Updating Drive Firmware - Spectra TFinity User Manual

Chapter 15 — Maintaining the Drives
U D
PDATING RIVE
Overview. Whenever you update your library software, confirm that your
drives are using the latest firmware version (see Determine the Drive
Generation and Firmware Version on page 473). Drive firmware updates
are also occasionally required to resolve drive issues. When updated drive
firmware is available, schedule a drive firmware update at your earliest
convenience.
The method you use to update the drives depends on the type of drives
you are updating and your operating environment.
IBM Tape Diagnostic Tool (ITDT)
To use, install the ITDT utility on a Solaris,
Linux, or Windows host connected to the
drives to be updated. The update takes 1‐2
minutes per drive.
Drive Update through Package Update
Firmware stages in the background (with no
impact to library operations) for up to 8 hours
for LTO drives and up to 16 hours for TS11xx
technology drives; then, when initiated by the
user, the drives are updated in parallel. The
actual update takes up to 30 minutes for all
LTO‐5 or later generation and all TS11xx
technology drives.
Drive Firmware Update Wizard
Requires one or more firmware update tapes.
The update takes about 5 minutes per drive.
Multiple drives can be updated in parallel if
multiple firmware tapes are used. One
partition is processed at a time.
Update Drive Firmware Utility
Requires a firmware update tape. The update
takes about 5 minutes per drive. Updates are
performed serially, one partition at a time.
a. Contact Technical Support before using this wizard to update LTO-4 drives. LTO-4 drives must remain empty and idle during the
update, which may take up to 8 hours per drive.
November 2020
F
IRMWARE

Notes:
If Auto Download is configured (see Configure a Package
Server on page 135) and a system message indicates that the
library downloaded a new drive firmware package, use
Apply the Update on page 486 to install the firmware.
 If you cannot use any of the methods described in the
following sections, contact Spectra Logic Technical Support
for assistance (see Contacting Spectra Logic on page 7).
LTO-4 LTO-5 and Later
Generations
Recommended Recommended
Not Available
a
Recommended
Recommended
if you cannot
use ITDT or if
the firmware
was auto
downloaded.
Available Available
Available Available
User Guide—Spectra TFinity Library
Track Cleaning Cartridge Use
TS11xx
Technology
Recommended
Available
Recommended
if you cannot
use ITDT or if
the firmware
was auto
downloaded.
Not Available
Not Available
472