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HP StorageWorks Virtual Library System Firmware - ZIP Upgrade (deduplication only)

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Type: Firmware
Version: v3.1.2 (6 Mar 2009)
Operating System(s): OS Independent
File name: VLS_3_1_2-9_HP.zip (392 MB)

» Description

Description

Release Notes

Release Notes

» Revision History

Revision History
HP StorageWorks Virtual Library System firmware version 3.1.2 release notes

released for Deduplication support only

Version: VLS 3.1.2 firmware

..Description

The HP StorageWorks Virtual Library Systems (VLS) VLS6200, VLS6600, VLS9000 and VLS12000 firmware is updating to 3.1.2 for continued support of the deduplication functionality now offered for these products. This upgrade includes updates to the deduplication code.

This release is intended for customers that plan to use deduplication. Customers that do not want the deduplication feature should stay on the latest supported version of VLS firmware for their specific model. See the EBS support matrix for the latest firmware support available at http://www.hp.com/go/ebs.

If you have not yet purchased deduplication licenses, you must purchase and install them to enable deduplication.

For information on best practices for VLS data deduplication, see the HP StorageWorks Deduplication solutions guide available at http://www.hp.com/support/vls_dedup/manuals.

Update recommendation  Required for VLS firmware version 3.1.0

Supersedes  VLS firmware version 3.1.0

..Product models

This VLS 3.1.2 firmware upgrade applies to the following HP StorageWorks VLS products only:

  • VLS6200–series systems

  • VLS6600–series systems

  • VLS9000–series systems

  • VLS12000–series systems

Not available with this release  This firmware upgrade is not supported on the following platforms:

  • VLS6100

  • VLS6500

  • VLS6800

  • VLS300

..Enhancements

This firmware upgrade:

  • Enables deduplication support for most VLS models. See Product models.

  • Provides added support for both file level and backup level deduplication.

  • Supports Oracle RMAN script integration.

  • Allows deduplication of Oracle flat files.

  • Provides deduplication performance, or ingest rate, measured at 14TB of user data on a single node/2 array VLS9000 system. (Deduplication performance is calculated as the amount of user data that can be backed up and deduplicated in a 24 hour period.)

  • Supports Data Protector, Netbackup, and TSM. The EBS support matrix lists the specific backup applications and file types that are supported, and is available at www.hp.com/go/ebs.

  • Eliminates the need for backup application policy changes to support deduplication with multistreaming.

  • Provides deduplication reports available via email.

  • Includes a more robust deduplication engine.

  • Allows multiple cartridge spanning for CA3 deduplication.

  • Increases the total number of LUNs supported for tape drives and libraries to 96 per node. (The total virtual libraries supported per node remains at 16.)

  • Increases the default admissible backup policy limit from 128 to 512.

  • Enhances Command View VLS to display more backup types.

..Fixes

This firmware upgrade fixes the following from version 3.1.0:

  • A spurious SysRq message being sent to the system console.

  • A rare Netbackup move command issue.

  • Several Command View VLS hang issues.

  • A case of duplicate LUN ID's being generated when an array controller was replaced.

  • An issue preventing deduplication from running against NetBackup cumulative backups.

  • An issue with NetBackup being unable to label tapes.

  • An issue with the fiber channel being shut down incorrectly.

  • The default email setup sending emails for events other than error conditions.

  • An issue preventing setting the network information from Command View VLS for some cases.

..Determining current version

Log into Command View VLS. The software version is listed on the Identity tab.

..Hardware and firmware requirements

  • Deduplication requires 16GB RAM installed in each VLS node. If your system has 4GB of RAM, you must perform a 12GB RAM upgrade before enabling deduplication.

    The following additional RAM is recommended:

    • 397413-B21, HP 4 GB FBD PC2-5300 2x2GB Kit

    • 397415-B21, HP 8 GB FBD PC2-5300 2x4GB Kit

  • Deduplication is supported on up to 4-node devices when using Netbackup and Data Protector, and up to 2-node devices when using TSM.

