Managing Firmware

This chapter includes the following sections:

Firmware Management Overview

You can manage the following firmware components from a single page in the web UI:

  • Adapter firmware —The main operating firmware, consisting of an active and a backup image, can be installed from different interfaces such as:

    • Host Upgrade Utility (HUU)

    • Web UI — Local and remote protocols

    • PMCLI —Remote protocols

    • XML API — Remote protocols

    You can upload a firmware image from either a local file system or a TFTP server.

  • Bootloader firmware—The bootloader firmware cannot be installed from the Cisco IMC. You can install this firmware using the Host Upgrade Utility.

Firmware for the following individual components can be updated:

  • BMC

  • BIOS

  • CMC

  • SAS Expander

  • Adapter

Firmware for the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) can also be installed from the same interfaces as the adapter firmware mentioned above.

Viewing Firmware Components

Procedure

Step 1

In the Admin menu, click Firmware Management.

Step 2

In the General tab's Firmware Management area, review the following information:

Name

Description

Update button

Opens a dialog box that allows you to install a firmware image file that is available to your local machine or on a remote server.

Activate button

Opens a dialog box that allows you to select which available firmware version you would like to activate on the server.

Important 

If any firmware or BIOS updates are in progress, do not activate new firmware until those tasks complete.

Component column

List of components available for which you can update the firmware.

Running Version column

The firmware version of the component that is currently active.

Backup Version column

The alternate firmware version installed on the server, if any. The backup version is not currently running. To activate it, click Activate.

Note 

When you install new firmware, any existing backup version is deleted and the new firmware becomes the backup version. You must manually activate the new firmware if you want the server to run the new version.

Bootloader Version column

The bootloader version associated with the boot-loader software of the component.

Status column

The status of the firmware activation on this server.

Progress in % column

The progress of the operation, in percentage.

Updating the Firmware

You can install the firmware package from a local disk or from a remote server, depending on the component you choose from the Firmware Management area. After you confirm the installation, BMC replaces the firmware version in the component's backup memory slot with the selected version.

Procedure

Step 1

In the Admin menu, click Firmware Management.

Step 2

In the Firmware Management area, select a component from the Component column and click Update.

The Update Firmware dialog box appears.
Step 3

Review the following information in the dialog box:

Name

Description

Install Firmware through Browser Client radio button

If the firmware package resides on a local machine, click this radio button.

Install Firmware through Remote Server radio button

If the firmware package resides on a remote server, click this radio button.

Step 4

To install the firmware through the browser client, click Browse and navigate to the firmware file that you want to install.

Step 5

After you select the file, click Install Firmware.

Step 6

To update the firmware using remote server, select the remote server type from the Install Firmware from drop-down list. This could be one of the following:

  • TFTP

  • FTP

  • SFTP

  • SCP

  • HTTP

Step 7

Depending on the remote server type you choose, enter details in the server's IP/Hostname and Image Path and Filename fields.

Once you install the firmware, the new image replaces the non-active image. You can activate the image after it is installed.

Important 

For FTP, SFTP, and SCP server types, you need to provide user credentials.

Step 8

Click Install Firmware to begin download and installation.

Activating the Firmware

Procedure

Step 1

In the Admin menu, click Firmware Management.

Step 2

In the Firmware Management area, select a component from the Component column and click Activate.

The Activate Firmware dialog box appears.
Step 3

In the Activate Firmware dialog box, select the desired firmware image (radio button) to activate. This image becomes the running version.

Step 4

Click Activate Firmware.

Depending on the firmware image you chose, the activation process begins.

Important 

While the activation is in progress, do not:

  • Reset, power off, or shut down the server

  • Reboot or reset BMC

  • Activate any other firmware

  • Export technical support or configuration data