyy_zzz

where:

"?" is the second letter in the system type (OK, OF, OB for Power 11)
xxxx is the release level
yyy is the service pack level
zzz is the last disruptive service pack level

NOTE: Values of service pack and last disruptive service pack level (yyy and zzz) are only unique within a release level (xxxx). For example, 01O?1110_040_040 and 01O?1120_040_040 are different service packs.

An installation is disruptive if:

The release levels (xxxx) are different.
Example: Currently installed release is O?1110_040_040, new release is O?1120_040_040.
The service pack level (yyy) and the last disruptive service pack level (zzz) are the same.
Example: O?1110_040_040 is disruptive, no matter what level of O?1110 is currently installed on the system.
The service pack level (yyy) currently installed on the system is lower than the last disruptive service pack level (zzz) of the service pack to be installed.
Example: Currently installed service pack is O?1110_040_040 and new service pack is O?1110_050_045.

An installation is concurrent if:

The release level (xxxx) is the same, and
The service pack level (yyy) currently installed on the system is the same or higher than the last disruptive service pack level (zzz) of the service pack to be installed.

Example: Currently installed service pack is O?1110_040_040, new service pack is O?1110_041_040.

Firmware Information and Description

Filename	01OB1110_082_082.img
Size	308434096
Checksum	41784
sha256sum	93fc337415108605c73dc9ace90bfbb02182814e2f406d78cc3931fd07cd903c

Filename	01OB1110_082_082.tar
Size	205680640
Checksum	53252
sha256sum	fe9a934225aa7fa3dfb581ad3d9fc74fc2106249f32c6912ed92897d14c7b36c

Note: The Checksum can be found by running the AIX sum command against the img file (only the first 5 digits are listed).
Example: sum 01OB1110_082_082.img

OB1110 For Impact, Severity and other Firmware definitions, please refer to this Glossary of firmware terms.
OB1110_082_082 / FW1110.00	Impact: New Severity: New GA Level with key features listed below New Features and Functions Support was added to improve IPL times. Support was added to improve LPAR Boot Performance. Support was added for spare cores. Support was added to increase DDR5 memory speeds. Support was added for resource groups. Support was added for Quantum Safe Secure Boot and LPM. Support was added for "Energy-efficient Mode" available on the HMC/ASMI. Support was added for eBMC LLDP. Support was added for eBMC Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). This server firmware includes new adapter support for PCIe5 x16 2-port 200 GbE capable RoCE adapter (FC EC85 and FC EC86; CCIN EC2C), Please find more details here: PCIe5 x16 2-port 200 GbE RoCE adapter (FC EC85 and FC EC86; CCIN EC2C) This server firmware includes the SR-IOV adapter firmware level 28.42.1000 for the following Feature Codes and CCINs: EC85/EC86 with CCIN EC2C; xx.42.1000 for EC71/EC72 with CCIN 2CF9 and EN24/EN26 with CCIN EC2A and EC75/EC76 with CCIN 2CFB This server firmware includes the SR-IOV adapter firmware level xx.32.1010 for the following Feature Codes and CCINs: EC2R/EC2S with CCIN 58FA; EC2T/EC2U with CCIN 58FB

How to Determine The Currently Installed Firmware Level

You can view the server's current firmware level on the Advanced System Management Interface (ASMI) Overview page under the System Information section in the Firmware Information panel. Example: (OB1110_082)

Downloading the Firmware Package

Follow the instructions on Fix Central. You must read and agree to the license agreement to obtain the firmware packages.

Note: If your HMC is not internet-connected, you must download the new firmware level to a USB flash memory device or ftp server.

Installing the Firmware

The method used to install new firmware depends on the release level of firmware which is currently installed on your server. The release level can be determined by the prefix of the new firmware's filename.

Example: 01O?xxxx_yyy_zzz

where:

"?" is the second letter in the system type (OK, OF, OB for Power 11)
xxxx is the release level

If the release level will stay the same, this is considered an update. (Example: Level O?1110_040_040 is currently installed and you are attempting to install level O?1110_041_040.)

If the release level will change, this is considered an upgrade. (Example: Level O?1110_040_040 is currently installed and you are attempting to install level O?1120_050_050.)

Instructions for installing firmware updates and upgrades are at:
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/power11/9824-22A?topic=support-getting-fixes

IBM i Systems

For information concerning IBM i Systems, go to Fix Central.

Choose "Select product", under Product Group specify "System i", under Product specify "IBM i", then Continue and specify the desired firmware PTF accordingly.

HMC and NovaLink Co-Managed Systems (Disruptive firmware updates only)

A co-managed system is managed by HMC and NovaLink, with one of the interfaces in the co-management master mode.
Additional information is at:
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/power11/9824-22A?topic=environment-powervm-novalink

Then the firmware updates can proceed with the same steps as for the HMC managed systems except the system must be powered off because only a disruptive update is allowed. If a concurrent update is attempted, the following error will occur: "HSCF0180E Operation failed for <system name> (<system mtms>)." Additional information is at:
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/power11/9824-22A?topic=support-getting-fixes

Firmware History

The complete Firmware Fix History (including HIPER descriptions) for this Release level can be reviewed at:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7240040

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