HP XC System Software Installation Guide Version 3.2

NOTE: Enter the following command if you are not sure what version of the HP XC System
Software is installed on the system:
# cat /etc/hptc-release
5.1.2 Is Upgrading Appropriate for Your System Configuration?
An upgrade path from previous HP XC System Software releases to Version 3.2 is provided, but
HP recommends a new installation of Version 3.2. This recommendation is consistent with other
Linux vendors, who also recommend a new installation rather than an upgrade because the
Linux upgrade operation has a lower probability of success and does not provide a consistent
experience. In some cases, some Linux RPMs might fail to operate properly after the upgrade.
An upgraded system is similar but not identical to a freshly installed Version 3.2 HP XC system.
Compatibility RPMs are missing on upgraded systems (*.i386 versions), and a portion of the
RPMs from the previous release remain on an upgraded system.
IMPORTANT: HP XC System Software Version 3.2 installs and uses the OFED InfiniBand
software stack by default. Previous HP XC releases installed the Voltaire InfiniBand software
stack. If you want to continue using the Voltaire InfiniBand software stack, do not upgrade to
HP XC System Software Version 3.2.
5.1.3 Upgrade Characteristics
Before you begin an upgrade, become familiar with the upgrade characteristics listed in Table 5-2.
Table 5-2 Upgrade Characteristics
DescriptionCharacteristic
A period of system down time occurs because all nodes have to be
shut down to upgrade to the next release. Therefore, to minimize
user interruption, schedule the upgrade for a time when system use
and user activity is low. For your site, this might be over the weekend
or perhaps after work hours or late in the evening.
Affect on system availability
The upgrade does not affect licensing. If you did not add nodes to
your existing system, your current HP XC license is still valid, and
you do not require a new HP XC license.
Affect on HP XC licensing
It takes approximately 10 minutes to upgrade the RPMs on the head
node.
The following items also influence the time it takes to complete the
entire upgrade process:
• The time required for cluster_config processing and the time
it takes to re-create the golden image
• The number of nodes to be reimaged
• Reinstalling or upgrading the additional software that might
have been installed previously on the HP XC system (such as
other HP products, third-party applications, and open source
software)
Time to complete the upgrade
The upgrade process attempts to upgrade all Linux and HP XC
RPMs currently installed on the system.
Affect on existing RPMs
The RPM upgrade process saves user customizations to existing HP
XC configuration files by renaming them with a .rpmsave or
.rpmsave file extension.
If you want to retain your customizations to these files or to any
customizations you made to standard Linux configuration files, you
must perform a manual merge of the customizations into the newly
delivered version of the file (which might have changed).
Affect on configuration files
120 Upgrading an HP XC System