Troubleshooting and Maintenance Manual
Page 8
Upgrade Checklist
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Upgrade adapter firmware.
Old adapter firmware running with a newer driver can produce
unexpected behavior from the adapter. Always use the version recommended by your storage or
system provider. Use the latest released version if no version is specified. Whenever possible,
ensure the adapter firmware has been updated to the appropriate version prior to updating
drivers.
•
Upgrade adapter boot code.
Adapter boot code allows the adapter to act as a host boot path
device. It is not required if the OS is loaded from an internal hard disk. The exception to this is
the Emulex SBus adapters, as they do require boot code. Consult with your storage and system
providers to see if they require boot code installed in the adapter and if so, which version. Boot
manuals are located on the same page as the firmware images. Use the same application to
upgrade adapter boot code as you would to upgrade adapter firmware.
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Upgrade the driver and applications.
Applications are packaged with the driver kits or
provided separately on the driver page. When you upgrade a driver, you should upgrade the
applications associated with it as well. Running older applications with newer drivers can render
some application features inoperative. Refer to the driver manual for specific upgrade
procedures of the driver and applications. Some applications and their manuals must be
downloaded and installed separately from the driver installation. Check the driver download
page for the specifics of each. They may be different for each OS.
Configuration Checklist
•
Verify recommended driver, firmware, and boot versions from your storage and system
provider.
Many providers qualify specific adapter models, driver and firmware releases that they
support. Using qualified provider solutions will ensure you have a supported SAN configuration.
•
Verify releases for storage and system providers that have a page on the Emulex Web
site.
If the provider is not listed, verify any preferred driver releases. If the provider does not
have a preference, Emulex recommends the latest driver and firmware releases. Latest releases
ensure the latest enhancements and bug fixes.
•
Review the Prerequisites section in the driver manual.
This ensures that you meet the
minimal requirements for each installed driver. The driver manual may also contain other
information regarding tested SAN environments.
•
Verify preferred settings with your storage and system providers.
Many providers require
particular Emulex driver settings for communicating with their storage. Verify with your providers
any configuration changes they recommend. When performing configuration changes to the
drivers and applications, be sure to have the providers verify that the change will not affect
communications to your storage devices.
•
Review procedures and settings in the driver and application manuals
. Each OS has its
own system of configuring drivers. In some cases, the tools to configure the Emulex driver are
the same between OSs. On some OSs, only manual configuration through text files is available.
Review the manual process before making configuration changes.
•
Emulex applications have few configurations that can be changed. See the driver and
application manuals for configuration changes available for the utility you are using.
•
Driver parameters can be different between OSs. Be familiar with the parameters to
make the configuration process easier, especially if multiple OSs are used.
•
Some settings are dynamic and take effect immediately, while others require the OS to
be rebooted. Note which settings you are changing and when a reboot is necessary.
•
Assume that you need server downtime to perform changes. Changing parameters on a
production machine is not recommended unless downtime has been scheduled.
