IBM SSA READMES

IBM SSA Tools Help
This document contains help, usage and examples for the IBM SSA command line microcode download tools.

Adapter Firmware Download

NOTE: Downloads should normally only be done when you are requested to update your adapter firmware by an IBM Service Representative or investigation of the adapter VPD indicates the adapter is not at the level indicated on the IBM SSA Customer Support Homepage.

INCORRECT USE OF THESE PROGRAMS MAY RESULT IN ADAPTER(S) BECOMING UNUSABLE

DOS
There are two adapter download utilities available for DOS.

ISSAADLD.EXE which can determine the type of adapter(s) you have and DOWNLOAD.COM which CANNOT determine the type of adapter(s) you have and will attempt to download to ALL adapters it finds.

At the time this document was written, there exist 5 IBM SSA RAID adapters, each of which has a unique Loadable Microcode Level (LL) which can be found by looking at the adapter VPD from the configurator. These are as follows:

 IBM SSA RAID Adapter            - LL03
 IBM SSA RAID Adapter            - LL11
 IBM SSA RAID Cluster Adapter    - LL10
 IBM SerialRAID Adapter          - LL04
 IBM Advanced SerialRAID Adapter - LL05
 

Firmware images will be named ADAPxxxx.Lyy where xxxx is the firmware level and yy is one of the above LL values. As an example, ADAP2201.L11 should only be applied to adapters of type LL11.

DOS - ISSAADLD.EXE
New Adapter Downloader
You should use the following utility to update the firmware on your adapter,

IBM SSA Adapter Firmware Downloader for DOS32, version 1.x (where x is Version Number)

 usage: issaadld [-a node] [-q] [-p] firmware.Lxx
 flags: -a node       identify adapter by node number (default all adapters)
        -q            quiet mode (default is verbose)
        -p            pause just before loading firmware
        firmware.Lxx  input adapter firmware image file (xx is LL field)
 

Example :

You have an LL04 adapter at node 13 and the associated firmware image ( ADAP5801.L04 ). Copy the firmware onto the DOS diskette and use this diskette to boot PC-DOS. Then run,

a:\issaadld -a 13 ADAP5801.L04 ( only applies download to adapter at node 13 )

or

a:\issaadld ADAP5801.L04 ( applies download to ALL LL04 adapters )

If you receive the following message you should read the next section, (Using DOWNLOAD.COM).

Download(s) could not be done as the current level of firmware on the adapter(s) is too early to accept a replacement from this program. You are advised to use an alternative program.

DOS - DOWNLOAD.COM
Old Adapter Downloader
*** WARNING! ***
This utility cannot tell which type of adapter(s) are present, it will attempt to download the supplied firmware image to ALL adapter(s) it finds. You should attempt to use ISSAADLD.EXE first. If you have no option and are sent here by ISSAADLD.EXE, proceed as follows:

If you have more than one type (LL) of SSA adapter in your server, you must remove all but one type from their PCI slots and only leave the one type of adapter in your server you have a new microcode download diskette for.

So if you have an LL03 to update, and an LL05 in the same server. Physically remove the LL05 adapter before proceeding.

Ensure you have created a DOS download diskette from an image file obtained from the Customer Support Website.

Boot the server from the diskete created and ensure the banner displayed corresponds to the type of adapter you are downloading to. ENSURE YOU READ THE README.NOW FILE PROVIDED ON THE DISKETTE. Then if everything has been read, understood and complied to as stated in the readme, run :

a:\download

Occasionally the system may not reboot when the floppy diskette is removed. Simply perform a power cycle if the situation arises. The firmware WILL have been updated.

DOS - ISSADDLD.EXE
Disk Downloader
ISSADDLD downloads a disk microcode image to a specific disk, or to all disks on a given SSA adapter, or to all disks on all SSA adapters.

IBM SSA Disk Microcode Downloader for DOS32, version 1.x (where x is Version Number)

 usage: issaddld [-a node] [-u uid] [-v vendor] [-f] [-q] [-p] ttttllll.dl

 flags: -a node     identify adapter by SSA node number (default all adapters)
        -u serial   disk serial number (default all disks)
        -v vendor   identify drive vendor default is IBM)
        -f          force download (default is to upgrade)
        -q          quiet mode (default is verbose)
        -p           pause just before loading microcode
        ttttllll.dl input disk microcode image file
                    tttt is the product type
                    llll is the code level
 

Example :

To download a new IBM UltraStar XP (DFHC) microcode image (for instance, DFHC8877.DL) to all the disks on all the adapters:

issaddld DFHC8877.DL

To update all the IBM UltraStar 2XP (DCHC) disks on the adapter referred to as node 13:-

issaddld -a 13 DCHC9595.DL

Note some DCHC drives will report the microcode level as 9590, this is normal from some types of DCHC drive.

Important

Do NOT download whilst disks are performing I/O. All open occurrences of the SSA Configurator should also be closed, prior to performing the download.

Only use this utility program when instructed to do so by your service representative since downloading incorrect images, for example, could have a detrimental effect on your SSA Subsystem.

DOS - ISSAEDLD.EXE
7133 Model40 Enclosure Controller Downloader
ISSAEDLD downloads an enclosure microcode image to a specific disk, or to all relevant enclosures on a given SSA adapter, or to all relevant enclosures on all SSA adapters.

