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Contents
- Managing Firmware
- Overview of Firmware
- Firmware Image Management
- Firmware Image Headers
- Firmware Image Catalog
- Firmware Versions
- Firmware Upgrades
- Guidelines and Cautions for Firmware Upgrades
- Required Order of Components for Firmware Activation
- Required Order for Adding Support for Previously Unsupported Servers
- Direct Firmware Upgrade at Endpoints
- Stages of a Direct Firmware Upgrade
- Outage Impacts of Direct Firmware Upgrades
- Firmware Upgrades through Service Profiles
- Host Firmware Package
- Management Firmware Package
- Stages of a Firmware Upgrade through Service Profiles
- Firmware Downgrades
- Completing the Prerequisites for Upgrading the Firmware
- Prerequisites for Upgrading and Downgrading Firmware
- Creating an All Configuration Backup File
- Verifying the Overall Status of the Fabric Interconnects
- Verifying the High Availability Status and Roles of a Cluster Configuration
- Verifying the Status of I/O Modules
- Verifying the Status of Servers
- Verifying the Status of Adapters on Servers in a Chassis
- Downloading and Managing Firmware Packages
- Obtaining Software Bundles from Cisco
- Downloading Firmware Images to the Fabric Interconnect from a Remote Location
- Downloading Firmware Images to the Fabric Interconnect from the Local File System
- Canceling an Image Download
- Determining the Contents of a Firmware Package
- Checking the Available Space on a Fabric Interconnect
- Deleting Firmware Packages from a Fabric Interconnect
- Deleting Firmware Images from a Fabric Interconnect
- Directly Updating Firmware at Endpoints
- Updating the Firmware on Multiple Endpoints
- Updating the Firmware on an Adapter
- Activating the Firmware on an Adapter
- Updating the CIMC Firmware on a Server
- Activating the CIMC Firmware on a Server
- Updating the Firmware on an IOM
- Activating the Firmware on an IOM
- Activating the Board Controller Firmware on a Server
- Activating the Cisco UCS Manager Software
- Activating the Firmware on a Subordinate Fabric Interconnect
- Activating the Firmware on a Primary Fabric Interconnect
- Activating the Firmware on a Standalone Fabric Interconnect
- Updating Firmware through Service Profiles
- Host Firmware Package
- Creating a Host Firmware Package
- Updating a Host Firmware Package
- Management Firmware Package
- Creating a Management Firmware Package
- Updating a Management Firmware Package
- Adding Firmware Packages to an Existing Service Profile
- Verifying Firmware Versions on Components
- Managing the Capability Catalog
- Capability Catalog
- Contents of the Capability Catalog
- Updates to the Capability Catalog
- Activating a Capability Catalog Update
- Verifying that the Capability Catalog Is Current
- Viewing a Capability Catalog Provider
- Downloading Individual Capability Catalog Updates
- Obtaining Capability Catalog Updates from Cisco
- Updating the Capability Catalog from a Remote Location
- Updating the Capability Catalog from the Local File System
- Updating Management Extensions
- Management Extensions
- Activating a Management Extension
Managing Firmware
This chapter includes the following sections:
- Overview of Firmware
- Firmware Image Management
- Firmware Versions
- Firmware Upgrades
- Firmware Downgrades
- Completing the Prerequisites for Upgrading the Firmware
- Downloading and Managing Firmware Packages
- Directly Updating Firmware at Endpoints
- Updating Firmware through Service Profiles
- Verifying Firmware Versions on Components
- Managing the Capability Catalog
- Updating Management Extensions
Overview of Firmware
Cisco UCS uses firmware obtained from and certified by Cisco to support the endpoints in a Cisco UCS instance. Each endpoint is a component in the instance that requires firmware to function. The upgrade order for the endpoints in a Cisco UCS instance depends upon the upgrade path, but includes the following:
- Cisco UCS Manager
- I/O modules
- Fabric interconnects
- Endpoints physically located on adapters, including NIC and HBA firmware, and Option ROM (where applicable) that can be upgraded through firmware packages included in a service profile
- Endpoints physically located on servers, such as the BIOS, storage controller (RAID controller), and Cisco Integrated Management Controller (CIMC) that can be upgraded through firmware packages included in a service profile
See the required order of steps for your upgrade path to determine the appropriate order in which to upgrade the endpoints in your Cisco UCS instance.
