As an added plus, it also eliminates pesky permissions problems that could result in weird errors *after* upgrading, when you unpack the exe as a user that doesn't have quite the right permissions in the ETC$ share. I've seen for instance java going horribly wrong in that way.

 

This is because when running the 'software install' / 'software upgrade' commands, you are sure the commands are run as the local admin on the filer (=root). When using CIFS to place/unpack the files, you usually are performing that action with the permissions of "whoever is currently running explorer.exe", which might be the cause of spending some extra after-office hours, and (most importantly) might cause you to miss dinner @ home.

Actually, I don't quite understand why NetApp still uses this method in their upgrade advisors, IMHO, they have developed far better alternatives by now by way of the 'software *' commands.

 

Gr,

 

Nils

--
Simple guidelines to happiness:
Work like you don't need the money,
Love like your heart has never been broken and
Dance like no one can see you.