- Preface
- Overview
- Cautions, Guidelines, and Limitations
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- Completing the Prerequisites for Upgrading the Firmware
- Downloading and Managing Firmware in Cisco UCS Manager
- Upgrading Firmware through Auto Install
- Using Firmware Automatic Synchronization Server Policy
- Directly Upgrading Firmware at Endpoints
- Upgrading Firmware through Firmware Packages in Service Profiles
- Managing the Capability Catalog in Cisco UCS Manager
- Updating Management Extensions
- Verifying that the Data Path is Ready
Upgrading Firmware through Firmware Packages in Service Profiles
This chapter includes the following sections:
- Firmware Upgrades through Firmware Packages in Service Profiles
- Creating or Updating a Host Firmware Package
- Updating a Management Firmware Package
Firmware Upgrades through Firmware Packages in Service Profiles
You can use firmware packages in service profiles to upgrade the server and adapter firmware, including the BIOS on the server, by defining a host firmware policy and including it in the service profile associated with a server.
If the default host firmware pack is updated, and the server is not associated with a service profile, the server reboots and new firmware is applied. This behavior is not managed by the Firmware Auto Sync Server policy because it is only for recently discovered servers.
You cannot upgrade the firmware on an I/O module, fabric interconnect, or Cisco UCS Manager through service profiles. You must upgrade the firmware on those endpoints directly.
Note | Cisco UCS no longer supports the creation of new management firmware packages. You can modify and update existing management firmware packages, if desired. However, we recommend that you remove the management firmware packages from all service profiles and use host firmware packages to update the Cisco Integrated Management Controller (CIMC) on the servers. |
- Host Firmware Package
- Management Firmware Package
- Stages of a Firmware Upgrade through Firmware Packages in Service Profiles
- Effect of Updates to Firmware Packages in Service Profiles
Host Firmware Package
This policy enables you to specify a set of firmware versions that make up the host firmware package (also known as the host firmware pack). The host firmware package includes the following firmware for server and adapter endpoints:
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Adapter
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Server BIOS
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CIMC
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Board Controller
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Flex Flash Controller
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Graphics Card
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Host HBA
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Host HBA Option ROM
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Host NIC
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Host NIC Option ROM
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Local Disk
Note
Local Disk is excluded by default from the host firmware pack.
To update local disk firmware, always include the Blade Package in the host firmware package. The blade package contains the local disk firmware for blade and rack servers.
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PSU
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SAS Expander
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RAID Controller
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Storage Controller Onboard Device
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Storage Controller Onboard Device Cpld
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Storage Device Bridge
To update local disk firmware for blade or rack servers, always include the blade package in the host firmware package. The blade package contains the local disk firmware for both blade and rack servers.
Tip | You can include more than one type of firmware in the same host firmware package. For example, a host firmware package can include both BIOS firmware and storage controller firmware or adapter firmware for two different models of adapters. However, you can only have one firmware version with the same type, vendor, and model number. The system recognizes which firmware version is required for an endpoint and ignores all other firmware versions. |
You can also exclude firmware of specific components from a host firmware package either when creating a new host firmware package or when modifying an existing host firmware package. For example, if you do not want to upgrade RAID controller firmware through the host firmware package, you can exclude RAID controller firmware from the list of firmware package components.
Note | Each host firmware package is associated with one list of excluded components, which is common across all firmware packages—Blade and Rack. To configure a separate exclusion list for each type of firmware package, use separate host firmware packages. |
The firmware package is pushed to all servers associated with service profiles that include this policy.
This policy ensures that the host firmware is identical on all servers associated with service profiles which use the same policy. Therefore, if you move the service profile from one server to another, the firmware versions are maintained. Also, if you change the firmware version for an endpoint in the firmware package, new versions are applied to all the affected service profiles immediately, which could cause server reboots.
You must include this policy in a service profile, and that service profile must be associated with a server for it to take effect.
This policy is not dependent upon any other policies. However, you must ensure that the appropriate firmware has been downloaded to the fabric interconnect. If the firmware image is not available when Cisco UCS Manager is associating a server with a service profile, Cisco UCS Manager ignores the firmware upgrade and completes the association.
Management Firmware Package
Note | Cisco UCS no longer supports the creation of new management firmware packages. You can modify and update existing management firmware packages, if desired. However, we recommend that you remove the management firmware packages from all service profiles and use host firmware packages to update the Cisco Integrated Management Controller (CIMC) on the servers. |
This policy enables you to specify a set of firmware versions that make up the management firmware package (also known as a management firmware pack). The management firmware package includes the Cisco Integrated Management Controller (CIMC) on the server. You do not need to use this package if you upgrade the CIMC directly.
