Performing a non-disruptive upgrade from PowerHA SystemMirror 7.2.0 to PowerHA SystemMirror 7.2.1, or later

You can use the Non-Disruptive Upgrade (NDU) function to update PowerHA® SystemMirror® software to a later version without any interruptions to resource groups and applications. The NDU function is available only if the PowerHA SystemMirror software upgrade does not require the AIX® operating system to restart.

Review the following information before you use the NDU function to upgrade PowerHA SystemMirror:

When you use the NDU function to upgrade PowerHA SystemMirror, the PowerHA SystemMirror software is updated on one node at a time in a cluster while the resource groups remain running. During the NDU process, the node is moved to an UNMANAGED state. This process allows the workloads that are managed by the resource groups remain functional while the upgrade occurs. After the NDU process completes, the node is moved back to a MANAGED state.

NDU migration is supported if you update from PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.0 to PowerHA SystemMirror 7.2.1, or later, on a system that is running on one of the following versions of the AIX operating system:
  • IBM® AIX 6.1 with Technology Level 9
  • IBM AIX 7.1 with Technology Level 3, or later
  • IBM AIX Version 7.2, or later
The following are requirements and limitations for the NDU function:
  • If your configuration is using the HyperSwap® function, you cannot use the NDU function to upgrade from PowerHA SystemMirror Version 7.2.0 to PowerHA SystemMirror 7.2.1, or later.
  • If your configuration is using Geographic Logical Volume Manager (GLVM) with Remote Physical Volumes (RPV), you must unconfigure the RPV clients and servers before you use the NDU function.
Note: The PowerHA SystemMirror graphical user interface (GUI) server does not work with clusters that have nodes with different versions of PowerHA SystemMirror installed. The same version of PowerHA SystemMirror must be installed on all the cluster nodes for the PowerHA SystemMirror graphical user interface (GUI) server to work correctly.

To perform the NDU migration on a node, complete the following steps:

  1. By using the Unmanage Resource Groups option in the System Management Interface Tool (SMIT), stop cluster services on the node that you want to upgrade the PowerHA SystemMirror software.
  2. Install PowerHA SystemMirror 7.2.1, or later, on the node. Verify that you are using a supported technology level of the AIX operating system for the version of PowerHA SystemMirror that you want to install.
    Note: You must first install the base PowerHA SystemMirror file sets for the new release you are migrating to and then install any corresponding PowerHA SystemMirror service packs. Do not mix the base filesets for the new PowerHA SystemMirror release and the service packs in the same installation directory because it might affect the order of installation and cause errors.
  3. Using SMIT, start cluster services.
  4. Repeat steps 1 - 3 on each node in the cluster, one node at a time.
    Note: You must bring cluster services online on all nodes in the cluster to complete the migration process.