Release Note for systems built with IBM Spectrum Virtualize

This is the release note for the 8.5.2 release and details the issues resolved in all Program Temporary Fixes (PTFs) between 8.5.2.0 and 8.5.2.3. This document will be updated with additional information whenever a PTF is released.

Note: 8.5.2.3 and later 8.5.2 PTF releases are supported on Spectrum Virtualize for Public Cloud on Microsoft Azure only.

Note: This release is a Non-Long Term Support (Non-LTS) release. Non-LTS code levels will not receive regular fix packs. Fixes for issues introduced in a Non-LTS release will be delivered in a subsequent Non-LTS or LTS release. If issues are encountered the only resolution is likely to be upgrade to a later LTS or Non-LTS release.

This document was last updated on 24th October 2023.

  1. New Features
  2. Known Issues and Restrictions
  3. Issues Resolved
    1. Security Issues Resolved
    2. APARs Resolved
  4. Useful Links

Note. Detailed build version numbers are included in the Update Matrices in the Useful Links section.


1. New Features

The following new features have been introduced in the 8.5.2 release: The following new features have been introduced in the 8.5.2.1 release:

2. Known Issues and Restrictions

Note: For clarity, the terms "node" and "canister" are used interchangeably.
Details Introduced

Customers planning to upgrade to v8.4.0 or later should be aware that an update to OpenSSH has terminated support for all DSA keys. An update to OpenSSL has also terminated support for 1024-bit RSA keys used in SSL certificates.

Customers currently using DSA public keys for SSH access will need to generate new keys using alternative ciphers, such as RSA or ECDSA. If using RSA public keys for SSH access, it is recommended to use keys of 2048 bits or longer.

Customers currently using 1024-bit RSA keys in SSL certificates will need to generate new SSL certificates using 2048-bit RSA keys or ECDSA keys. This applies not only to the system certificate, but also to any SSL certificates used by external services such as LDAP servers.

 8.4.0.0

There is an existing limit on the number of files that can be returned by the CLI of approximately 780 entries. In many configurations this limit is of no concern. However, due to a problem with hot-spare node I/O stats files, 8-node clusters with many hardware upgrades or multiple spare nodes may see up to 900 I/O stats files. As a consequence the data collector for Storage Insights and Spectrum Control cannot list or download the required set of performance statistics data. The result is that there are many gaps in the performance data, leading to errors with the performance monitoring tools and a lack of performance history.

The workaround is to remove the files associated with spare nodes or previously/updated hardware using the cleardumps command (or to cleardumps the entire iostats directory).

This is a known issue that will be lifted in a future PTF. The fix can be tracked using APAR HU02403.

 8.4.0.0

Customers using Spectrum Control v5.4.3 or earlier may notice that IP port status is incorrectly shown as "Unconfigured".

This issue will be resolved by a future release of Spectrum Control.

 8.4.2.0

Upgrade to 8.5.1 and higher is not currently supported on systems with compressed volume copies in Data Reduction Pools, to avoid SVAPAR-105430.

On a small proportion of systems, this can cause a node warmstart when specific data patterns are written to compressed volumes. This restriction will be lifted in a future release.

8.5.1.0

If a Secured IP Partnership fails to connect properly, the system will log a 2020 error. However the Fix Procedure for the 2020 error is unable to guide the user to fix the problem.

If you are experiencing a 2020 error and can't diagnose the problem directly, please contact IBM support.

 8.5.2.0

Systems that upgrade to 8.5.2.x will now default to 5 minutes for the performance statistics file generation, regardless of any previous settings.

Note that only the first upgrade to a code level containing this change is affected.

 8.5.2.0

Customers using IP Replication should be aware that the improved performance may produce more data over replication/WAN link.

Customers should ensure that the bandwidth of their replication/WAN link has sufficient capacity to avoid the possibility of network congestion.

 8.5.2.0

Upgrade from 8.5.2.1 is not supported if replication policies exist, due to APAR HU02546.

Remove all replication policies before upgrading from 8.5.2.1. If this is not possible, contact your support representative.

