HP-UX 11i Version 2 May 2005 Release Notes

Introduction to HP-UX 11i Version 2

HP-UX 11i v2 Compatibility

Chapter 2

Binary Compatibility Across Hardware Platforms

HP maintains application binary compatibility across all hardware platforms of the

same family which are supported by the same version of HP-UX. In other words, binary

compatibility across the members of a hardware family (such as PA-RISC) is provided if

the following conditions apply:

• The hardware platforms are members of the same family (that is, they are all

PA-RISC-based or they are all Itanium-based).

• The application software is run on the same or a later version of HP-UX. (Binaries

are not necessarily backward-compatible; that is, a software application may not run

properly on an earlier version of HP-UX.)

• The application software has used only externally documented and supported

software interfaces (that is, it does not use undocumented interfaces).

• The application software has no dependencies on specific types of hardware (for

example, specific mass storage devices or specific I/O or networking adapters).

HP has an excellent record of introducing new processors that provide complete software

binary compatibility with previous processors, thus protecting customer and partner

investments and allowing support for new processors with a minimum of risk and

investment. HP has always recognized that software binary compatibility with new

processors is an important partner and customer requirement.

PA-8800 Binary Compatibility

Applications and software developed for systems with the PA-8X00 processors will run

correctly without modification on PA-8800 modules. These new processors differ from

previous ones in the use of a dual-core module that replaces a single PA-8700 processor,

thus doubling the number of processors that each server can support and improving

price/performance. PA-8800 modules are seen by HP-UX as two separate processors and

are supported by HP-UX 11i v2 September 2004 and later release.

Compatibility Issues or Exceptions in HP-UX 11i v2 May 2005

Compatibility issues or exceptions have been noted for the following products or features

that have been updated in May 2005. For details, see the indicated pages.

For documentation of compatibility issues or exceptions in previous updates to HP-UX

11i v2, see the previous editions of the HP-UX 11i v2 Release Notes, available at

http://docs.hp.com/en/oshpux11iv2.html. The HP-UX 11i v2 September 2004

Release Notes, in particular, lists compatibility exceptions from HP-UX 11i v1 to HP-UX

11i v2.

NOTE Please note that your system must have an HP-UX 11i v2 Operating Environment (OE)

from September 2004 (or later) before updating your system with any individual

patches, patch bundles, or products released from September 2004 forward.

Chapter 4: Workstation- and Server-Specific Information

• HP Instant Capacity (formerly Instant Capacity on Demand) (see page 91)

• USB-00 (Universal Serial Bus) (see page 86)