Upgrade OS on AS400 – V5r4 to V6r1
Need instructions for upgrading AS400 model 8203E4A from V5r4 to V6r1. Can you tell me where/how to find how we can do this inhouse?
Software/Hardware used:
AS400 model 8203E4A running OS V5r4.
Software/Hardware used:
AS400 model 8203E4A running OS V5r4.
ASKED:
October 5, 2009 3:40 PM
UPDATED:
January 13, 2010 9:15 PM
Answer Wiki:
The following information was taking from a slide show produced by IBM Rochester:
Useful Web Sites
<ul>
<li><a href="http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/systems/scope/i5os/index.jsp ">IBM i 6.1 Info Center: (i.e. (What’s New and Memo to Users) </a></li><li><a href="http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/systems/scope/i5os/topic/rzahc/rzahc1.htm?tocNode=int_217885">Information Center – IBM i (i5/OS V6R1) Installation/Upgrade</a></li><li><a href="http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/redp4293.html?Open">ITSO Redpaper ‘IBM i5/OS Program Conversion - Getting Ready for i5/OS V6R1</a></li><li><a href=" http://www-304.ibm.com/systems/support/supportsite.wss/brandmain?brandind=5000027">IBM i Support home page (e.g. links to Info APARS, PSPs, Fix Central, Technical Databases....)</a></li><li><a href="http://www-912.ibm.com/s_dir/sline003.nsf/sline003home">PSP Planning Site </a></li><li><a href=" http://www-304.ibm.com/jct01004c/systems/support/software/delivery/en_US/downloadinfo.html">IBM Electronic Software Delivery Web site</a></li><li><a href="http://">IBM Entitled Software Support site (Entitled SW Updates, SW Keys, Proofs of Entitlement….) </a></li><li><a href="http://">System i Planning</a></li><li><a href="http://www-304.ibm.com/systems/support/i/planning/upgrade/v6r1/index.html">Software No Longer Supported</a></li><li><a href="http://www-912.ibm.com/e_dir/eserverprereq.nsf">IBM Prerequisite Web site</a></li><li><a href="http://www-306.ibm.com/common/ssi/OIX.wss ">IBM Announcement Letters Web site</a></li><li><a href="http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/i/software/a2z.html">Individual System i software product Web sites </a></li><li><a href="http://www-912.ibm.com/s_dir/slkbase.nsf/1ac66549a21402188625680b0002037e/5a6b33f04dcc093a8625736a00590072?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,pruv">New IBM Pre-Upgrade Verification tool</a></li>
</ul>
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Have you done any OS upgrades before on an AS400 or iSeries system?
Is this a production system (Is your ass on the line)?
If you haven’t done this before and it’s a production system you might want someone with some experience involved.
Voodoo
It’s been a couple of years since I did my last OS upgrade, but I’m pretty sure IBM provides some fairly detailed instructions for the process. It’s nerve-wracking as all get out, but if you follow the steps you’ll likely be okay ((800) IBM-SERV is your friend). Make sure you’re up to date on PTFs and be sure to have a full system backup in hand before you start replacing anything.
Nerve-wracking pretty much sums it up if you don’t do these all the time hence having someone with experience assist.
I would recommend performing a Reclaim Storage and 2 full saves. It wouldn’t be the first time anyone had a bad backup.
I too have found that being current on the CUM PTFs has help a great deal. Since doing this I haven’t had a single serious problem (Call to the mother ship 1-800-IBM-SERV) in about 2 years and dozens of OS upgrades.
Voodoo
I second the RCLSTG & 2 backups – better safe than sorry.
Everytime our IBM business partner does an OS upgrade on one of our machines I’m amazed at how many steps he must perform. There are a ton of details to remember. We are able to take advantage of his knowledge gained from doing other installs.
If there is any way your management will spring for the help, I strongly, strongly recommend getting help from someone who does this for a living.
Thanks for everyone’s responses. They were all a great help! Its been about 7 years since we did an OS upgrade, so I think the nerve factor was at play as well. We found the 200+ page instruction booklet that IBM has on its website and I went thru & pulled out the parts that pertained to us. Thanks to input from each of you, I was successful in getting V6R1 loaded on our AS400. I had to contact IBM tech support trying to get one portion of the lic programs installed, but otherwise, it went well.
Congratulations on the upgrade.
Now you can sit back and forget most everything you learned before the next one.
Were you current on the CUM PTFs for V5R4 before you started?
Just wondering as I’ve seen this problem in the past if the old OS was’nt current.
VooDoo
Upgrade to V6R1 had one BIG concern
Machine instruction changed in Power 6 System So, some program object may be unable to running in new OS V6R1
So,
1. Install and applied the latest PTFs (recommended for preventing some error)
2. After PTFs applied you must be getting the command Analyze Object Conversion (ANZOBJCVN) for analyze your objects (also programs) for compatibility to run in V6R1 or not?
Run *collect first and *report after collection completed
3. If yes perform OS upgrade like normal operation
4. If NO your must finding those source for re-compile after OS upgrade completed
Are you sure the 820 is supported at V6R1.
This link suggests not: http://www-947.ibm.com/systems/support/i/planning/upgrade/osmapping.html
As others have mentioned running the ANZOBJCVN command is the first and most important step in preparing to go to V6R1 (as well as having supported hardware) . Any unobserveable objects must be replaced or recompiled with observeability before the upgrade. They will not work otherwise..
This is very similar to the CISC-to-RISC upgrades many long term iSeries shops would have had to go through 10 years or so back
An E4A is a current model in the 520 series. They can have V5R4M5 or V6R1 on them.
Does anyone have a rough time estimate (in hours) to upgrade from 5.4 to 6.1 on an AS/400.
The answer is it depends…. A lot of disk space used with require longer times to perform the saves depending on the tape backup specs and the processor and memory configuration will determine the upgrade and PTF apply. I think there is an estimate in the ANZOBJCNV that will help with the conversion part but it is really impossible to pin point a good estimate. Give yourself the weekend if possible.
I have done a lot of smaller LPARs and they take a minimum of 15 hours with 3 hours for full system saves, 3 hours for upgrade, 3 hours for PTFs, 3 hours for full system save and 3 hours for application testing and fixing before turning over to the end users but that does not include the time to perfrom a full system restore should the upgrade not work with your applications and you hove to reload from the first full system save. I estimate that at about 6 hours which I have not had to do yet but then again these are small LPARs compared to some of the larger systems I have worked on. This is for V5R3 and V5R4 upgrades. I have not yet perfromed a V6R1 upgrade yet.
Lovemyi