3PAR InForm OS 2.3.1 Upgrade Pre-Planning Guide

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Release 2.3.1 Upgrade Pre-Planning Guide InForm OS Version 2.3.1
2.0 InForm OS Update Overview
The 3PAR InServ Storage Servers support two different methods for updating the InForm OS:
online and offline. The updates can be performed with a service representative on-site or
remotely (from 3PAR). Remote updates require that remote operations are available.
2.1 Online Updates
The InServ Storage Servers support online, non-disruptive updates of the InForm OS. Online
updates are achieved by installing the new software on all the nodes in an alternate location
designated as the new software repository. The update proceeds by loading the new revision
of the software on half of the controller nodes in the system and resetting them to reload the
software into memory. Rigorous design and testing assures that this process is non-disruptive
to hosts, if all of the prerequisites described in this document are met. Once the first set of
nodes have successfully loaded the new software, the second set of controller nodes proceeds
to reset and reload the new revision of the software. The update process is considered
complete and successful once the second set of nodes has re-initialized and starts using the
new revision of the software.
2.2 Online Updates of Maintenance Updates
Online updates of InForm OS Maintenance Updates are different from an InForm OS update to
a new level (for example, 2.2.4 to 2.3.1 is a new level). A maintenance update proceeds by
loading the maintenance update in an alternate location on the controller nodes internal disk.
After the loading of the maintenance update to the alternate location has completed, one
node at a time will be reset so that it can load the maintenance update. The update process is
successful once all nodes in the system have reinitialized with the maintenance update version
of the software.
2.3 Offline Updates
Offline updates require that all hosts connected to the InServ Storage Server should be shut
down before the InForm OS update. Offline updates are achieved by installing the new
NOTE: 3PAR recommends updating host drivers to a supported level on InForm
OS 2.3.1 before attempting an online update. Refer to the 3PAR InForm OS 2.3.1
Configuration Matrix (P/N 320-200172) for more information about supported
driver levels on InForm OS 2.3.1.