Dell PowerVault MD3000 - Manual (Page 5)

Information Update
5
Determining Your Firmware Version
To determine if your software is first generation or second generation,
perform the following steps:
1 Connect to the system using the Dell™ PowerVault™ MD Storage
Manager.
2 Select the Support tab.
3 Click Storage Array Profile.
Note the firmware version:
If it is 06.xx.xx.xx, it is first generation.
If it is 07.xx.xx.xx, it is second generation.
Important Information Before Upgrading Your
Firmware
Prior to performing the firmware upgrade, perform a complete backup of the
data, and use the Gather Support Information tool to save the system
configuration. This recommendation applies whenever you make changes to
your configuration.
Performance Affected after Upgrading to Second
Generation Firmware
After upgrading to second generation firmware, you may experience a
temporary performance impact. This impact is caused by the second
generation firmware, which adds smart-battery functionality to the MD3000.
In order to accurately measure battery parameters, the batteries are taken
through a “learn cycle” and the system’s write cache is disabled for the
duration of the learn cycle. The first learn cycle starts soon after the firmware
upgrade is completed and takes around 15 hours to complete. During this
time, you may experience a temporary performance slowdown for certain
kinds of file operations as the write cache is disabled. Once the learn cycle is
complete, the write cache is automatically enabled.
Future learn cycles are scheduled for every 13 weeks. You can adjust the day
and time of the day of future learn cycles using MD Storage Manager
(click Tools and select Change Battery Settings).