Read about the items that you need to consider before you
upgrade the server. These planning topics are essential and can assist
you when you plan for hardware, software, and the physical site preparation.
The following list details some upgrade planning
considerations to be aware of:
- If you are upgrading to a POWER6™ processor-based system
and you are using an attached Hardware Management Console (HMC), install
firmware updates through the HMC instead of through the IBM® i logical partition. POWER6 processor-based systems
that are managed by the HMC require firmware updates to be completed
through the HMC. This requirement also applies when you upgrade from
a 9406-MMA to
a 9117-MMA.
If you are not using an HMC to manage your POWER6 processor-based system,
you can install firmware updates through the IBM i logical partition.
- If you are performing a miscellaneous equipment specification
(MES) processor upgrade for a 570 model, your server
firmware and IBM i partitions must be at a minimum level of code prior to your MES
upgrade. To see the current level of code required for this upgrade,
see IBM Prerequisite.
- You must complete a System Power Control Network (SPCN) download
in the following instances:
- If you are upgrading your IBM i
- If you are converting an expansion unit
If you experience any RIO errors while performing an SPCN
download, fix those errors immediately. If those errors are not fixed,
the SPCN download might take several hours to complete.
- If you are migrating an expansion unit from a source server to
a target server during your server upgrade, ensure that you plan for
the following items:
- If you are upgrading to a new model,
perform the following tasks to ensure that the SPCN download runs
correctly:
- Ensure that vital product data (VPD) has been added to the expansion
unit before the upgrade.
Note: The System Service Representative (SSR)
updates the VPD when changing the VPD chip.
- Ensure that your HMC user ID has hmcsuperadmin authority. See for information about changing authority
for an HMC user ID.
- Remove the power needs from the expansion unit during the migration
so that the target server owns the SPCN ID of the expansion unit.