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How do I update the firmware on my AIX server?

We recommend using the IBM Fix Level Recommendation Tool to determine which level(s) of firmware needs to be installed, and in which order the updates are applied.

Please refer to the documentation included with each firmware release for important notes and installation instructions.

If you have any questions regarding which updates are recommended, the order by which to install the updates, or how to install the updates, please call IBM directly at 800-IBM-SERV.

For your convenience, here are general installation instructions:

  • Downloaded the latest firmware for your system from IBM Fix Central (.rpm file) to the /tmp/fwupdate directory
  • Review the README for prerequisites and warnings
  • Extract the firmware package:
rpm -Uvh --ignoreos /tmp/fwupdate/*.rpm
  • Update the firmware:
/usr/lpp/diagnostics/bin/update_flash -f fwlevel
  • During the server firmware installation process, reference codes CA2799FD and CA2799FF are alternately displayed on the control panel. After the installation is complete, the system is automatically powered off and powered on.
  • Once the firmware update is complete and verified working and before proceeding with any further firmware updates, use the AIX diagnostics tools to commit the firmware. At an AIX command prompt, type the following:
/usr/lpp/diagnostics/bin/update_flash -c
  • The update_flash -c command might run for 10 or more minutes.

How do the Solar and Eterm clients communicate with the server?

The Eterm (TUI) client communicates with the UniVerse database server via the telnet protocol (TCP port 23). It uses a proprietary implementation of the ViewPoint terminal type to offer additional features in Eclipse (send/receive files, drag/drop, hyperlinks, etc.).

The Solar (GUI) client communicates with the JBoss application server via the HTTP and HTTPS protocols (default TCP ports 2080 and 2443). It is deployed using Java Web Start.

In both cases, the business logic is performed on the database and application servers, not in the client installed on each workstation.

Eclipse Network Utilization

We are often asked how much bandwidth is used by Eclipse for planning new deployments. Here are some guidelines for estimating the network utilization of Eclipse users based on real-world data we’ve gathered from existing Eclipse customers:

  • Solar customers: 3 KB/s (24 kbps) per user
  • Eterm customers: 1 KB/s (8 kbps) per user

As you can see, the bandwidth requirements for Eclipse are quite low, but it’s important to take into consideration that users’ Internet usage is not limited to Eclipse, and Eclipse performance will suffer if the software has to fight for bandwidth being used for other means (i.e. streaming video and audio, file sharing, etc.). As such, we recommend prioritizing the following protocols used by Eclipse through QoS whenever possible:

  • The Eterm client communicates using the telnet protocol (TCP port 23).
  • The Solar client communicates using a proprietary web service protocol (TCP ports 2080 and 2443).
  • The Eclipse signature capture and document imaging processes communicate over standard Microsoft file sharing protocols.
  • The Eclipse printing processes communicate over standard Windows and UNIX printer ports (i.e. socket, LPD, etc.).

During the initial Solar client installation and after each Eclipse “point” upgrade, the Solar client will perform a one-time download of approximately 20 MB of data. For branches with large numbers of users, this can cause a temporary spike in bandwidth consumption when a large number of users launch the new version of Solar for the first time.

For analyzing your users’ unique usage patterns, we recommend using your network hardware’s built-in tools bandwidth utilization monitoring, or by running Wireshark on a workstation.

How do I resolve common printer errors under AIX?

To check the status of an AIX print queue (for example, lp1):

lpstat -plp1

If the status is DOWN, try enabling the print queue:

enable lp1

If the status remains DOWN, try pinging the printer:

ping -c4 lp1

If there is no response to the pings, verify the printer’s network connection.

The best way to verify a printer is working outside of Eclipse is to test the printer with a standard Windows workstation. If you cannot print from Windows, there is a chance the printer is mis-configured. For your convenience, here are the numbers for a few common printer manufacturers:

  • HP: 800-474-6836
  • Okidata: 800-654-3282
  • Zebra: 847-913-2259

If the printer responds to pings, but immediately goes DOWN after attempting to enable the printer, try to cancel all jobs on the print queue:

cancel lp1

If the printer still goes DOWN, remove and recreate the AIX print queue:

  • How do I remove a printer under AIX?
  • How do I add a printer under AIX?