  • For VLS9000 and VLS12000 systems, a minimum of 2TB of storage must be available to store deduplication metadata prior to enabling deduplication.

  • For VLS6600 and VLS6200 systems, a minimum of 1TB of storage must be available to store deduplication metadata prior to enabling deduplication.

CAUTION: You must install the deduplication licenses prior to installing the 3.1.2 firmware upgrade. Failure to do so will result in an initialization error and loss of access to the VLS data.

NOTE: The 3.1.2 firmware upgrade is a web-only release and is available through HP product support pages. New product shipments will continue to ship with version 2.x code.

This code is provided as a .zip file only.

This document supersedes all others and establishes the following active firmware versions:

ProductActive firmware version (filename)Quick Restore CD ISO image available?ReleasedNotes

VLS9000

VLS6600

VLS6200

VLS12000

3.1.2 (VLS_3_1_2-9_HP.zip file only)No02/24/09Intended for Deduplication customers only

VLS9000

VLS6600

VLS6200

VLS12000

3.1.0 (QR image only)Yes10/13/08Intended for Deduplication customers only

VLS9000

VLS6600

3.0.0 (No .zip file released)Yes07/16/08Intended for Deduplication customers only
All VLS*2.3.0 ([zipname].zip)Yes*01/26/09Current with this release
All VLS*2.2.0 (VLS_2_2_0-57_HP.zip)Yes*04/28/08Current with this release

VLS61xx

VLS65xx

VLS68xx

VLS300

1.2.0 (VLS_1_2_0-345_HP.zip)No (use 1.1.0 ISO)03/06/07
  • Refer to c00944045

  • No QR .iso released

VLS61xx

VLS65xx

VLS68xx

VLS300

1.1.0 (No .zip file released)Yes12/18/06
  • Refer to c00882126

  • No .zip file released

* Customers with the following HP StorageWorks VLS68xx products should contact HP Support for recommendations prior to upgrading to version 2.2.0 or 2.3.0:

  • AG051A, HP StorageWorks VLS6840 System

  • AG169A, HP StorageWorks VLS6870 System

..Prerequisites

The VLS must be at firmware version 2.2.0 or later prior to upgrading to version 3.1.2.

Before installing this upgrade, you must do the following:

  1. Ensure that your VLS device is in a working operational state:

    1. Review the Good status of all hardware components in Command View VLS.

    2. Verify that there are no outstanding error or warning notifications.

    3. Ensure that the most recent backups have completed successfully.

      CAUTION: If all hardware faults are not cleared prior to the 3.1.2 installation process, a manual reconfiguration will be required. Because a Restore Config cannot be supported to a faulted system, it will be necessary to reconfigure all aspects of the VLS through Command View VLS; none of this information will be restored. The most important issue when manually reconfiguring the system is that the libraries must be recreated in the same order as they were originally; otherwise, the cartridges cannot be restored. This can be very error-prone, so manual reconfiguration is not recommended. If a manual reconfiguration is required, you must capture the pertinent information from the system prior to doing the installation of 3.1.2.

      The most critical information to record is the Library and Tapedrive configuration. If these are not recreated in the same way the cartridges cannot be restored into their library. The simplest way to capture this data is by capturing screen shots of the Library pages in Command View VLS. To get a screen shot, use <CTRL><ALT><PRINT-SCREEN> in the browser window and then paste it into a document.

      You must also take care when recreating the Barcode Templates for the system. The starting number you specify for the template must equal the next cartridge that will be created from the template. For example, a template with prefix ABC, and digit length 3, should be given the starting number of 101 if you had previously created the cartridges ABC001 through ABC100 on the system. Once the manual reconfiguration of the system is complete, you must restart the VLS in order to get the cartridges restored to the recreated libraries.

  2. Ensure that the application has unloaded the drives.

  3. Pull a support ticket to capture the current system status in the event that any troubleshooting is needed after the library has been upgraded.

