Upgrading DSS to version 3518

[sujaikumar]

Just a few notes that might be of use to other people who are upgrading DSS to version 3518.

(Btw, many thanks to open-e tech support who answered all my panic-filled questions patiently and accurately!)

- We were on version 3007. You cannot upgrade to the current latest version (3518) without first upgrading to an in-between version (such as 3278)

- The upgrade from 3007 to 3278 can be done over the internet. However, our DSS server is not on the www, so we had to use a CD. Note. you CANNOT use a USB stick for this upgrade.

- Open E recommends that Version 3518 be booted from a USB stick (as of now there is no other way to upgrade - not internet, not CD) in trial mode so you can test the installation before doing a full upgrade because a downgrade is not possible.

- When we booted from a USB stick into 32 or 64 bit trial mode, the boot/console worked fine, but the web GUI would not load (even though pings in both directions were fine). Called open-e and they suggested checking the md5 checksum of the download. I hadn't done that the first time (and had deleted the iso already), so it might have been wrong - but when I did download the iso the second time, the checksum checked out, and everything worked great after that (so a corrupt iso was most likely the problem the first time around)/

- Once we were in v 3518 trial mode, the 3ware raid card web gui stopped working - it would let us log in, but any attempt to change to a different option gave the error message "You have been logged out due to inactivity or Cookies are Disabled" which is a problem already resolved at http://www.kb.open-e.com/entry/135/ (the update has Europe/Berlin as the default time zone, which is one hour ahead of us, so there was a 1 hr time difference and the 3ware raid controller GUI was timing out as a result). Fixed the time and everything worked fine after that.

Hope this is of use to someone.

[HangaS]

Hi sujaikumar,

Many thanks for you post. I'm currently considering if I should upgrade. I am at 3278 and no more automatic upgrades from now on. So IIRC the upgrade to 3518 is the only way to keep moving.

I'm collecting all the info I can so that I can try the upgrade in one shot overnight so that the next morning everything is working fine.. this includes running into trial mode and decide if I should go/no go.

From your post there is no risk associated with running the trial mode, just prepare an USB disk for booting 3518 and have a go keeping in mind the notes on your experience.

But now I ask to Todd or anyone familiar with this procedure

But if I decide to go for it? My system has some sort of USB drive from open-e inserted on the motherboard which I believe is the system disk. Is the data of this USB storage upgradeable directly from the trial disk USB disk?

How do I transfer my licence to it then?

I'm still waiting for features like auto label from barcode features and some backup system that can cope with restoring tapes backed up on another DSS.

Does it worth it to risk the upgrade?

Thanks!

[To-M]

I agree with HangaS many thanks sujaikumar!!

HangaS - You can download the ISO image as well for the update but I like the USB better.
The release notes below for 3518 will provide similar steps but the main one is to save your settings in Main. > Misc. and take all options.

You will use another USB stick with 3518 on it to upgrade your existing USB DOM and it will take the product key from the DOM then start to update. All storage license will be retained.

I believe we are working on the advanced Tape features in the next release of DSS V6, if you can I would look into updating to V6 for these features.


Provided software can be used for:
Software update for previous versions (from build 3204 to 3278)
or use as a 60 day TRIAL version.

This software must be installed on a USB-stick first (also there is the same software available as ISO version and can be placed on CD).
In order to install this version please proceed with the following steps:
1. Download and uncompress the file atlanta_3518
2. Format a USB-stick partitioned as a FAT or FAT32 for the root directory (at least 512MB media size but 1GB is recommended).
3. Copy the uncompressed directories and files onto USB-stick
Directories: b3518 and boot
Files: mmenu_upd.sh and prod.key
4. After copying the directories and files please verify that in the root directory resides the following directories: b3518, boot and files mmenu_upd.sh and prod.key.
5. Access the directory called “boot” then run the bootinst.exe (for Windows only) or bootinst.sh (for Linux only).
6. Boot your storage server with the USB-stick. (please set the BIOS to boot from the USB-stick, or in boot menu select USB-stick to boot)
7. In the first menu there is choice to start current version or run memory test. Please press enter to run current version.
8. In the second menu there are 3 menu options:
32bit system (2.6.27)
64bit system (2.6.27)
Run software update installer
In order to run TRIAL of new software v5.0 up62 build 3518, please select 32bit or 64bit accordingly to your current system architecture.
The TRIAL will recognize your current volume groups and volumes, but will start with factory defaults settings. In order to restore your current settings,
please go to menu in: MAINTENANCE->miscellaneous and select the SETUP and CONFIGURATION check-boxes then click on green action button.
This will prompt for system re-boot. After re-boot you can test how your storage system works with new software. If all is OK, we do recommend to update.

