Upgrade Dell PowerFlex to v3.6.x

Upgrade PowerFlex components

Upgrade PowerFlex using the PowerFlex Gateway.

1. From the plug-in VxFlex OS Systems screen, launch the PowerFlex Installer by clicking Open PowerFlex Gateway.
2. In the PowerFlex Installer, enter the default credentials.
3. Click Packages.

   You may need to re-authenticate with your login credentials. The Manage Installation Packages window appears.

   NOTE:To use this PowerFlex Installer to install packages for Windows and Linux, you can upload all the files at once.
4. Browse to the location where the PowerFlex packages for Linux operating systems are saved.
5. Select all the relevant files for the operating systems on which you want to upgrade. Both your current base version of PowerFlex, and the version to which you are upgrading are required.
   For example, for the current SVMs which are now based on CentOS 7.6, select the Linux RHEL 7.x files.
   File formats can be RPM, TAR, or MSI. Minimally, you must select these packages:
   1. MDM
   2. SDS
   3. SDC
   4. LIA
      The Browse button changes its appearance to reflect the selected files.

   Packages from the base version, for all components that are deployed: LIA, MDM, SDS, XCACHE (optional), SDR (optional), VASA Provider (optional, for VMware VASA provider for VVols), for example:

   • EMC-SCALEIO-LIA-3.0.x.<build>.<flavor>.x86_64.RPM
   • EMC-SCALEIO-MDM-3.0.x.<build>.<flavor>.x86_64.RPM

   Packages from the new version: LIA, MDM, SDS, XCACHE (optional, for Medium Granularity storage acceleration), SDR (optional, for replication), VASA Provider (optional, for VMware VASA provider for VVols), for example:

   • EMC-SCALEIO-LIA-3.6-X.<build>.<flavor>.x86_64.RPM
   • EMC-SCALEIO-MDM-3.6-X.<build>.<flavor>.x86_64.RPM
6. When all files are selected, click Open.
7. Click Upload.

   The uploaded installation packages (RHEL, in this example) are listed in the file table.

8. Upgrade the PowerFlex components:
   1. From the PowerFlex Installer, click the Maintain tab.
   2. From the Maintenance operation screen, perform the following:
      1. Type the primary MDM's credentials.
      2. Select the LIA authentication type (Native or LDAP), and if Native is selected, type the LIA password. If LDAP is selected, type the LDAP user name and password.
      3. Click Retrieve system topology. A success message is displayed.
      4. Click Upgrade.

         The Device Media Type for VxFlex OS system window is displayed.

   3. Select the device media type (mandatory) and external acceleration type (optional) for each Storage Pool in the system, and then click Proceed.
      For external acceleration, options include:

      • none—No devices are accelerated by a non-PowerFlex read or write cache
      • read—All devices are accelerated by a non-PowerFlex read cache
      • write—All devices are accelerated by a non-PowerFlex write cache
      • read_and_write—All devices are accelerated by both non-PowerFlex read and write cache

      This input is required in order to prevent the generation of false alerts for media type mismatches. For example, if an HDD device is added which the SDS perceives as being too fast to fit the HDD criteria, alerts might be generated. External acceleration/caching is explained in the Getting to Know Dell PowerFlex Guide.

   4. Set upgrade options:
      • To prevent upgrade of SDCs, select Do not upgrade any SDCs.

        If you choose this option, you can upgrade the SDCs later, using the vSphere PowerFlex plug-in. You might want to use this option if the SDCs are running critical applications that are currently in use.

      • To continue an upgrade that was interrupted on a different gateway, select Allow upgrade even when already in Upgrade state.

        Use this option when you started an upgrade using a different PowerFlex Gateway, but that PowerFlex Gateway failed or is offline now.

      • Set performance profiles.

        High performance profiles are mandatory when using Fine Granularity Storage Pools. For other configurations, they are optional. You can modify these profiles later.

      • Perform automatic restart of Windows-based nodes (required for Windows-based nodes on which SDCs are deployed).
      • To upgrade SDSs in the same Fault Set together, select Enable parallel SDS upgrades.

        Parallel upgrade of SDSs in the same Fault Set saves time; the upgrade will be performed faster.

   5. Confirm the upgrade operation and click Upgrade.
      NOTE:If a certificate notice is displayed, review and approve it.
   6. Click the Monitor tab, and approve each step of the upgrade process.
   7. When complete, click Mark operation completed.