IBM SSA Enclosure Microcode Downloader for DOS32, version 1.x (where x is Version Number)

 usage: issaedld [-a node] [-d disp] [-e eli] [-f] [-t] [-q] [-p] mcodeNNN.hex

 flags: -a node      only download enclosure(s) attached to an adapter
        -d disp      only download enclosure(s) with disp on their LED displays
        -e eli       only download enclosure with Enclosure Logical Identifier (eli)
        -f           force download, even if downgrades microcode
        -t           temporary download
        -q           quiet mode (default is verbose)
        -p           pause just before loading microcode
        mcodeNNN.hex input Intel Hex microcode file (NNN is code level)
 

Example :

To download a new enclosure microcode image (for instance, mcode011.hex) to all the enclosures on all the adapters:

issaedld mcode011.hex

To update all enclosures on the adapter referred to as node 13:-

issaedld -a 13 mcode011.hex

Important

Do NOT download whilst disks are performing I/O. All open occurrences of the SSA Configurator should also be closed, prior to performing the download.

Only use this utility program when instructed to do so by your service representative since downloading incorrect images, for example, could have a detrimental effect on your SSA Subsystem.

Windows NT
NT - ISSAADLD.EXE
Adapter Downloader
ISSAADLD downloads an adapter microcode image to a specific SSA adapter, or to all SSA adapters of the correct type it can find.

IBM SSA Adapter Firmware Downloader for Windows, version 1.x ( x = version number )

 usage: issaadld [-a node] [-q] [-p] firmware.Lxx
 flags: -a node       identify adapter by node number (default all adapters)
        -q            quiet mode (default is verbose)
        -p            pause just before loading firmware
        firmware.Lxx  input adapter firmware image file (xx is LL field)
 

The adapter microcode image file type is identified by the subscript. These are:

 xxxxxxxx.L03 : for LL03 SSA RAID Adapters
 xxxxxxxx.L11 : for LL11 SSA RAID Adapters
 xxxxxxxx.L10 : for LL10 SSA RAID Cluster Adapters.
 xxxxxxxx.L04 : for LL04 SerialRAID Adapters
 xxxxxxxx.L05 : for LL05 Advanced SerialRAID Adapters.
 

The adapter download program checks the "Loadable microcode field" in the adapter VPD in order that the wrong image is not inadvertently loaded to the card. Care should be taken if renaming the files that the file extension is not altered.

NOTE: Versions of the ISSAADLD program dated prior to that of this installation should NOT be used. This program was intended to service the LL03 adapter only.

Example:

To download a particular adapter microcode image (ADAP0200.L10, for instance) to ALL LL10 SSA RAID Cluster Adapters:

issaadld ADAP0200.L10

To download a particular adapter microcode image (ADAP2201.L11, for instance) just to the LL11 SSA RAID Adapter which is 'Node 13':

issaadld -a 13 ADAP2201.L11

Important

Do NOT download whilst disks are performing I/O. All open occurrences of the SSA Configurator should also be closed, prior to performing the download.

Only use this utility program when instructed to do so by your service representative since downloading incorrect images, for example, could have a detrimental effect on your SSA Subsystem.

Errors may be generated in SSA Event Log. These can be ignored and are a result of adapter reset which is necessary to initialise the new microcode.

NT - ISSADDLD.EXE
Disk Downloader
IBM SSA Disk Microcode Downloader for Windows, version 1.x ( x = version number )

 usage: issaddld [-a node] [-u uid] [-v vendor] [-f] [-q] [-p] ttttllll.dl

 flags: -a node     identify adapter by SSA node number (default all adapters)
        -u serial   disk serial number (default all disks)
        -v vendor   identify drive vendor default is IBM)
        -f          force download (default is to upgrade)
        -q          quiet mode (default is verbose)
        -p           pause just before loading microcode
        ttttllll.dl input disk microcode image file
                    tttt is the product type
                    llll is the code level
 

Example:

To download a new IBM UltraStar XP (DFHC) microcode image (for instance, DFHC8877.DL) to ALL the disks on ALL the adapters

issaddld DFHC8877.DL

To download a new IBM UltraStar 2XP (DCHC) microcode image (for instance, DCHC9595.DL) to ALL the DCHC disks on the adapter referred to as node 13:

issaddld -a 13 DCHC9595.DL

NB: Some DCHC drives will report the microcode fields as 9590. This is normal for some DCHC drives.

Important

Do NOT download to disks whilst they are performing I/O.

Only use this utility program when instructed to do so by your service representative since downloading incorrect images, for example, could have a detrimental effect on your SSA Subsystem.

NT - ISSAEDLD.EXE
7133 Model40 Enclosure Controller Downloader
ISSAEDLD downloads an enclosure microcode image to a specific disk, or to all relevant enclosures on a given SSA adapter, or to all relevant enclosures on all SSA adapters.

IBM SSA Enclosure Microcode Downloader for Windows, version 1.x (where x is Version Number)

 usage: issaedld [-a node] [-d disp] [-e eli] [-f] [-t] [-q] [-p] mcodeNNN.hex

 flags: -a node      only download enclosure(s) attached to an adapter
        -d disp      only download enclosure(s) with disp on their LED displays
        -e eli       only download enclosure with Enclosure Logical Identifier (eli)
        -f           force download, even if downgrades microcode
        -t           temporary download
        -q           quiet mode (default is verbose)
        -p           pause just before loading microcode
        mcodeNNN.hex input Intel Hex microcode file (NNN is code level)
 

Example :

To download a new enclosure microcode image (for instance, mcode011.hex) to all the enclosures on all the adapters:

issaedld mcode011.hex

To update all enclosures on the adapter referred to as node 13:-

issaedld -a 13 mcode011.hex

Important

Do NOT download whilst disks are performing I/O. All open occurrences of the SSA Configurator should also be closed, prior to performing the download.

Only use this utility program when instructed to do so by your service representative since downloading incorrect images, for example, could have a detrimental effect on your SSA Subsystem.