  4. Record the host configuration information for later use.

  5. Delete all hosts configured to receive SNMP traps.

    Prior to running Save Config, you must delete all hosts configured to receive SNMP traps from Edit SNMP Settings on the Notifications tab. Once the configuration has been upgraded to the 3.1.2 firmware, the SNMP settings can be reconfigured.

  6. Perform a Save Config operation.

    When an upgrade requires a Save Config, this step is included in the specific installation instructions. However, as a best practice, HP recommends you do a Save Config prior to any upgrade.

    Log into Command View VLS. On the System tab, select Chassis from the navigation pane and then select Save Config from the Maintenance Tasks.

    Record the device network settings (IP address, hostname, domain, gateway, netmask).

..Installing the upgrade

Locating the installation file

  1. Go to http://www.hp.com/support/vls_dedup.

  2. Enter a product SKU in the Search Products text field. Use the table below to locate the SKU for your system.

    HP StorageWorks VLS systemSKU
    VLS6218AH809A
    VLS6227AH810A
    VLS6636AH811A
    VLS6653AH812A
    VLS9030AG306A
    VLS12000 Base unitAH814A
  3. Select >> to begin the search and locate the .iso or .zip file appropriate for your system. Note the file names in the tables below.

Verifying the file integrity

  1. If you do not have one already, download an MD5 generator to calculate the MD5 hash of the file.

  2. Compare the generated hash against the one listed here for your file:

    Firmware version 3.1.2:

    File nameMD5 value
    VLS_3_1_2-9_HP.zipd0545df21cc1a1d23c92f8a65f849d71

    Firmware version 3.1.0:

    File nameMD5 value
    VLS6200_3.1.0-15_QR.iso15f3ee678b1ae748332ba2d5a677b7fd
    VLS6600_3.1.0-15_QR.iso1e8596c5ead49b203ef63c89faf838eb
    VLS9000_3.1.0-15_QR.iso6894bf3264b4f9543bd55dfdef2f28e6
    VLS12000_3.1.0-15_QR.iso85a7453ac7ea9c063ab7b958236d3ea8
  3. If the hash values match, the file integrity is ensured. If not, contact HP for further assistance.

Determining the appropriate upgrade path

Live system at firmware version 3.1.0 running deduplication

  1. Install the firmware version 3.1.2 zip file. See Installing the firmware version 3.1.2 .zip file.

  2. Install the required firmware 3.1.2–100 patch. See the HP StorageWorks Virtual Library System firmware version 3.1.2–100 patch release notes.

System with rebuilt storage pools or system at version 3.1.0 not running deduplication

NOTE: Rebuilding all the storage pools destroys all current virtual tape cartridges in the system.

  1. Install the deduplication licenses. See “Installing additional licenses” in the VLS user guide appropriate for your system.

  2. Install the firmware version 3.1.2 zip file. See Installing the firmware version 3.1.2 .zip file.

  3. Install the required firmware 3.1.2–100 patch. See the HP StorageWorks Virtual Library System firmware version 3.1.2–100 patch release notes.

Live system at firmware version 2.x

  1. Resize your cartridges to a smaller size. See “Managing cartridges” in the VLS user guide appropriate for your system.

  2. Reconfigure for a single storage pool any VLS devices using multiple storage pools. Deduplication will only recognize one storage pool. (Multiple storage pool support is planned for a future release.)

  3. Perform a Save Config operation if you haven't already.

    Log into Command View VLS. On the System tab, select Chassis from the navigation pane and then select Save Config from the Maintenance Tasks.

    Record the device network settings (IP address, hostname, domain, gateway, netmask).

  4. Upgrade to firmware version 3.1.0 using the Quick Restore CD. See Installing firmware version 3.1.0 using the Quick Restore CD.

    1. Perform a Restore Config operation.

      Log into Command View VLS. On the System tab, select Chassis from the navigation pane and then select Restore Config from the Maintenance Tasks. After you locate the device configuration file, the system automatically reboots and returns the device to its original configuration settings restoring all virtual cartridge data.

    2. Install the deduplication licenses. See “Installing additional licenses” in the VLS user guide appropriate for your system.

