Mostly just general comments to start discussion…

I would update whichever one needs it. If neither needs it and the process is being done only to stay reasonably current, I would probably update my system images first. I’d like my HMC to remain at a known stable level until my system images were also stable. I’d be less comfortable upgrading my system images while using an unfamiliar HMC level.

That’s just personal opinion for general circumstances.

I’ve been in circumstances where the HMC was allowed to fall far behind. It eventually came to the point where the HMC had to be upgraded before the system images could effectively be moved forward at all. In such a case, it can be difficult getting complete assistance from IBM Support when problems arise. The HMC then became a required “upgrade first” in order to go on.

Firmware comes in somewhat like LIC comes in for the system images. It can provide the virtual machine that everything else runs on. Without (virtual) machine features being presented to software, there are software functions that simply can’t run. It’s not clear what that part of the question is asking.

Tom

I agree with Tom. You will upgrade which you need 1st. but the other time when i upgrade the HMC firmware, we did backup before image of the HMC before upgrading it. this is for safety purpose.

I need to load the Cume Package. I have 2 partitions. I read that you can mess up your HMC if there are firmware updates in your Cume Package. I found that the Iseries is not the Service Partition. I am at V5R4M0 on the Iseries. I am at V7R3.2.0.0 on the HMC. Will I be OK to load the Cume Package to the 2 partitions and IPL the partitions? They do not IPL at the same time unless the system goes down. I keep reading in circles.
Thanks

I read that you can mess up your HMC if there are firmware updates in your Cume Package.

Can you provide a link for that, please? I’d like to review it to make sure I understand points that it might make.

I found that the Iseries is not the Service Partition. …Will I be OK to load the Cume Package to the 2 partitions and IPL the partitions?

And just so I’m certain, your i 520 is hosting two partitions and both partitions are running i5/OS V5R4. The HMC is separate; neither of those two partitions is a service partition.

Do you have an active service partition?

Tom

What do you see when you run DSPFMWSTS?

Tom

Here is a print screen from the DSPFMWSTS – it is the same on both partitions. Yes, I am running I5/OS V5R4 – two partitions and an HMC to control them. How do I tell if I have an active Service Partition.

Display Firmware Status

Service partition . . . . . . . . . . . . . : No
Firmware update policy . . . . . . . . . . : *HMC
Server IPL source . . . . . . . . . . . . . : Temporary
Firmware product ID/release . . . . . . . . : 5722999 V5R4M0

—Server firmware—-
Fix PTF
Copy pack ID
*ACTIVE SF240_338 MH01053
*TEMP SF240_338 MH01053
*PERM SF240_338 MH01053

Thanks

How do I tell if I have an active Service Partition.

If both partitions say the same, then neither is running as a service partition (Service partition . . . . . . . . . . . . . : No).

The server firmware is not allowed to be updated by the operating system because you have your HMC policy set for it. (Firmware update policy . . . . . . . . . . : *HMC)

You can run DSPFMWSTS and place the cursor anywhere on the resulting display and press <F1>. The context help-text for whatever you’re pointing at will be displayed. If you press <F2> when any context help-text is being displayed, the entire help-text for the whole context will be displayed.

Of course, ‘help-text’ doesn’t dictate what happens. It only documents what’s supposed to happen. If you’re reasonably up to date on PTFs, it should be reliable.

Tom

Thank you very much. You have been extremely helpful.
Here are my assumptions:
I can now load my cume package without worrying about the HMC. When I update the HMC the Firmware will be updated only when both partitions are IPL’d at the same time.