Troubleshooting
Problem
The HMC GUI offers several repositories including removable media, FTP (local server), or IBM Web site or service connections. This document outlines an alternative method that requires only SSH access to the HMC. It uses secure copy to transfer the code to a temporary directory on the HMC hard drive and then updates from the temporary directory on the HMC.
Resolving The Problem
The HMC GUI offers several repositories including removable media, FTP (local server), or IBM Web site for performing a firmware update or upgrade. This document outlines an alternative method that requires only SSH access to the HMC. This method allows a user to "retrieve" the server firmware using SSH secure copy prior to the update/upgrade then update/upgrade later using the hard drive target directory as the repository. It does not require any special user authorities (such as root).
Note: The HMC documentation states that the mount point should be a remote mountpoint or removable media; however, the mount point location is not currently enforced allowing the local hard drive to be used. Although this is allowed for Version 7.7.2 and earlier, a future version or fix pack of HMC may restrict the command.
The alternative method that requires only SSH access to the HMC follows:
| 1. | Obtain the xml and rpm files Obtain the xml and rpm files for the desired code update using one of the methods described in the IBM Web site iSeries Recommended Fixes - Server Firmware: Update Policy Set to HMC |
| 2. | Use secure copy to transfer the files to /tmp Find the location of the PuTTY directory or the pscp.exe file on your PC. In the example below, the pscp file is in the putty directory. Use secure copy to copy the xml and rpm files to the /tmp directory on the HMC. With the latest version of PuTTY's secure copy tool, if the “PuTTY” directory is located on your drive C:\ the syntax would be as follows: C:\putty\pscp -scp <xxyyy*> hscroot@<hmc>:/tmp where: <xxyyy*> is the file name. Later versions of pscp allow a wildcard to copy multiple files at once; for example, EM340_075*. <hmc> is the HMC host name or IP address. Example C:\putty\pscp -scp 01SF240_358* hscroot@11.22.333.44:/tmp Access denied Using keyboard-interactive authentication. Password: 01SF240_358_201.rpm | 15004 kB | 3751.1 kB/s | ETA: 00:00:00 | 100% 01SF240_358_201.xml | 87 kB | 87.0 kB/s | ETA: 00:00:00 | 100%Use secure copy to transfer the files to /tmp |
| 3. | Confirm the files are found using lslic command Use the lslic command to confirm that the HMC detects the code. Specify the options -r mountpoint -d /tmp where /tmp is the directory that contains the xml and rpm files. In the following example, /tmp contains two levels: one disruptive and one concurrent: Example lslic -m CS6520 -t sys -r mountpoint -d /tmp lic_type=Managed System,management_status=Enabled,disabled_reason=,activated_level=338,installed_level=338,accepted_level=338,ecnumber=01SF240, concurrent_retrievable_level=358, disruptive_retrievable_level=382, mtms=9406-520*103E8FE,retrievable_release=None,deferred_level=None,platform_ipl_level=338,curr_level_primary=338,curr_ecnumber_primary=01SF240,curr_power_on_side_primary=temp,pend_power_on_side_primary=temp,temp_level_primary=338,temp_ecnumber_primary=01SF240,perm_level_primary=338,perm_ecnumber_primary=01SF240,update_control_primary=HMC |
| 4. | Update from the temporary files using updlic command Note: This still can take 15-60+ minutes for the firmware to finish and for a command line to return. The HMC should not be restarted during this time. Update or upgrade the server firmware using the updlic command with the options -r mountpoint -d /tmp where /tmp is the directory that contains the xml and rpm files. Note that additional parameters such as -l allow the user to pick the level should there be more then one version of firmware in the directory. See "man updlic" for further information. This example includes a switch to specify that only the latest available concurrent update should be applied. updlic -m CS6520 -o a -t sys -r mountpoint -l latestconcurrent -d /tmp This example is for a disruptive upgrade to the specified level. updlic -o u -m 9117-MMB*10PESAT -t sys -r mountpoint -l 01AM720_064 -d /tmp |
Historical Number
536664012
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Document Information
More support for:
Power System Hardware Management Console Physical Appliance
Software version:
5.4.5, 6.1, 6.1.1, 5.3.5, 5.4.0, 5.4.5, 6.1.0, 6.1.1
Operating system(s):
IBM i
Document number:
687271
Modified date:
22 September 2021
UID
nas8N1012737