WE STRONGLY RECOMEND TO RUN TRIAL BEFORE UPDATING YOUR CURRENT VERSION, AS THERE IS NO POSIBILITY TO DOWNGRADE
TO PREVIOUSE VERSIONS. WHEN RUNNING TRIAL VERSION PLEASE CHECK IF ALL YOUR INSTALLED HARDWARE COMPONENTS ARE FUNCTIONAL.
In order to update your current DOM with new software v5.0 up62 build3518, please boot from the USB-stick and in the second menu please select
Run software update installer
Then follow all steps until reboot.

If you want to try new software with new hardware, please select 64bit system. This will run 60 days trial. If you wish to continue to run trial after 60 days
you will need to re-format your volume groups. In order to continue with another 60 days, please enter from the console screen ctrl + alt + x to access
the Extended tools then select function: Delete content of units.
PLEASE NOTE: all your data will be lost after re-formatting.

General Important note:

• Upgrade to this version is only possible for build 3204 to 3278.
• Please update both primary and secondary server to build 3518 in case Volume replication is used.
Volume replication will not work if only one server is updated to new build 3518!
• Replication of volumes is not working between 32 and 64bit versions.
• For bonding, it is recommended to use NICs using similar chipsets. Using different NICs with different chipsets may not work satisfactorily.
If you want to use different chipsets in bonding, please run stress tests and check logs before going live.
• It is recommended to use Internet Explorer v7.X. Previous versions are no longer tested.
• Replication of volumes is not working between 32 and 64bit versions.
• In case of problems when running the "Repair filesystem" function please disable all running tasks, including snapshots, data replication and backup,
through the Web GUI.
• WORM volumes have some limitations: share created on such volume cannot be published via AppleTalk, the volume also cannot be backed up
with the local backup functionality.
• VERITAS backup agent works only with VERITAS Backup Exec up to version 10. It does not work with SYMANTEC Backup Exec.
• In 64bit system mode the VERITAS backup agent is not working. Please use 32bit system if you are going to run the VERITAS backup agent.
• Intel IO/AT is working only in 64bit operating mode.
• The SMB online Antivirus scanning function is no longer supported.

[sujaikumar]

8. In the second menu there are 3 menu options:
32bit system (2.6.27)
64bit system (2.6.27)
Run software update installer
In order to run TRIAL of new software v5.0 up62 build 3518, please select 32bit or 64bit accordingly to your current system architecture.
The TRIAL will recognize your current volume groups and volumes, but will start with factory defaults settings. In order to restore your current settings,
please go to menu in: MAINTENANCE->miscellaneous and select the SETUP and CONFIGURATION check-boxes then click on green action button.
This will prompt for system re-boot. After re-boot you can test how your storage system works with new software. If all is OK, we do recommend to update.
WE STRONGLY RECOMEND TO RUN TRIAL BEFORE UPDATING YOUR CURRENT VERSION, AS THERE IS NO POSIBILITY TO DOWNGRADE
TO PREVIOUSE VERSIONS. WHEN RUNNING TRIAL VERSION PLEASE CHECK IF ALL YOUR INSTALLED HARDWARE COMPONENTS ARE FUNCTIONAL.
In order to update your current DOM with new software v5.0 up62 build3518, please boot from the USB-stick and in the second menu please select
Run software update installer
Then follow all steps until reboot.

Hi Todd,

We are still running the 64 bit trial (and everything continues to work well).

However, when we tried to reboot from the USB stick (with v 3518) to do the upgrade (instead of the trial), the web GUI showed the error message: "No Units Found", and it only allowed the option to Continue or Exit. Clicking Continue did nothing. So we clicked "Exit", and have rebooted into 64 bit trial mode again.

Could this problem be happening because our current on-board DSS version (3278) is 32 bit, and the trial version (3518) we installed from the USB stick was 64 bit? (we had also replaced all our hard disks when trialling the 64 bit version so all the units and volumes are configured as 64 bit).

Thanks in advance,

- Sujai

[To-M]

If the 3278 version was in 32bit mode and you are using the trial version which defaults to 64bit mode then just go to the Console Tools CTRL + ALT + T then select Boot options then System architecture and change to 32bit then save an reboot.

[sujaikumar]

Am already in touch with email support about this. But just to let you know - I did try to change the boot option and reboot from the USB stick, but when we get to the menu with
- 32bit system (2.6.27)
- 64bit system (2.6.27)
- Run software update installer
and choose Run software update installer, the system again says "no units found -- continue -- exit" (and only exit can be pressed).

Open-e phone support seemed to think that the problem could be that our initial installed capacity was 16 TB (for the onboard system which is at v 3278) whereas in the 64 bit trial we added 48 TB worth of new disks. So they asked us to apply our 32 TB additional license key to version 3278 itself before attempting the upgrade. We tried that as well (i.e .rebooting from the on-board module rather than the USB stick). For some reason it says key invalid so I am trying to resolve that with email support now. Will let you know here how that goes.