Note
Beginning with Cisco UCS, Release 1.4(1), Cisco is releasing firmware upgrades in multiple bundles, rather than one large firmware package. For more information see Firmware Image Management.
Cisco maintains a set of best practices for managing firmware images and updates in this document and in the following technical note: Unified Computing System Firmware Management Best Practices.
This document uses the following definitions for managing firmware:
- Upgrade
Changes the firmware running on an endpoint to another image, such as a release or patch. Upgrade includes both update and activation.
- Update
Copies the firmware image to the backup partition on an endpoint.
- Activate
Sets the firmware in the backup partition as the active firmware version on the endpoint. Activation can require or cause the reboot of an endpoint.
For Management Extensions and Capability Catalog upgrades, update and activate occur simultaneously. You only need to update or activate those upgrades. You do not need to perform both steps.
Firmware Image Management
Cisco delivers all firmware updates to Cisco UCS components in bundles of images. Cisco UCS firmware updates are available to be downloaded in the following bundles:
- Cisco UCS Infrastructure Software Bundle
This bundle includes the following firmware images that are required to update the following components:
- Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Server Software Bundle
This bundle includes the following firmware images that are required to update the firmware for the blade servers in a Cisco UCS instance. In addition to the bundles created for a release, these bundles can also be released between infrastructure bundles to enable Cisco UCS Manager to support a blade server that is not included in the most recent infrastructure bundle.
- Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server Software Bundle
This bundle includes firmware images that are required to update the following components on rack-mount servers that have been integrated with and are managed by Cisco UCS Manager:
Note
You cannot use this bundle for standalone C-series servers. The firmware management system in those servers cannot interpret the header required by Cisco UCS Manager. For information on how to upgrade standalone C-series servers, see the C-series configuration guides.
Cisco also provides release notes, which you can obtain on the same website from which you obtained the bundles.
Firmware Image Catalog
Cisco UCS Manager provides you with two views of the catalog of firmware images and their contents that have been downloaded to the fabric interconnect:
- Packages
This view provides you with a read-only representation of the firmware bundles that have been downloaded onto the fabric interconnect. This view is sorted by image, not by the contents of the image. For packages, you can use this view to see which component images are in each downloaded firmware bundle.
- Images
The images view lists the component images available on the system. You cannot use this view to see complete firmware bundles or to group the images by bundle. The information available about each component image includes the name of the component, the image size, the image version, and the vendor and model of the component.
You can use this view to identify the firmware updates available for each component. You can also use this view to delete obsolete and unneeded images. Cisco UCS Manager deletes a package after all images in the package have been deleted.
Tip
Cisco UCS Manager stores the images in bootflash on the fabric interconnect. In a cluster system, space usage in bootflash on both fabric interconnects is the same, because all images are synchronized between them. If Cisco UCS Manager reports that the bootflash is out of space, delete obsolete images to free up space.
Firmware Versions
The firmware versions on an endpoint depend upon the type of endpoint. The endpoints physically located on a fabric interconnect have different versions than those physically located on a server or I/O module.
Firmware Versions in CIMC, I/O Modules, and Adapters
Each CIMC, I/O module, and adapter has two slots for firmware in flash. Each slot holds a version of firmware. One slot is active and the other is the backup slot. A component boots from whichever slot is designated as active.
The following firmware version terminology is used in Cisco UCS Manager:
- Running Version
The running version is the firmware that is active and in use by the endpoint.
- Startup Version
The startup version is the firmware that will be used when the endpoint next boots up. Cisco UCS Manager uses the activate operation to change the startup version.
