DYNIX/ptx V4.4.x Fibre Channel Software Release Notes: Special Upgrade Procedures


Appendix A
Special Upgrade Procedures

The procedures in this appendix support special field software upgrades of Fibre Channel products beyond the usual firmware-version upgrades documented in the main body of this document:


A.1 Adding a License Key to a SilkWorm or SilkWorm Express FC Switch

A license key enables the optional software pre-installed on a SilkWorm or SilkWorm Express switch. Each license key is issued against the hardware worldwide name (WWN) of a particular switch by the software vendor. Therefore, each key is unique and works only for the WWN for which it is issued. The license key is not transferable to another WWN.

From the remote telnet interface of any switch, license keys can be verified, installed, or deleted. On 16-port switches, the local-display control panel can be used to check for a license presence, but not to install or remove a license key.


A.1.1 When to do the License-Key Upgrade

SilkWorm or SilkWorm Express FC Switches that were installed prior to the release in which all switches come from the factory with active licenses must be upgraded with a license key when the customer wants to implement software zoning for NC/SAN configurations for NQuads only, running the Windows NT operating system in NUMACenter systems.

Because a switch must be rebooted to activate the software after the license key is installed, choose a time when the switch can be taken offline, such as:


A.1.2 Prerequisites

A SilkWorm or SilkWorm Express FC Switch to be upgraded with a license key must meet the following criteria:


A.1.3 Switch Commands for License Administration

From the local-display control panel of 16-port switches, the Status Menu contains the item "License." Selecting "License" displays only whether licenses are installed or not. License keys cannot be added or removed from this interface.

During a remote-login telnet session, the following commands are available:

licenseHelp
Lists the action commands for administering licenses.
licenseShow
Displays the current license status of the switch. See Section A.1.4.
licenseAdd
Adds the license key supplied as an argument in double quotes. See Section A.1.5.
licenseRemove
Removes the existing license. No argument required. See Section A.1.6.


A.1.4 Checking License Status

From the local-display control panel of a 16-port switch:

  1. Select the Status Menu.

  2. Scroll through that menu to the item "Licenses" and press the Enter button.

  3. If the value "000" is displayed, proceed to Section A.1.5 and install the license key for this switch.

  4. If the value "007" is displayed, no further action is necessary.


ATTENTION

A combination license key authorizes three optional software products included with every switch. Each product license is assigned a binary value as follows:

001 - Web Tools
002 - ZONING license
004 - SES license

So, if the license key matching the WWN of this switch has been accurately installed, the reported value should be "007."


From the remote interface on any switch:

  1. From the host system, acquire a telnet login to the switch to be upgraded. Preferably, this will be over the same Ethernet connection that the host system will use for upgrading switch firmware.

    (For the purpose of these example commands, assume that the switch name is sw9.)

    # telnet switch_IP_address or switch_name
    sw9 login:
  2. Log into the admin account:

    sw9 login: admin
    Password: admin_password
    sw9:admin>
  3. Check for a license with the following command:

    sw9:admin> licenseShow
  4. If no license is present, the response will be:

    No licenses.

    Perform the installation procedure in Section A.1.5.

    If a license is present, verify that one license-key string is printed along with the names of the enabled licenses and the checksum of 6. For instance:

    <license_key_string>:
    Web license
    Zoning license
    SES license
    value = 7 =0x7

    If any license is not listed, then the license key is incorrect and must be reinstalled. See Section A.1.5.

    If all licenses are listed, no further action is necessary.


A.1.5 Installing a License Key


ATTENTION

Before starting this task, you must obtain access to new license keys by supplying the serial number of each switch to be upgraded to Customer Support. You will then be authorized to copy unique license-key encoded strings for each switch from a protected online source.



ATTENTION

In a single-fabric configuration, the system must be taken down to the single-user level to perform this task.

In a dual-fabric configuration, a switch must be deconfigured from an operational system and taken offline to perform this task because the switch must be rebooted to activate the change.


First, determine that a license key installation is necessary by checking the license status as in Section A.1.4.

If no license key is present, do the following steps:

  1. For a single-fabric configuration, bring the system down to the single-user level.

    For a dual-fabric configuration, deconfigure the switch to be upgraded and all of its children from the system.

  2. Put the switch into the Offline mode:

    sw9:admin> switchDisable

  3. Install the encoded, alphanumeric license-key string. Use double quotes around the license-key string.


    ATTENTION

    For greater accuracy, copy and paste the encoded string from a protected online source. Typing the string will also work, but errors are more likely. If an error is detected at any time before the Enter key is pressed, a Ctrl-C will cancel the command with no action and you can start over.


    sw9:admin> licenseAdd "license_key_string"
  4. Verify that the correct license key for this switch has been entered. If the key is correct, the switch will list the enabled software packages and the checksum of 6. For example:

    sw9:admin> licenseShow
    <license_key_string>:
    Web license
    Zoning license
    SES license
    value = 7 = 0x7
  5. Reboot the switch to activate the optional software. During the reboot, the host system will time out the telnet login and break the connection.

    sw9:admin> reboot
  6. For a single-fabric configuration, reboot the system.

    For a dual-fabric configuration, reconfigure the switch back into the system.


A.1.6 Removing a License Key

From the remote interface only, perform this task to disable the optional software on a switch.


ATTENTION

In a single-fabric configuration, the system must be taken down to the single-user level to perform this task.

In a dual-fabric configuration, a switch must be deconfigured from an operational system and taken offline to perform this task because the switch must be rebooted to activate the change.


  1. For a single-fabric configuration, bring the system down to the single-user level.

    For a dual-fabric configuration, deconfigure the switch to be upgraded from the system.

  2. Put the switch into the Offline mode:

    sw9:admin> switchDisable

  3. Enter the command licenseShow to list the license key and the names of the licenses.

  4. In case the removal action must be reversed, copy the encoded license_key_string to a file for retrieval.


    ATTENTION

    The license key is valid only for the WWN of this switch. It will not work on any other switch.


  5. Enter the command licenseRemove.

    sw9:admin> licenseRemove
  6. Verify that the license key has been removed:

    sw9:admin> licenseShow
    No licenses
    value = <indeterminate_string> = <indeterminate_string>

  7. Reboot the switch to activate the change.

  8. For a single-fabric configuration, reboot the system.

    For a dual-fabric configuration, reconfigure the switch back into the system.