On HMC you can have concurrent upgrade or disruptive. If you don't have an HMC, then it's diruptive.
On HMC for concurrent activation without reboot
Important when select the new firmware, select Automatically backup and Install only with deferred activation, to be sure to activate what is possible, the deferred feature 'll be activated at next restart from power server
First download the Firmware for you server (to check you server type and model, go on an LPAR: lsattr -El sys0 -a modelname), from IBM central fixes http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/ and put the files on an FTP server
If you have an HMC, go on Update, you will find all servers connected and their firmware level.
–> Select a server
- If you want to upgrade to a new level (Ex: AL240_xxx to AL250_xxx) Select Upgrade Licensed Internal Code to new release This upgrade required a reboot of your server
- If you want to upgrade to a new release (Ex: AL240_213 to AL240_250) Select Change Licensed Internal Code to the same release This upgrade can be done online
–> select a remote FTP server, the HMC will check the compatibility and you 'll be able to upgrade.
For information, only IBM is certified to upgrade High-End servers (P770 and higher)
[srv-aix61@root] /root> cd /usr/lpp/diagnostics/bin [srv-aix61@root] /root> ./update_flash -f /tmp/fwupdate/cc04194.img
References: https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/wikis/display/WikiPtype/p5+System+Firmware+Upgrade
First identify all devices that have a firmware (sys0 is the firmware of the Power server)
[srv-aix61@root] /root> lsmcode -A sys0!system:3R080425 |System Firmware:RG080425_d79e22_regatta hdisk0!IC35L03.44543031.53323847 hdisk1!IC35L03.44543031.53323847 hdisk2!IC35L03.44543031.53323847 hdisk3!IC35L03.44543031.53323847 ent0!1410ff01.SCU015 ent1!1410ff01.SCU015 ses0!A0900724.0018 [srv-aix61@root] /root> lsattr -El sys0 -a modelname modelname IBM,7028-6C4 Machine name False
With the type and model (7028-6C4), go on IBM central fixes http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/ and download all needed firmware for all devices into you server, as rpm format
Put all rpm package into a folder Ex: /tmp , and install it
[srv-aix61@root] /tmp> for pkg in $(ls *.rpm) do rpm --ignoreos -Uhv $pkg done
Now all firmware packages are placed into /etc/microcode. If you have many servers to upgrade, copy all files and folders from /etc/microcode.
Run the diag command –> Task Selection –> Microcode Tasks –> Download Latest Available Microcode –> Select the filesystem /etc/microcode Now it 'll propose to upgrade firmware if it has one (M) Most recent then the (C) Current.