- Backup Version
The backup version is the firmware in the other slot and is not in use by the endpoint. This version can be firmware that you have updated to the endpoint but have not yet activated, or it can be an older firmware version that was replaced by a recently activated version. Cisco UCS Manager uses the update operation to replace the image in the backup slot.
If the endpoint cannot boot from the startup version, it boots from the backup version.
Firmware Versions in the Fabric Interconnect and Cisco UCS Manager
You can only activate the fabric interconnect firmware and Cisco UCS Manager on the fabric interconnect. The fabric interconnect and Cisco UCS Manager firmware do not have backup versions, because all the images are stored on the fabric interconnect. As a result, the number of bootable fabric interconnect images is not limited to two, like the server CIMC and adapters. Instead, the number of bootable fabric interconnect images is limited by the available space in the memory of the fabric interconnect and the number of images stored there.
The fabric interconnect and Cisco UCS Manager firmware have running and startup versions of the kernel and system firmware. The kernel and system firmware must run the same versions of firmware.
Firmware Upgrades
Cisco UCS firmware is upgraded through a combination of the following methods:
- Direct upgrade at the endpoints. For a cluster configuration with two fabric interconnects, a direct upgrade can be minimally disruptive to data traffic. However, it requires that the Cisco UCS instance does not include firmware policies for those endpoints that you upgrade directly. You cannot avoid disruption to traffic in a Cisco UCS instance with only one fabric interconnection.
- Upgrades to server endpoints through service profiles that include a host firmware package, a management firmware package, or both. This method is disruptive to data traffic and should be performed during a maintenance window.
Note
Direct upgrade is not available for all endpoints, including the server BIOS, storage controller, HBA firmware, and HBA option ROM. You must upgrade those endpoints through the host firmware package included in the service profile associated with the server.
- Guidelines and Cautions for Firmware Upgrades
- Required Order of Components for Firmware Activation
- Required Order for Adding Support for Previously Unsupported Servers
- Direct Firmware Upgrade at Endpoints
- Firmware Upgrades through Service Profiles
Guidelines and Cautions for Firmware Upgrades
Before you upgrade the firmware for any endpoint in a Cisco UCS instance, consider the following guidelines and cautions:
Determine Appropriate Type of Firmware Upgrade for Each Endpoint
Some endpoints, such as adapters and the server CIMC, can be upgraded through either a direct firmware upgrade or a firmware package included in a service profile. The configuration of a Cisco UCS instance determines how you upgrade these endpoints. If the service profiles associated with the servers include a host firmware package, upgrade the adapters for those servers through the firmware package. In the same way, if the service profiles associated with the servers include a management firmware package, upgrade the CIMC for those servers through the firmware package.
Upgrades of a CIMC through a management firmware package or an adapter through a firmware package in the service profile associated with the server take precedence over direct firmware upgrades. You cannot directly upgrade an endpoint if the service profile associated with the server includes a firmware package. To perform a direct upgrade, you must remove the firmware package from the service profile.
Always Upgrade Cisco UCS Gen-2 Adapters through a Host Firmware Package
You cannot upgrade Cisco UCS Gen-2 adapters directly at the endpoints. You must upgrade the firmware on those adapters through a host firmware package.
No Server or Chassis Maintenance
Number of Fabric Interconnects
For a cluster configuration with two fabric interconnects, you can take advantage of the failover between the fabric interconnects and perform a direct firmware upgrade of the endpoints without disrupting data traffic. However, you cannot avoid disrupting data traffic for those endpoints which must be upgraded through a host or management firmware package.
For a standalone configuration with a single fabric interconnect, you can minimize the disruption to data traffic when you perform a direct firmware upgrade of the endpoints. However, you must reboot the fabric interconnect to complete the upgrade and, therefore, cannot avoid disrupting traffic.
