This README file contains the latest information about the IBM TotalStorage™ FAStT Storage Manager version 8.41 Environmental card (ESM) firmware for the FAStT EXP100 drive expansion enclosures. Refer to the IBM TotalStorage™ Support Web Site or CD for the installation and support guide. For other related publications (refer to Related Publications in the installation and support guide) and the latest information and updated readme file. Last Update: 01/12/2004 Products Supported: --------------------------------------------------- | | Machine Type | Model | |-----------|--------------|------------------------| | FAStT 900 | 1742 | 90X , 90U | |-----------|--------------|------------------------| | FAStT 600 | 1722 | 60U , 60X | |-----------|--------------|------------------------| | EXP 100 | 1710 | 10U , 10X | --------------------------------------------------- Note: The IBM TotalStorage™ FAStT Storage Manager version 8.41 software package is required for managing FAStT storage servers that are connecting to the FAStT EXP100 drive expansion enclosures. The ESM firmware file that is part of this release is for the ESMs in the FAStT EXP100 enclosures only. Furthermore, it should not be loaded into the ESMs of the FAStT EXP500 and EXP700 drive expansion enclosures. Please use the appropriate ESM firmware files for the FAStT EXP500 and EXP700 enclosures in the IBM TotalStorage™ FAStT Storage Manager version 8.4 or the IBM TotalStorage™ FAStT Storage Manager version 8.3x software releases instead. IMPORTANT: Register at the IBM Support and Download WEB Site to obtain notification of important product updates at www.ibm.com/servers/storage/support/fastt. Refer to the "Personalized Support" section of the web page and click on "My Support". When the Please Sign In web page displayed, if you have not previously registered to use this site, please do so now by clicking on highlighted register word in window section titled "We use IBM Registration" on the top left corner of the web page. Follow the instructions in the displayed web page to register yourself to ibm.com. Once you have registered, log into the site by entering your user id and password. In the Welcome Page, select Computer Storage in the "Select a Product Family" pull down in the hardware section and click on "go". In the Computer Storage page, scroll down to "Disk Storage Systems" category and select "1710" by clicking on the check box. Scroll to the bottom of the web page and select "Save and Return" . You will be returned to the main page. From the main page select your mail preferences. It is recommended to select "Flashes" and "Downloadable files" to be provided with important information on product updates. Select Submit. You should see a confirmation indicating that "Your profile was successfully updated". ======================================================================= CONTENTS -------- 1.0 Overview 2.0 Change History 3.0 Installation and Setup Instructions 4.0 Configuration Information 5.0 Unattended Mode 6.0 Web Sites and Support Phone Number 7.0 Trademarks and Notices 8.0 Disclaimer ======================================================================= 1.0 Overview -------------- This IBM Storage Manager release includes the IBM FAStT Storage Manager version 8.41 ESM firmware for the upgrading the following IBM machine type - 1710 (models 10X and 10U). The IBM FAStT Storage Manager version 8.4x Installation and Support Guides are available on IBM's Support Web Site as a downloadable Portable Document Format (PDF) file. Refer to the IBM Support Web Site for the latest Firmware and NVSRAM files for the IBM FAStT Storage Subsystems. http://www.ibm.com/storage/support/fastt ======================================================================= 1.1 Limitations --------------------- All IOs to the FAStT storage server must be stopped while the ESM firmware is downloaded to the EXP100 ESMs. In addition, clustering services such as Microsoft MSCS must also be stopped if the cluster disks and quorum disks are defined using the logical drives in the EXP100 enclosures whose ESMs are being updated with new firmware. ======================================================================= 1.2 Enhancements ----------------- N/A ======================================================================= 1.3 Prerequisites ------------------ N/A ======================================================================= 1.4 Dependencies ----------------- N/A ======================================================================= 2.0 Change History ----------------------------- ====================================================================== 2.1 Key Features added to IBM FAStT Storage Manager 8.41 ESM firmware version 9534 - fix the erroneous clearing of the pending interrupt bit in the status/command completion register - return correct SATA drive error code ======================================================================= 2.2 ESM firmware release level is as follows ------------------------------------------------- - 9534 Refer to the IBM TotalStorage™ Disk Storage Systems Technical Support web site for the latest released code levels. http://www.ibm.com/storage/support/fastt ======================================================================= 3.0 Installation and Setup Instructions ----------------------------------------- To download drive expansion ESM firmware, do the following: a. Open the Subsystem Management window. b. Click Advanced => Download => Environmental(ESM) Card Firmware. Follow the online instructions. Note: After the ESM firmware is updated, consider checking the IBM TotalStorage™ Disk Storage Systems Technical Support web site for the latest released SATA hard drive firmware and the FAStT storage server controller firmware and NVSRAM files. ======================================================================= 3.2 Helpful Hints ------------------ 1. The ideal configuration for SATA drives is one drive in each EXP per array, one logical drive per array and one OS disk partition per logical drive. This configuration minimizes the random head movements that increase stress on the SATA drives. As the number of drive locations to which the heads have to move increases, application performance and drive reliability may be impacted. If more logical drives are configured, but not all of them used simultaneously, some of the randomness can be avoided. SATA drives are best used for long sequential reads and writes. 2. IBM recommends 2 hot spares per EXP100 drive expansion enclosure - one in an even slot and the other in an odd slot. To fully protect against single EXP100 ESM loss, 8 hot-spares will be required which results in a FAStT storage server configuration with at least four EXP100 enclosures. If there are not enough enclosures for hot-spares or not enough hot-spares, some of the arrays will be in degraded state when a single ESM in an EXP100 enclosure fails. However, the logical drive accessibility and data availability are still intact. The failing ESM must be replaced as soon as possible. In the FAStT 900 configuration with two redundant drive loops, it is recommended to put half of the hot-spares in one redundant drive loop and the rest on the other redundant drive loop. Note: a total of 15 hot-spares can be defined per FAStT storage server configuration ======================================================================= 4.0 Configuration Information ----------------------------- 4.1 Configuration Settings -------------------------- N/A ======================================================================= 4.2 Unsupported configurations ------------------------------ N/A ======================================================================= 5.0 Unattended Mode --------------------- N/A ======================================================================= 6.0 WEB Sites and Support Phone Number ---------------------------------------- 6.1 IBM TotalStorage™ Disk Storage Systems Technical Support web site: http://www.ibm.com/storage/support/fastt 6.2 IBM TotalStorage™ Marketing Web Site: http://www.storage.ibm.com/hardsoft/disk/fastt/index.html 6.3 If you have any questions about this update, or problem applying the update go to the following HelpCenter World Telephone Numbers URL: http://www.ibm.com/planetwide ======================================================================= 7.0 Trademarks and Notices ---------------------------- 7.1 The following terms are trademarks of the IBM Corporation in the United States or other countries or both: IBM FAStT ToTalStorage™ the e-business logo xSeries pSeries HelpCenter Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both. Java and all Java-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United states, other countries, or both. UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the United States and other countries. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others. ======================================================================= 8.0 Disclaimer ---------------- 8.1 THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. IBM DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND MERCHANTABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT. BY FURNISHING THIS DOCUMENT, IBM GRANTS NO LICENSES TO ANY PATENTS OR COPYRIGHTS. 8.2 Note to U.S. Government Users -- Documentation related to restricted rights -- Use, duplication or disclosure is subject to restrictions set forth in GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corporation.