 8.5.2.1

Customers using Storage Insights with systems running policy-based replication will see alerts for recovery volumes which are intentionally offline with the policy-based replication design.

This issue will be resolved in a future release of Storage Insights.

 8.5.2.1

Systems, with NPIV enabled, presenting storage to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) or Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) hosts running the ibmvfc driver on IBM Power can experience path loss or read-only file system events.

This is cause by issues within the ibmvfc driver and VIOS code.

Refer to this troubleshooting page for more information.

 n/a
If an update stalls or fails then contact IBM Support for further assistance n/a
The following restrictions were valid but have now been lifted

To use the GUI to create a partnership for policy-based replication, or to enable policy-based replication on an existing partnership, you must be logged in using the superuser account.

This restriction has been resolved in 8.5.2.2 under APAR HU02544

 8.5.2.1

The GUI cannot be used to create a partnership with a system that is running a code level earlier than 8.5.2.1. Upgrade the remote system to 8.5.2.1 before creating the partnership, or use the CLI to create the partnership.

This restriction has been resolved in 8.5.2.2

 8.5.2.1

Applications that use 'lsportip' such as Veeam to retrieve iSCSI target IP address information from a Spectrum Virtualize system will fail.

The 'lsportip' command was deprecated in Spectrum Virtualize code release 8.4.2, so the host server is unable to detect that the Spectrum Virtualize system is iSCSI capable, resulting in failures

In the case of Veeam, there is no support for storage snapshot integration with IBM FlashSystem running Spectrum Virtualize 8.4.1 or newer, however they plan to add support for newer releases of Spectrum Virtualize in the next major release.

This issue has now been resolved as Veeam Backup and Replication Version 12 no longer has this restriction

 8.4.1.x

3. Issues Resolved

This release contains all of the fixes included in the 8.5.2.0 release, plus the following additional fixes.

A release may contain fixes for security issues, fixes for APARs or both. Consult tables below to understand the complete set of fixes included in the release.

3.1 Security Issues Resolved

Security issues are documented using a reference number provided by "Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures" (CVE).
CVE Identifier Link for additional Information Resolved in
CVE-2022-21626 6858041 8.5.2.3
CVE-2022-1012 6858043 8.5.2.3
CVE-2021-45485 6858043 8.5.2.3
CVE-2021-45486 6858043 8.5.2.3
CVE-2022-43873 6858047 8.5.2.3
CVE-2022-42252 6858039 8.5.2.3
CVE-2022-43870 6858045 8.5.2.3
CVE-2022-0778 6622017 8.5.2.0
CVE-2021-35603 6622019 8.5.2.0
CVE-2021-35550 6622019 8.5.2.0