    3. Install the firmware version 3.1.2 zip file. See Installing the firmware version 3.1.2 .zip file.

    4. Install the required firmware 3.1.2–100 patch. See the HP StorageWorks Virtual Library System firmware version 3.1.2–100 patch release notes.

    Installing firmware version 3.1.0 using the Quick Restore CD

    1. Download the v3.1.0 Quick Restore CD image (.iso) that is compatible with your VLS device to a client PC. See Locating the installation file.

    2. Create a v3.1.0 Recovery CD. HP recommends using high quality media to create the Quick Restore CD/DVD and limiting the burn speed of the CD/DVD to a maximum of 16x.

    3. Log into Command View VLS and power down all of the nodes.

    4. Attach a keyboard and console to the node. (Begin with the master node.)

    5. Insert the Quick Restore CD, and then reboot the device. The device boots from the CD and presents a splash screen.

    6. Select R to install.

    7. At the end of the CD installation, remove the CD and then press any key to reboot the device.

    8. Set the node identity for the node (for example, master1, slave1, slave2, etc.). See the HP StorageWorks VLS user guide for details. The node will automatically reboot.

    9. Repeat steps 4 through 8 for each node in the VLS system.

    10. After the device automatically initializes, it will update all of the disk array firmware and Smart Array controller firmware as needed.

      NOTE: The initialization can take several reboots and up to several hours on a maximum configuration device. Wait for the login prompt to appear on the master console to indicate the device has finished installation.

    11. Login as administrator to the console (or using a serial port console) and use the setConfigValue and commitConfig commands to set the device network settings back to their original values. (See the applicable VLS user guide for details.) Alternatively, you can use the VLS Discovery tool on the VLS Documentation CD to perform the same operation from a network client in the same subnet.

      NOTE: When setting the IP network configuration values, a minimum of the host name (no underscores ( _ ) allowed), domain name, IP address, and net mask values MUST be defined and set.

      For example, using the Command Line Interface (CLI) interface:

      • Single command:

        setConfigValue -host vadvls04 -domain gr.hp.com -ipaddr 15.38.78.106 -mask 255.255.248.0

      • Multiple commands:

        setConfigValue -host vadvls04

        setConfigValue -domain gr.hp.com

        setConfigValue -ipaddr 15.38.78.106

        setConfigValue -mask 255.255.248.0

      In either case, you must define all values before committing the new values. To commit the new values, use the following command:

      commitConfig

      NOTE: The use of any underscore (_) characters in a VLS device configuration hostname generates the following error message on the CLI:

      Failed to update network configuration, error is Error: Set Configuration Failed. Code = 255

      Or this error in Command View VLS:

      Error occurred in making change. Please try again.

      When restoring the old VLS configuration using Restore Config, any existing underscore (_) characters in the host name are automatically stripped out, thus changing the node name.

    12. After you have applied the network settings, log into Command View VLS.

    13. Manually edit the saved config file:

      For Windows:

      1. Using the built-in Windows zip utility, open the config zip file.

      2. Browse to the etc directory.

      3. Delete the passwd and shadow files.

        For Unix:

        zip -d <CONFIG FILENAME> etc/passwd etc/shadow

        NOTE: If the saved config file is not modified, Restore Config will fail with the following error:

        Failed to start CA Applications

      1. Log into Command View VLS. On the System tab, select Chassis from the navigation pane and then select Restore Config from the Maintenance Tasks. After you locate the device configuration file, the system automatically reboots and returns the device to its original configuration settings restoring all virtual cartridge data.

      2. If your device reboots into a License Violation state (a notification explains this and your capacity will be 0 GB), you need to install the upgrade licenses for this device using Command View VLS (recommended) or Command View TL. (See the HP StorageWorks VLS user guide for details.) If you used Command View TL to install the additional licenses, your Command View TL installation still contains the original license. You need to remove the license from Command View TL so you can install the new upgrade license. After installing the upgrade license the device will automatically start up. A reboot is not required.

