Firmware Upgrade in a Cisco UCS Domain through Intersight
You can upgrade the firmware for various components in a Cisco UCS Domain through Cisco Intersight by choosing one of the following upgrade options:
Fabric Firmware Upgrade
Through this process, you can upgrade all the fabric components in a Cisco UCS Domain, including the two Fabric Interconnects and I/O modules. These components are upgraded to the firmware version included in the selected fabric firmware bundle. Fabric firmware upgrade does not support a partial upgrade to only some components in a Cisco UCS Domain. The fabric firmware upgrade process is valid only for Cisco UCS 6400 Series Fabric Interconnects.
Fabric firmware bundles are available in the Cisco Intersight repository and have two component images:
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NXOS image
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CMC image
The following workflow illustrates the fabric firmware upgrade process:
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Fabric Selection: You can initiate the fabric firmware upgrade process by selecting a Fabric Interconnect and performing an Upgrade Firmware action on it. Fabric Interconnects are always upgraded as a pair, in which Fabric Interconnect-B is upgraded before Fabric Interconnect-A.
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Bundle Selection: After you select the Fabric Interconnect pair to be upgraded, you must select the fabric firmware bundle to which the Fabric Interconnects need to be upgraded. The firmware selection screen displays a list of available firmware bundles and information about their firmware version, size, release date, and description. The selected firmware bundle is downloaded from the Cisco Intersight repository.
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Impact Estimation: The Summary screen shows a summary of the selected switches, the firmware version running on them, and the firmware version to which they will be upgraded. You can choose to upgrade by clicking Upgrade, or change the configuration by clicking Back.
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Upgrade Request Submission: After you click Upgrade, confirm the upgrade request.
The following workflow illustrates the tasks that occur automatically after you submit an upgrade request:
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The system validates whether there is enough storage space for the firmware bundle. If the space on the Fabric Interconnect is insufficient, the upgrade fails.
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The system checks whether the selected firmware bundle is already in the Fabric Interconnect cache. If the firmware bundle is not present, it is downloaded to the Fabric Interconnect cache.
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Both the IO modules are updated and activated on all the connected chassis. IO module upgrade is completed when the IO modules are rebooted.
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Click Continue to acknowledge and begin firmware upgrade on Fabric Interconnect-B. After Fabric Interconnect-B upgrade is complete, the Fabric Interconnect reboots and comes up with the new image. IOM-B is rebooted along with the Fabric Interconnect-B, and comes up with the upgraded image.
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Click Continue to acknowledge and begin firmware upgrade on Fabric Interconnect-A. After Fabric Interconnect-A upgrade is complete, the Fabric Interconnect reboots and comes up with the new image. IOM-A is rebooted along with the Fabric Interconnect-A, and comes up with the upgraded image.
Host Firmware Upgrade
Through this process, you can upgrade all the server components for Cisco UCS B-Series and C-Series FI-Attached servers that are in Intersight Managed Mode. These components are upgraded to the firmware version included in the selected host firmware bundle.
Server firmware bundles are available in the Cisco Intersight repository, and have the following component images:
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CIMC image
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BIOS image
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Network adapter image
Note
Only UCS VIC 1400 Series adapters are supported.
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Storage controller image
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Board controller image
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Disk image
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GPU image
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Memory card image
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M-Switch and PLX images
The following workflow illustrates the host firmware upgrade process.
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Server Selection: You can initiate the host firmware upgrade process by selecting a server and performing an Upgrade Firmware action on it.
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Bundle Selection: After you confirm the server to be upgraded, you must select the host firmware bundle to which the server needs to be upgraded. The firmware selection screen displays a list of available firmware bundles and information about their firmware version, size, release date, and description. The selected firmware bundle will be downloaded from the Cisco Intersight repository.
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Impact Estimation: The Summary screen shows a summary of the selected server, the firmware version running on it, and the firmware version to which it will be upgraded. You can choose to upgrade by clicking Upgrade, or change the firmware version by clicking Back.
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Upgrade Request Submission: After you click Upgrade, select whether you want the firmware to be installed immediately or when the device reboots. Confirm the upgrade request.
By default, firmware will be installed on next boot of the device.
The following workflow illustrates the tasks that occur automatically after you submit an upgrade request:
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The system validates whether there is enough storage space for the firmware bundle. If the space on the Fabric Interconnect is insufficient, the upgrade fails.
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The system checks whether the selected firmware bundle is already in the Fabric Interconnect cache. If the firmware bundle is not present, it is downloaded to the Fabric Interconnect cache.
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Server firmware is upgraded as follows:
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For B-Series servers:
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Adapter firmware is updated and activated. Adapter upgrade is completed when the server is rebooted.
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The Host Service Utility (HSU) is upgraded immediately or when the server reboots.
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All server components are upgraded.
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For C-Series servers:
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The HSU is upgraded immediately or when the server reboots.
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All server components are upgraded.
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Click Continue to acknowledge and begin firmware upgrade.