AIX: Installing an IBM Spectrum Protect server fix pack

IBM Spectrum Protect maintenance updates, which are also referred to as fix packs, bring your server up to the current maintenance level.

Before you begin

To install a fix pack or interim fix to the server, install the server at the level on which you want to run it. You do not have to start the server installation at the base release level. For example, if you currently have V8.1.1 installed, you can go directly to the latest fix pack for V8.1. You do not have to start with the V8.1.0 installation if a maintenance update is available.

You must have the IBM Spectrum Protect license package installed. The license package is provided with the purchase of a base release. When you download a fix pack or interim fix from Fix Central, install the server license that is available on the Passport Advantage® website. To display messages and help in a language other than US English, install the language package of your choice.

If you upgrade the server and then revert the server to an earlier level, you must restore the database to a point in time before the upgrade. During the upgrade process, complete the required steps to ensure that the database can be restored: back up the database, the volume history file, the device configuration file, and the server options file.

If you are using the client management service, ensure that you upgrade it to the same version as the IBM Spectrum Protect server.

Ensure that you retain the installation media from the base release of the installed server. If you installed IBM Spectrum Protect from a downloaded package, ensure that the downloaded files are available. If the upgrade fails, and the server license module is uninstalled, the installation media from the server base release are required to reinstall the license.

Visit the IBM® Support Portal for the following information:
  • A list of the latest maintenance and download fixes. Click Downloads and apply any applicable fixes.
  • Details about obtaining a base license package. Search for Downloads > Passport Advantage.
  • Supported platforms and system requirements. Search for IBM Spectrum Protect supported operating systems.

Ensure that you upgrade the server before you upgrade backup-archive clients. If you do not upgrade the server first, communication between the server and clients might be interrupted.

Attention: Do not alter the Db2® software that is installed with IBM Spectrum Protect installation packages and fix packs. Do not install or upgrade to a different version, release, or fix pack of Db2 software because doing so can damage the database.

Procedure

To install a fix pack or interim fix, complete the following steps:

  1. Back up the database. The preferred method is to use a snapshot backup. A snapshot backup is a full database backup that does not interrupt any scheduled database backups. For example, issue the following IBM Spectrum Protect administrative command:
    backup db type=dbsnapshot devclass=tapeclass
  2. Back up the device configuration information. Issue the following IBM Spectrum Protect administrative command:
    backup devconfig filenames=file_name
    where file_name specifies the name of the file in which to store device configuration information.
  3. Save the volume history file to another directory or rename the file. Issue the following IBM Spectrum Protect administrative command:
    backup volhistory filenames=file_name
    where file_name specifies the name of the file in which to store the volume history information.
  4. Save a copy of the server options file, typically named dsmserv.opt. The file is in the server instance directory.
  5. Halt the server before installing a fix pack or interim fix.
    Use the HALT command.
  6. Ensure that extra space is available in the installation directory.
    The installation of this fix pack might require additional temporary disk space in the installation directory of the server. The amount of additional disk space can be as much as that required for installing a new database as part of an IBM Spectrum Protect installation. The IBM Spectrum Protect installation wizard displays the amount of space that is required for installing the fix pack and the available amount. If the required amount of space is greater than the available amount, the installation stops. If the installation stops, add the required disk space to the file system and restart the installation.
  7. Linux operating systemsAIX operating systems Log in as the root user.
  8. Obtain the package file for the fix pack or interim fix that you want to install from the IBM Support Portal, Passport Advantage, or Fix Central.
  9. Linux operating systemsAIX operating systems Change to the directory where you placed the executable file and complete the following steps.
    Tip: The files are extracted to the current directory. Ensure that the executable file is in the directory where you want the extracted files to be located.
    1. Change file permissions by entering the following command:
      chmod a+x 8.x.x.x-IBM-SPSRV-platform.bin
      where platform denotes the architecture that IBM Spectrum Protect is to be installed on.
    2. Issue the following command to extract the installation files:
       ./8.x.x.x-IBM-SPSRV-platform.bin
  10. Select one of the following ways of installing IBM Spectrum Protect.
    Important: After a fix pack is installed, it is not necessary to go through the configuration again. You can stop after completing the installation, fix any errors, then restart your servers.
    Install the IBM Spectrum Protect software by using one of the following methods:
    Installation wizard
    Follow the instructions for your operating system:
    Installing IBM Spectrum Protect by using the installation wizard
    Tip: After you start the wizard, in the IBM Installation Manager window, click the Update icon; do not click the Install or Modify icon.
    Command line in console mode
    Follow the instructions for your operating system:
    Installing IBM Spectrum Protect by using console mode
    Tip: If you have multiple server instances on your system, run the installation wizard only once. The installation wizard upgrades all server instances.

Results

Correct any errors that are detected during the installation process.

If you installed the server by using the installation wizard, you can view installation logs by using the IBM Installation Manager tool. Click File > View Log. To collect log files, from the IBM Installation Manager tool, click Help > Export Data for Problem Analysis.

If you installed the server by using console mode or silent mode, you can view error logs in the IBM Installation Manager log directory, for example:
  • Linux operating systemsAIX operating systems/var/ibm/InstallationManager/logs