IBM VIOS Server Upgrade from Version 3.1.2.x to 3.1.4.x Using CD

IBM Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) upgrades are critical maintenance activities in PowerVM environments. A properly planned upgrade ensures improved stability, security, and compatibility with newer firmware and operating system levels.

This guide explains the complete procedure to upgrade VIOS from version 3.1.2.x to 3.1.4.x using CD or ISO media.

1. Pre-Upgrade Health Checks

Before starting the upgrade, verify the current VIOS level, installed filesets, and system integrity.

ioscli oslevel -s

ioscli instfix -i | grep ML

ioscli lppchk -v

updateios -commit

Ensure there are no missing filesets or inconsistent package states before proceeding with the upgrade.

2. Prepare Alternate Disk Backup

Create an alternate disk copy for rollback protection in case the upgrade fails.

lspv

alt_disk_copy -d hdiskX

oem_setup_env

bootlist -m normal -o

bootlist -m normal hdisk0 blv=hd5 pathid=0

bootlist -m normal -o

3. Take VIOS Backup

Take a complete VIOS metadata backup using viosbr and transfer the backup to another server.

viosbr -backup -file /tmp/$(hostname)

viosbr -view -file /tmp/$(hostname)

ls -lrt /tmp

viosbr -view -file /tmp/$(hostname).tar.gz

cd /tmp

scp /tmp/$(hostname).tar.gz <other_vios_server_ip>:/tmp

/usr/ios/cli/ioscli lsmap -all -npiv >> /tmp/lsmapnpiv.out

scp /tmp/lsmapnpiv.out <other_vios_server_ip>:/tmp/

4. Upgrade Prerequisites

• Minimum 10 GB memory required.
• Ensure rootvg has at least 30 GB free space.
• RMC connection must be active.
• VIOS must be in running state.
• Rename any altinst_rootvg or old_rootvg before upgrade.
• VIOS 3.1.x requires Power8 or later hardware.

5. Mount Upgrade ISO

Mount the VIOS upgrade ISO image on the VIOS server.

loopmount -i <vios_upgrade.iso> -m /mnt -o "-V cdrfs -o ro"

6. Unload Existing Virtual Media

Unload all mapped virtual optical devices before starting the upgrade.

unloadopt -release -vtd vtopt0

lsrep

If multiple virtual optical devices exist:

for x in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
do
 unloadopt -release -vtd vtopt$x
done

7. Upgrade VIOS2 First

In dual VIOS environments, upgrade the secondary VIOS first.

updateios -accept -install -dev /tmp/<vios_upgrade_fileset>

shutdown -restart

ioslevel

8. Change SEA HA Mode

After successful VIOS2 upgrade, adjust HA mode before upgrading VIOS1.

lsdev -type adapter

chdev -dev ent8 -attr ha_mode=standby

entstat -all ent8 | grep -i state

9. Upgrade VIOS1

updateios -accept -install -dev /tmp/<vios_upgrade_fileset>

shutdown -restart

ioslevel

10. Restore HA Configuration

lsdev -type adapter

chdev -dev ent8 -attr ha_mode=sharing

entstat -all ent8 | grep -i state

11. Recovery or Cleanup Procedure

If the upgrade fails midway, perform cleanup and retry.

updateios -cleanup

nohup

updateios -accept -install -dev /tmp/<vios_upgrade_fileset>

updateios -commit

shutdown -restart

ioslevel

12. Post-Upgrade Validation

After reboot, validate the VIOS environment and services.

ioslevel

updateios -commit

lssrc -a

Verify all virtual devices and mappings.

lsdev -virtual

lsmap -all

13. Optional VIOS Restore

In case of VIOS metadata corruption, restore the VIOS backup.

viosbr -restore -file /path/to/backup/viosbr_backup

14. Final Validation Checklist

• Verify all client LPARs are operational.
• Validate NPIV mappings and vSCSI devices.
• Check SEA failover status.
• Confirm storage accessibility.
• Remove temporary alt_disk backup if no longer needed.
• Update operational documentation.

Conclusion

Upgrading VIOS in enterprise PowerVM environments requires careful planning, validation, and rollback preparation.

By following proper backup procedures, staged upgrades, and post-upgrade verification, administrators can ensure a smooth and reliable VIOS upgrade with minimal production impact.