3.1 APARs Resolved

Show details for all APARs
APAR Affected Products Severity Description Resolved in Feature Tags
HU02546 FS5200, FS7200, FS7300, FS9100, FS9200, FS9500, SVC Critical On systems running 8.5.2.1, and with Policy-based replication configured, if you created more than 1PB of replicated volumes then this can lead to a loss of hardened data (show details)
Symptom Loss of Access to Data
Environment Any system running 8.5.2.1 and with Policy-based replication configured
Trigger Configuring more than 1PB of capacity using policy-based replication.
Workaround Restrict replicated volume capacity to less than 1PB
8.5.2.2 Policy-based Replication
HU02544 FS5200, FS7200, FS7300, FS9100, FS9200, FS9500, SVC Suggested On systems running 8.5.2.1, if you are not logged in as superuser and you try to create a partnership for policy-based replication, or enable policy-based replication on an existing partnership, then this can trigger a single node warmstart. (show details)
Symptom Single Node Warmstart
Environment Any system running 8.5.2.1, with Policy-based replication configured
Trigger Creating a partnership for Policy-based replication when not logged in as superuser
Workaround Retry the operation as superuser
8.5.2.2 Policy-based Replication
HU02540 All Critical Deleting a HyperSwap volume copy with dependent Flashcopy mappings can trigger repeated node warmstarts (show details)
Symptom Loss of Access to Data
Environment Systems with FlashCopy on HyperSwap volumes
Trigger Deleting a HyperSwap volume copy with dependent Flashcopy mappings
Workaround None
8.5.2.1 FlashCopy, HyperSwap
HU02475 All HIPER Power outage can cause reboots on nodes with 25Gb ethernet adapters, necessitating T3 recovery (show details)
Symptom Loss of Access to Data
Environment Any node that has a 25Gb ethernet adapter installed
Trigger Power outage occurs, causing both nodes to experience a kernel panic, meaning cluster information is lost
Workaround T3 recovery will be required
8.5.2.0 Reliability Availability Serviceability
HU02420 All Critical During an array copyback it is possible for a memory leak to result in the progress stalling and an node warmstart of all nodes resulting in a temporary loss of access (show details)
Symptom Multiple node warmstarts
Environment Systems running < 8.4
Trigger Memory leak that causes resources used for the copyback to become depleted
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 RAID
HU02502 All Critical On upgrade to v8.4.2 or later with FlashCopy active, a node warmstart can occur, leading to a loss of access (show details)
Symptom Loss of Access to Data
Environment Systems running v8.4.2 or later with FlashCopy
Trigger Timing window during upgrade
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 FlashCopy
HU02506 All Critical On a system where NPIV is disabled or in transitional mode, certain hosts may fail to log in after a node warmstart or reboot (for example during an upgrade), leading to loss of access. (show details)
Symptom Loss of Access to Data
Environment Systems where NPIV is not enabled.
Trigger Upgrade from pre-8.5 to 8.5 software or later
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Hosts
HU02519 & HU02520 All Critical Safeguarded copy source vdisks go offline when its mappings and target vdisks are deleted then recreated in rapid succession (show details)
Symptom Loss of Access to Data
Environment Systems running v8.4.2 or later
Trigger target vdisks are deleted then recreated in rapid succession
Workaround There currently is no work around for the issue. The vdisk will be offline for as long as 5 minutes but should come back online on its own
8.5.2.0 FlashCopy, Safeguarded Copy
IT41088 FS5000, FS5100, FS5200 Critical Systems with low memory that have a large number of RAID arrays that are resyncing can cause a system to run out of RAID rebuild control blocks (show details)
Symptom Loss of Access to Data
Environment Low memory systems such as 5015/5035
Trigger Systems with 64gb or less of cache with resync operations spread across multiple RAID arrays
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 RAID
IT41173 FS5200 Critical If the temperature sensor in an FS5200 system fails in a particular way, it is possible for drives to be powered off, causing a loss of access to data. This type of temperature sensor failure is very rare. (show details)
Symptom Loss of Access to Data
Environment FS5200
Trigger Temperature sensor failure
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Reliability Availability Serviceability
HU02339 All High Importance Multiple node warmstarts can occur if a system has direct Fibre Channel connections to an IBM i host, causing loss of access to data (show details)
Symptom None
Environment Systems running v8.4.0.4 and later, v8.4.2 and later, or v8.5 and later
Trigger Direct attachment to IBM i hosts
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Hosts, Interoperability
