Updating the HMC from v7.7.7.0 SP1 to v7.7.7.0 SP2 was once again and like the previous HMC Update to 7.7.6.0 SP1 very painless. The service pack MH01354 was easily installable from the ISO images via the HMC GUI. The previous restriction of having to disconnect one of the HMCs in a redundant setup seems to have been dropped, at least it wasn't mentioned in the release notes anymore. The readme of the eFixes (MH01367 and MH01373) to be installed on top of the service pack was this time very clear on MH01373 superseding MH01367.
This package includes a fix for HMC Version 7 Release 7.7.0 Service Pack 2. You can reference this package by APAR# MB03714. This fix must be installed on top of HMC Version 7 Release 7.7.0 Service Pack 2 with or without PTF MH01367 installed. PTF MH01373 supersedes PTF MH01367.
The service pack and the additional efixes showed the following output during the update process:
MH01354:
Mangement console corrective service installation in progress. Please wait... Corrective service file offload from remote server in progress... The corrective service file offload was successful. Continuing with HMC service installation... Verifying Certificate Information Authenticating Install Packages Installing Packages --- Installing ptf-req .... --- Installing RSCT .... src-3.1.4.4-13032 rsct.core.utils-3.1.4.4-13032 rsct.core-3.1.4.4-13032 rsct.service-3.5.0.0-1 rsct.basic-3.1.4.4-13032 --- Installing CSM .... csm.core-1.7.1.20-1 csm.deploy-1.7.1.20-1 csm_hmc.server-1.7.1.20-1 csm_hmc.hdwr_svr-7.0-3.4.0 csm_hmc.client-1.7.1.20-1 csm.server.hsc-1.7.1.20-1 --- Installing LPARCMD .... hsc.lparcmd-3.0.0.1-1 ln: creating symbolic link `/usr/hmcrbin/lsnodeid' : File exists ln: creating symbolic link `/usr/hmcrbin/lsrsrc-api' : File exists ln: creating symbolic link `/usr/hmcrbin/mkrsrc-api' : File exists ln: creating symbolic link `/usr/hmcrbin/rmrsrc-api' : File exists --- Installing InventoryScout .... --- Installing Pegasus .... --- Installing service documentation .... --- Updating baseOS .... Corrective service installation was successful.
MH01367: Skipped, because - as mentioned in the release notes of MH01373 - it is superseded by MH01373.
MH01373:
Mangement console corrective service installation in progress. Please wait... Corrective service file offload from remote server in progress... The corrective service file offload was successful. Continuing with HMC service installation... Verifying Certificate Information Authenticating Install Packages Installing Packages --- Installing ptf-req .... Corrective service installation was successful.
The MH01354 updates still shows error messages with regard to symlink creation appearing during the update process. This – admittedly minor – issue and the associated PMR i opened with IBM support are virtually racing towards my all time top ten of downright ridiculous experiences. After a lengthy back and forth with L2 support/development things concluded in their position:
Most of our customers want to see the verbose output during upgrades/updates. There is no defect here.
If the customer wishes to do so he can open a DCR, but there is no defect.
Well, verbose output would indeed be nice, i suppose. An option to choose whether to show or to hide said verbose output would be even nicer. What i really don't care for are constant visual reminders of your lack of knowledge in proper shell scripting, not to mention your awful coding style! So here we are again, a simple, non-critical issue which could be fixed by a trivial change in a matter of minutes and still were spending a disproportionate amount of time arguing about whether it's really an issue or not. But alright, lets waste the time of even more people and open a DCR (MR0809134336) on this issue. And while we're at it, have another one (MR0618131954) for botching the mksysplan command in case a failover SEA is used on the VIO server.
Aside from that, up to now no issues with the new HMC version.