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Chapter 3: Basic System Operations
Upgrading Firmware
StorNext M660 Metadata Appliance Hardware Guide
61
Firmware Upgrade
Process and Time
Estimates
There are several factors that affect the availability of the system and
metadata operations during upgrades. StorNext appliance firmware
upgrades (contained in the .fw file downloaded earlier in this process)
always include an update to the StorNext software in the release, and
can also includes updates to MDC node firmware and metadata array
firmware. The way in which these updates are applied and the impacts
to system availability vary, depending on which firmware upgrade being
applied, as described here:
StorNext Releases/Downtime Requirements
Note:
Metadata array operations and the StorNext file system are
unavailable while metadata firmware is installed. We refer to
suspension of metadata operation as a
downtime upgrade
,
since no array I/O may take place during this time.
Note:
The upgrade of metadata appliance firmware also, once
installed, initiates a reboot of both MDC nodes prior to 5.1.1,
requiring additional time. Plan upgrade times accordingly.
StorNext Releases requiring suspension of metadata operations during
upgrades occur any time a newer release contains a newer metadata
array firmware version than the version currently installed on the
appliance.
The following table contains examples of firmware upgrade versions.
Upgrading StorNext Release with a newer firmware will be a
downtime
upgrade
:
StorNext Release*
Array Firmware Version
5.1.1
08.10.13
5.1
07.84.46
5.0.1
07.84.46
5
07.84.46
4.7.1
07.84.46