Hmm.  That's interesting, because I've seen several of the TSM server patch
readme's specifically stating that the storage agent must be the same patch
level.  For example, the AIX 5.1.5.1 and 5.1.5.2 readme's say, "patch level
5.1.5.1 (and 2) also effects Storage Agent for AIX.  If you use it, you can
obtain the associated install package from...."

Can we get someone from Tivoli to weigh in?  Maybe some patch levels effect
the Storage Agent, and some patch levels don't?

Alex Paschal
Freightliner, LLC
(503) 745-6850

-----Original Message-----
From: Eliza Lau [mailto:lau AT VTCAT.CC.VT DOT EDU]
Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 7:51 AM
To: ADSM-L AT VM.MARIST DOT EDU
Subject: Re: TSM Upgrade frequency


Todd,

>From talking to a TSM Level 2 consultant, only the first 3 numbers of a
release
have to match between the server and the storage agent.  If all your storage
agents are at 4.2.1.7, upgrading the server to 4.2.1.9 should be ok.

Eliza Lau
Virginia Tech Computing Center


>
> For you folks that patch your TSM server frequently (like the individual
> from Oxford University who upgraded from some version to 5.1.6.0 on Feb3,
> then to 5.1.6.1 on Feb7, and now planning to upgrade to 5.1.6.2 within a
> couple weeks), how many of you have Storage Agent nodes?
> I am still on 4.2.1.7 simply because of the Storage Agent issue.  We have
a
> problem with TSM server crashes that is supposed to be fixed in 4.2.1.9+,
> but I find it hard to justify upgrading to 4.2.1.9+ when I know I will
have
> to upgrade to 5.x soon after.  According to the documentation I have read,
> the TSM Server version and the Storage Agent version must be at the same
> level.
> We have several Storage Agent nodes, and all of them are considered 24x7
> servers, mission critical.  It is like pulling teeth to get downtime for
> any one of them just for normal OS or Application type maint.  I dread the
> time where I have to take them all down at once.  Even more so, I dread
> having to take all of them down at the same time several times a month
just
> to keep updating TSM Storage Agent versions because the TSM Server needed
a
> patch.
> How do you folks with several mission critical, 24x7 servers go about
doing
> TSM Server upgrades and TSM Storage Agent upgrades?  Especially
considering
> that TSM Server outages are best done during the day when no backups are
> occurring, and TSM Client Node outages are done during the night to reduce
> impact on the users of those Client Nodes.
>