HU02483 All High Importance T2 Recovery occurred after mkrcrelationship command was run (show details)
Symptom Single node warmstart
Environment Systems running 7.8 or later
Trigger Running the mkrcrelationship command
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Command Line Interface, Global Mirror, Global Mirror with Change Volumes
HU02490 FS9500 High Importance Upon first boot, or subsequent boots of a FS9500 a 1034 error may appear in the event log that states that the CPU PCIe link is degraded (show details)
Symptom None
Environment FAB4 platforms
Trigger Boot up of the system
Workaround This error can be marked as fixed and is not indicative of a hardware fault in the canister
8.5.2.0 Reliability Availability Serviceability
HU02492 SVC High Importance Configuration backup can fail after upgrade to v8.5. This only occurs on a very small number of systems that have a particular internal cluster state. If a system is running v8.5 and does not have an informational eventlog entry with error ID 988100 (CRON job failed), then it is not affected. (show details)
Symptom Configuration
Environment Systems that have upgraded to v8.5
Trigger None
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Reliability Availability Serviceability
HU02497 All High Importance A system with direct Fibre Channel connections to a host, or to another Spectrum Virtualize system, might experience multiple node warmstarts (show details)
Symptom Multiple Node Warmstarts
Environment Systems running v8.4.0.4 and later, v8.4.2 and later, or v8.5 with direct-attached Fibre Channel connections
Trigger Fibre Channel direct-attached hosts
Workaround Connect affected HBAs via a Fibre Channel switch
8.5.2.0 Hosts, Interoperability
HU02507 All High Importance A timing window exists in the code that handles host aborts for an ATS (Atomic Test and Set) command, if the host is NVMe-attached. This can cause repeated node warmstarts. (show details)
Symptom Single node warmstart
Environment Systems running V8.5.0 or V8.5.1
Trigger None
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Host Cluster, Hosts
HU02511 All High Importance Code version 8.5.0 includes a change in the driver setting for the 25Gb ethernet adapter. This change can cause port errors, which in turn can cause iSCSI path loss symptoms (show details)
Symptom Loss of Access to Data
Environment Systems running V8.5.0
Trigger None
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Host Cluster, Hosts, SCSI Unmap, iSCSI
HU02512 FS5000 High Importance An FS5000 system with a Fibre Channel direct-attached host can experience multiple node warmstarts (show details)
Symptom Multiple Node Warmstarts
Environment Systems running v8.5
Trigger Fibre Channel direct-attached hosts
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Hosts
HU02523 All High Importance False Host WWPN state shows as degraded for direct attached host after upgrading to 8.5.0.2 (show details)
Symptom None
Environment Systems running V8.5.0
Trigger None
Workaround This does not affect the function or failover behaviour of a host so it can be ignored
8.5.2.0 Host Cluster, Hosts, System Update
HU02530 All High Importance Upgrades from 8.4.2 or 8.5 fail to start on some platforms (show details)
Symptom None
Environment System is running 8.4.2 or 8.5 with > 1 DRP pools. Seen on DH8 nodes but may affect other types
Trigger None
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 System Update
HU02538 All High Importance Some systems may suffer a thread locking issue caused by the background copy / cleaning progress for flash copy maps (show details)
Symptom Single node warmstart
Environment Systems running V8.2.1+
Trigger Small timing window when a map leaves a dependency chain
Workaround None needed, recoverable via single node warmstart
8.5.2.0 FlashCopy
IT41191 All High Importance If a REST API client authenticates as an LDAP user, a node warmstart can occur (show details)
Symptom Single Node Warmstart
Environment Systems running v8.5
Trigger REST API authentication with LDAP user
Workaround Use a locally-authenticated user instead of an LDAP user
8.5.2.0 REST API
IT41835 All High Importance A T2 recovery may occur when a failed drive in the system is replaced with an unsupported drive type (show details)
Symptom Loss of Access to Data
Environment System that have drives reporting as UNSUPPORTED
Trigger A drive with a tech type as UNSUPPORTED will cause this T2 during drive replacement.
Workaround The system should recover automatically. To prevent the issue in the future, make sure system supported drive is used during replacement
8.5.2.0 Drives
SVAPAR-99273 All High Importance If a SAN switch's Fabric Controller issues an abort (ABTS) command, and then issues an RSCN command before the abort has completed, this unexpected switch behaviour can trigger a single-node warmstart. (show details)
Symptom Single Node Warmstart
Environment None
Trigger An unexpected sequence of Fibre Channel frames received from Fabric Controller