The firmware package is pushed to all servers associated with service profiles that include this policy. This policy ensures that the CIMC firmware is identical on all servers associated with service profiles which use the same policy. Therefore, if you move the service profile from one server to another, the firmware versions are maintained.
You must include this policy in a service profile, and that service profile must be associated with a server for it to take effect.
This policy is not dependent upon any other policies. However, you must ensure that the appropriate firmware has been downloaded to the fabric interconnect.
Stages of a Firmware Upgrade through Firmware Packages in Service Profiles
You can use the host firmware package policies in service profiles to upgrade server and adapter firmware.
Caution | Unless you have configured and scheduled a maintenance window, if you modify a host firmware package by adding an endpoint or changing firmware versions for an existing endpoint, Cisco UCS Manager upgrades the endpoints and reboots all servers associated with that firmware package as soon as the changes are saved, disrupting data traffic to and from the servers. |
New Service Profile
For a new service profile, this upgrade takes place over the following stages:
- Firmware Package Policy Creation
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During this stage, you create the host firmware packages.
- Service Profile Association
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During this stage, you include the firmware packages in a service profile, and then associate the service profile with a server. The system pushes the selected firmware versions to the endpoints. The server must be rebooted to ensure that the endpoints are running the versions specified in the firmware package.
Existing Service Profile
For service profiles that are associated with servers, Cisco UCS Manager upgrades the firmware and reboots the server as soon as you save the changes to the firmware packages unless you have configured and scheduled a maintenance window. If you configure and schedule a maintenance window, Cisco UCS Manager defers the upgrade and server reboot until then.
Effect of Updates to Firmware Packages in Service Profiles
To update firmware through a firmware package in a service profile, you need to update the firmware in the package. What happens after you save the changes to a firmware package depends upon how the Cisco UCS domain is configured.
The following table describes the most common options for upgrading servers with a firmware package in a service profile.
Creating or Updating a Host Firmware Package
If the policy is included in one or more service profiles, which do not include maintenance policies, Cisco UCS Manager updates and activates the firmware in the server and adapter with the new versions. Cisco UCS Manager reboots the server as soon as you save the host firmware package policy unless you have configured and scheduled a maintenance window.
Tip | You can include more than one type of firmware in the same host firmware package. For example, a host firmware package can include both BIOS firmware and storage controller firmware or adapter firmware for two different models of adapters. However, you can only have one firmware version with the same type, vendor, and model number. The system recognizes which firmware version is required for an endpoint and ignores all other firmware versions. |
You can also exclude firmware of specific components from a host firmware package either when creating a new host firmware package or when modifying an existing host firmware package.
Each host firmware package is associated with one list of excluded components, which is common across all firmware packages—Blade and Rack. To configure a separate exclusion list for each type of firmware package, use separate host firmware packages.
Ensure that the appropriate firmware was downloaded to the fabric interconnect.
Command or Action | Purpose | |||
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Step 1 | UCS-A# scope org org-name |
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter the root organization mode, type / as the org-name . | ||
Step 2 | UCS-A org/ # create fw-host-pack pack-name |
Creates a host firmware package with the specified package name and enters organization firmware host package mode. | ||
Step 3 | UCS-A /org/fw-host-pack # set descr description | (Optional)
Provides a description for the host firmware package.
| ||
Step 4 | UCS-A org/fw-host-pack # create pack-image "hw-vendor-name" "hw-model" {adapter | board-controller | cimc | graphics-card | host-hba | host-hba-optionrom | host-nic | local-disk | raid-controller | server-bios} "version-num" |
Creates a package image for the host firmware package and enters organization firmware host package image mode. The hw-vendor-name must match the full name of the vendor, and must begin and end with quotation marks. The hw-vendor-name and hw-model values are labels that help you easily identify the package image when you enter the show image detail command. The version-num value specifies the version number of the firmware being used for the package image. The model and model number (PID) must match the servers that are associated with this firmware package. If you select the wrong model or model number, Cisco UCS Manager cannot install the firmware update. | ||
Step 5 | UCS-A org/fw-host-pack # create exclude-server-component {adapter | board-controller | cimc | flexflash-controller | graphics-card | host-hba | host-hba-optionrom | host-nic | host-nic-optionrom | local-disk | psu | raid-controller | sas-expander | server-bios | storage-controller-onboard-device | storage-controller-onboard-device-cpld | storage-device-bridge | unspecified |
Excludes the specified component from the host firmware package.
