Introduction

This document contains supplemental information for Automated Uptime™ Layer for Linux®-based ftServer® Systems, Release 8.0.9.0. It was published May 2017.

For general release information, see the Release Notes: Automated Uptime Layer for Linux-based ftServer Systems (R005L) or the complete set of documentation for Automated Uptime Layer for Linux-Based ftServer Systems, Release 8.0.3.0.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Release Information

The Red Hat Enterprise Linux™, Release 6.9 is now supported for use with the Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for Linux-based ftServer Systems, Release 8.0.9.0 CD, which contains the Automated Uptime Layer software distribution.

MINIMUM KERNEL: 2.6.32-696.el6

ftServer System Information

The ftServer systems running with this release must use firmware revisions for CPU BIOS and Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) which meet or exceed the following requirements:

MINIMUM BIOS: 5.0:17

MINUMUM BMC FW: 3.21

Operating System Installation and Custom Kickstart Files

Caution: If you use a custom kickstart file, do not allow the cloud-init package to install. The effect of installing the cloud-init package may not be reversible.

In general, you use the Automated Uptime Layer kickstart files to install the Linux operating system and Automated Uptime Layer. If you cannot use an Automated Uptime Layer kickstart file and you use a custom kickstart file, do not allow the cloud-init package to install. The effect of installing the cloud-init package may not be reversible. The Stratus kickstart file explicitly removes this package from the installation.

If the cloud-init package is installed, it configures the server as a cloud system. It creates a cloud login to be used as the default login. Moreover, it radically changes network settings to something useful for a cloud system. In a typical Stratus environment, this change causes the system to be unbootable.

Noting the preceding information, see the information about using a customized kickstart file in Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for Linux-based ftServer Systems: Installation and Configuration (R013L).

Recovering from a Failed Upgrade

If you need to re-use a failed upgrade system disk, you must first clear the RAID metadata. So, the following sentence, paragraph, and CAUTION replace the first two bullet items at the beginning of the section Recovering from a Failed Software Upgrade in Stratus Automated Uptime Layer for Linux-based ftServer Systems: Installation and Configuration (R013L).

To perform these procedures you need:

  • a backup system disk
  • a second disk which can be either:
 
a.
An entirely blank SAS disk (with no RAID metadata) of the same model, firmware level, and geometry as those installed in the ftServer system.In this case you can skip the procedure to clear RAID metadata and perform the procedure to recover from a failed software upgrade.
 
b.
One of the failed upgrade system disks. In this case you must first perform the procedure to clear RAID metadata then perform the procedure to recover from a failed software upgrade.
Caution: You must clear the RAID metadata from the failed upgrade system disks before they can be re-used.