Workaround None
8.5.2.0
HU02456 FS5100, FS5200, FS7200, FS9200 Suggested Unseating a NVMe drive after automanage failure can cause a node to warmstart (show details)
Symptom Single Node Warmstart
Environment Systems running 8.1.x onwards
Trigger Unseating of an NVMe drive after automanage failure
Workaround None as this issue is difficult to encounter
8.5.2.0 Drives
HU02484 All Suggested The GUI does not allow expansion of DRP thin or compressed volumes (show details)
Symptom None
Environment Systems running 8.5
Trigger None
Workaround Use the expandvdisksize CLI command instead
8.5.2.0 Data Reduction Pools, Graphical User Interface
HU02487 All Suggested Problems expanding the size of a volume using the GUI (show details)
Symptom None
Environment Systems running 8.2.1 or later
Trigger None
Workaround Use the equivalent CMD line command instead such as expandvdisksize
8.5.2.0 GUI
HU02491 All Suggested On upgrade from v8.3.x, v8.4.0 or v8.4.1 to v8.5, if the system has Global Mirror with Change Volumes relationships, a single node warmstart can occur (show details)
Symptom Single Node Warmstart
Environment Systems upgrading to v8.5 with GMCV
Trigger None
Workaround Stop all GMCV relationships before upgrading
8.5.2.0 Global Mirror with Change Volumes
HU02494 All Suggested A system with a DNS server configured, which cannot ping the server, will log information events in the eventlog. In some environments the firewall blocks ping packets but allows DNS lookup, so this APAR disables these events. (show details)
Symptom Configuration
Environment Systems running v8.4.1, v8.4.2 or v8.5 with DNS servers that cannot be pinged.
Trigger Firewall rules that block ping to DNS server
Workaround Change firewall configuration to allow ping to DNS server
8.5.2.0 Reliability Availability Serviceability
HU02498 All Suggested If a host object with no ports exists on upgrade to v8.5, the GUI volume mapping panel may fail to load. (show details)
Symptom Configuration
Environment Systems running v8.5
Trigger Upgrade to v8.5, when a host object has no ports specified
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Graphical User Interface
HU02501 All Suggested If an internal I/O timeout occurs in a RAID array, a node warmstart can occur (show details)
Symptom Single Node Warmstart
Environment Systems running v8.5
Trigger I/O timeout on a RAID array
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 RAID
HU02505 All Suggested A single node warmstart can occur on v8.5 systems running DRP, due to a low-probability timing window during normal running (show details)
Symptom Single Node Warmstart
Environment Systems running v8.5
Trigger None
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Data Reduction Pools
HU02508 All Suggested The mkippartnership cli command does not allow a portset with a space in the name as a parameter. (show details)
Symptom None
Environment Systems running V8.5.0
Trigger portset containing a space
Workaround Request customer recreate portset name without a space
8.5.2.0 Command Line Interface
HU02509 All Suggested Upgrade to v8.5 can cause a single node warmstart, if nodes previously underwent a memory upgrade while DRP was in use (show details)
Symptom Single Node Warmstart
Environment Systems running v8.5
Trigger Upgrade to v8.5, after memory upgrade was performed while DRP was in use.
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Data Reduction Pools
HU02514 All Suggested Firmware upgrade may fail for certain drive types, with the error message CMMVC6567E The Apply Drive Software task cannot be initiated because no download images were found in the package file (show details)
Symptom Configuration
Environment Systems running v8.5
Trigger Drive firmware upgrade
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Drives
HU02515 FS9500 Suggested Fan speed on FlashSystem 9500 can be higher than expected, if a high drive temperature is detected (show details)
Symptom None
Environment FlashSystem 9500 running v8.5
Trigger None
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 Drives
SVAPAR-93987 All Suggested A timeout may cause a single node warmstart, if a FlashCopy configuration change occurs while there are many I/O requests outstanding for a source volume which has multiple FlashCopy targets (show details)
Symptom Single Node Warmstart
Environment FlashCopy with multiple targets for a single source volume
Trigger Timing window during FlashCopy configuration change
Workaround None
8.5.2.0 FlashCopy

4. Useful Links

Description Link
Product Documentation
Update Matrices, including detailed build version
Support Information pages providing links to the following information:
  • Interoperability information
  • Product documentation
  • Limitations and restrictions, including maximum configuration limits
Spectrum Virtualize Family of Products Inter-System Metro Mirror and Global Mirror Compatibility Cross Reference
Software Upgrade Test Utility
Software Upgrade Planning