HP StorageWorks Enterprise Virtual Array Online Firmware Upgrade Best Practices (5697-6388, January 2007)

Contents
Aboutthisguide .......................... 7
Intendedaudience...................................... 7
Relateddocumentation.................................... 7
Documentconventionsandsymbols .............................. 8
HPtechnicalsupport..................................... 9
Documentationfeedback ................................... 9
1 Understanding the online firmwareupgradeprocess ......... 11
Definitionofterms..................................... 11
Howonlineupgradeworks ................................. 11
OnlineupgradesinHPContinuousAccessEVAenvironments................... 12
Online disk drive firmwareupgrades............................. 12
2EvaluatingtheSANforanonlineupgrade ............. 13
ManaginghostI/Otimeouts ................................ 13
MicrosoftWindows .................................. 13
Checkingtimeoutvalues .............................. 13
HP-UX ........................................ 13
Defaulttimeoutvalues ............................... 14
Checkingtimeoutvalues .............................. 14
Changingtimeoutvalues .............................. 14
Linux......................................... 14
Solaris........................................ 15
Checkingorchangingtimeouts ........................... 15
Tru64 ........................................ 15
OpenVMS ...................................... 15
IBMAIX ....................................... 16
Checkingorchangingtimeouts ........................... 16
ManagingapplicationI/Otimeouts ............................. 16
AssessingtheimpactofI/Oloadontheupgrade ....................... 17
Selectinganappropriatetimetoperformtheonlineupgrade................... 17
AnalyzingstoragesystemutilizationusingHPCommandViewEVAPerf ............ 21
Capturinghostportstatistics............................. 21
Capturingvirtualdiskstatistics............................ 22
CapturingallHPCommandViewEVAPerfstatistics................... 22
Storagesystemutilizationdataanalysis............................ 23
Smallblocktransfers.................................. 23
Largeblocktransfers.................................. 24
Recommendationsforupgradingabusystoragesystem..................... 24
3Customertestimonialsaboutonlineupgrades ............ 25
Customer1:Alargetelecommunicationscompany....................... 25
Customer2:Alargesoftwarecompany............................ 25
Customer3:Alargecomputerchipmanufacturer........................ 26
AEffectofonlinefirmwareupgradeonapplicationresiliency ...... 27
Testing configuration.................................... 27
Testcases ........................................ 28
HP StorageWorks Enterprise Virtual Array online firmware upgrade best practices
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