      3. If you have any manual Fibre Channel port settings (such as, Not AUTO), you must re-configure these manual settings in the Fibre Channel branch in the System tab, and then click Apply Settings.

      4. Check the oversubscription field on the System tab of Command View VLS to ensure that the ”Notify when storage capacity is” field set to your required notification threshold (e.g., 90% means send a notification when the device is at or greater than 90% full).

      5. On all systems that utilized the LUN mapping feature of the VLS, you must manually confirm that the LUN mapping configuration was properly upgraded to the 3.1.0 implementation of LUN mapping. This must be done through Command View VLS and verified from all hosts that are configured to see devices on the VLS. If any host has issues seeing all of its devices, its LUN mapping configuration should be deleted and reapplied through Command View VLS.

      6. Install the deduplication licenses. This will reboot the device and automatically perform one-time initialization of backend storage for deduplication. This may take a while.

        IMPORTANT: After completing the installation of the Quick Restore CD, please review the HP StorageWorks Deduplication solutions guide for detailed information on setting up your specific system. Many of the procedures discussed there must be completed before you begin deduplicating your data.

      Installing the firmware version 3.1.2 .zip file

      1. If you have not yet installed the deduplication licenses, do so now.

        CAUTION: Installing the 3.1.2 firmware upgrade without first installing the deduplication licenses will result in an initialization error and loss of access to the VLS data.

      2. Download the firmware upgrade (.zip). See Locating the installation file.

      3. Verify the integrity of the downloaded file. See Verifying the file integrity.

      4. Open a Command View VLS session and log in as the administrator.

      5. Select the System tab.

      6. Select Chassis in the navigation tree.

      7. Select Software Update under Maintenance Tasks. The Software Update window opens.

      8. Select Browse.

      9. Select the zipped firmware upgrade file.

      10. Select Next Step. The window displays information about the upgrade.

      11. Click Next Step to continue. The EULA displays.

      12. Select Accept and Install to continue.

        The screen displays a message that the upgrade was successfully installed and reboots automatically. The reboot may take several minutes.

      13. If necessary, reconfigure SNMP trap settings.

      ..Workarounds

      This section identifies important notes and workarounds for the HP StorageWorks VLS firmware version 3.1.2.

      NOTE: Automigration is not supported in this firmware release; use the backup application to copy virtual tapes to physical tapes.

      The Restore Config process does not recover a saved CLI password.

      • Symptom: If the CLI and Command View VLS passwords are set to factory defaults with the Quick Restore operation, and an attempt is made to recover the non-default passwords from the saved configuration file, only the Command View VLS password is recovered. The CLI password remains at default.

      • Workaround: Manually recreate the password using the changePassword CLI command.

      After performing a Restore Config, the time zone value is not configured on the network configuration screen.

      • Workaround: Set the time zone on the network configuration screen by selecting the value from the drop down list.

      Policies are not modified as expected.

      • Symptom: From the Deduplication Configuration screen, when disabling/enabling an entire policy type, the individual policies defined under it may not be modified as expected.

      • Workaround: Make selections at the lower level to ensure that all policies have been configured as required.

      Device takes the fibre ports offline when it reaches 98% capacity.

      • Workaround: The device will send notifications when the backend storage is at 90% or higher. (You can configure this threshold in Command View VLS.) You must then take proactive action to ensure that the storage does not completely fill.

      You cannot delete cartridges from Command View VLS.

      • Workaround: You can delete ALL cartridges by doing a Rebuild all pools from the maintenance mode page

      ..Firmware version 3.1.2 disaster recovery

      In the event of a node failure after you have upgraded to version 3.1.2, follow the procedure in the ”Recovering from a node RAID volume failure” section in the VLS user guide appropriate for your system. Where the guide calls for using your Quick Restore CD, use the Quick Restore CD for version 3.1.0. After following the disaster recovery procedure, reinstall firmware version 3.1.2 using the .zip file as described above.

      ..Effective date

      March 2009


      June 2009

      Third edition

      Part number: AH809-96025

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