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Step 6 | UCS-A org/fw-host-pack/pack-image # set version version-num | (Optional)
Specifies the package image version number. Changing this number triggers firmware updates on all components using the firmware through a service profile. Use this step only when updating a host firmware package, not when creating a package.
| ||
Step 7 | UCS-A org/fw-host-pack/pack-image # commit-buffer |
Commits the transaction. Cisco UCS Manager verifies the model numbers and vendor against all servers associated with service profiles that include this policy. If the model numbers and vendor match a firmware version in the policy, Cisco UCS Manager updates the firmware according to the settings in the maintenance policies included in the service profiles. |
The following example creates the app1 host firmware package, creates an adapter package image with version 02.00.77 firmware, and commits the transaction:
UCS-A# scope org / UCS-A /org # create fw-host-pack app1 UCS-A /org/fw-host-pack* # set descr "This is a host firmware package example." UCS-A /org/fw-host-pack* # create pack-image "Cisco Systems Inc" "N20-AQ0102" adapter "02.00.77" UCS-A /org/fw-host-pack/pack-image* # commit-buffer UCS-A /org/fw-host-pack/pack-image #
The following example excludes the server BIOS component from the app1 host firmware package, and commits the transaction:
UCS-A# scope org UCS-A /org # enter fw-host-pack app1 UCS-A /org/fw-host-pack* # create exclude-server-component server-bios UCS-A /org/fw-host-pack/exclude-server-component* # commit-buffer UCS-A /org/fw-host-pack/exclude-server-component #
Include the policy in a service profile and/or template.
Updating a Management Firmware Package
Note | Cisco UCS no longer supports the creation of new management firmware packages. You can modify and update existing management firmware packages, if desired. However, we recommend that you remove the management firmware packages from all service profiles and use host firmware packages to update the Cisco Integrated Management Controller (CIMC) on the servers. |
If the policy is included in one or more service profiles associated with a server and those service profiles do not include maintenance policies, Cisco UCS Manager updates and activates the management firmware in the server with the new versions and reboots the server as soon as you save the management firmware package policy unless you have configured and scheduled a maintenance window.
Ensure that the appropriate firmware was downloaded to the fabric interconnect.
Command or Action | Purpose | |||
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Step 1 | UCS-A# scope org org-name |
Enters organization mode for the specified organization. To enter the root organization mode, type / as the org-name . | ||
Step 2 | UCS-A org/ # scope fw-mgmt-pack pack-name |
Scope to a management firmware package with the specified package name and enters organization firmware management package mode. | ||
Step 3 | UCS-A /org/fw-mgmt-pack # set descr description | (Optional)
Provides a description for the management firmware package.
| ||
Step 4 | UCS-A org/fw-mgmt-pack # create pack-image "hw-vendor-name" "hw-model" cimc "version-num" |
Creates a package image for the management firmware package and enters organization firmware management package image mode. The hw-vendor-name and hw-model values are labels that help you easily identify the package image when you enter the show image detail command. The version-num value specifies the version number of the firmware being used for the package image. The model and model number (PID) must match the servers that are associated with this firmware package. If you select the wrong model or model number, Cisco UCS Manager cannot install the firmware update. | ||
Step 5 | UCS-A org/fw-mgmt-pack/pack-image # set version version-num | (Optional)
Specifies the package image version number. Changing this number triggers firmware updates on all components using the firmware through a service profile. Use this step only when updating a firmware package, not when creating a package. | ||
Step 6 | UCS-A org/fw-mgmt-pack/pack-image # commit-buffer |
Commits the transaction. Cisco UCS Manager verifies the model numbers and vendor against all servers associated with service profiles that include this policy. If the model numbers and vendor match a firmware version in the policy, Cisco UCS Manager updates the firmware according to the settings in the maintenance policies included in the service profiles. |
The following example updates the cimc1 host firmware package, creates a CIMC package image with version 1.0(0.988) firmware, and commits the transaction:
UCS-A# scope org / UCS-A /org # scope fw-mgmt-pack cimc1 UCS-A /org/fw-mgmt-pack* # set descr "This is a management firmware package example." UCS-A /org/fw-mgmt-pack* # create pack-image "Cisco Systems Inc" "SB-1600-CTRL" cimc "2.3(200.166)" UCS-A /org/fw-mgmt-pack/pack-image* # commit-buffer UCS-A /org/fw-mgmt-pack/pack-image #
Include the policy in a service profile and/or template.