Do Not Activate All Endpoints Simultaneously in Cisco UCS Manager GUI
If you use Cisco UCS Manager GUI to update the firmware, do not select ALL from the Filter drop-down list in the Activate Firmware dialog box to activate all endpoints simultaneously. Many firmware releases and patches have dependencies that require the endpoints to be activated in a specific order for the firmware update to succeed. This order can change depending upon the contents of the release or patch. Activating all endpoints does not guarantee that the updates occur in the required order and can disrupt communications between the endpoints and the fabric interconnects and Cisco UCS Manager. For information about the dependencies in a specific release or patch, see the release notes provided with that release or patch.
Impact of Activation for Adapters and I/O Modules
During a direct upgrade, you should configure Set Startup Version Only for an adapter. With this setting, the activated firmware moves into the pending-next-boot state, and the server is not immediately rebooted. The activated firmware does not become the running version of firmware on the adapter until the server is rebooted. You cannot configure Set Startup Version Only for an adapter in the host firmware package.
If a server is not associated with a service profile, the activated firmware moves into the pending-next-boot state. Cisco UCS Manager does not reboot the endpoints or activate the firmware until the server is associated with a service profile. If necessary, you can manually reboot an unassociated server to activate the firmware.
When you configure Set Startup Version Only for an I/O module, the I/O module is rebooted when the fabric interconnect in its data path is rebooted. If you do not configure Set Startup Version Only for an I/O module, the I/O module reboots and disrupts traffic. In addition, if Cisco UCS Manager detects a protocol and firmware version mismatch between the fabric interconnect and the I/O module, Cisco UCS Manager automatically updates the I/O module with the firmware version that matches the firmware in the fabric interconnect and then activates the firmware and reboots the I/O module again.
Avoid Replacing RAID-Configured Hard Disks Prior to Upgrade
Under the following circumstances, Cisco UCS Manager may scrub all data on a hard disk as part of the RAID synchronization process during an upgrade of the server firmware:
- The hard disks in the server are configured for RAID.
- One or more of the RAID-configured hard disks in the server are removed.
- The hard disk or disks are replaced with hard disks that are configured with a pre-existing RAID and the local disk configuration policy included in the service profile on the server is not used to configure those hard disks.
- The server firmware is upgraded, causing the server to reboot and Cisco UCS Manager to begin the RAID synchronization process.
If the original hard disks contained vital data that needs to preserved, avoid inserting new hard disks that are already configured for RAID.
VLAN 4048 is Reserved in Releases 1.4(1) and Higher
As of Release 1.4(1), VLAN 4048 is a reserved VLAN. If your Cisco UCS instances is configured to use VLAN 4048, you must reconfigure that VLAN to use a different ID before you upgrade.
Impact of Upgrade to Release 1.3(1i) or Higher
An upgrade from an earlier Cisco UCS firmware release to release 1.3(1i) or higher has the following impact on the Protect Configuration property of the local disk configuration policy the first time servers are associated with service profiles after the upgrade:
- Unassociated Servers
After you upgrade the Cisco UCS instance, the initial server association proceeds without configuration errors whether or not the local disk configuration policy matches the server hardware. Even if you enable the Protect Configuration property, Cisco UCS does not protect the user data on the server if there are configuration mismatches between the local disk configuration policy on the previous service profile and the policy in the new service profile.
Note
If you enable the Protect Configuration property and the local disk configuration policy encounters mismatches between the previous service profile and the new service profile, all subsequent service profile associations with the server are blocked.
- Associated Servers
Any servers that are already associated with service profiles do not reboot after the upgrade. Cisco UCS Manager does not report any configuration errors if there is a mismatch between the local disk configuration policy and the server hardware.
When a service profile is disassociated from a server and a new service profile associated, the setting for the Protect Configuration property in the new service profile takes precedence and overwrites the setting in the previous service profile.
Disable Call Home before Upgrading to Avoid Unecessary Alerts (Optional)
When you upgrade a Cisco UCS instance, Cisco UCS Manager restarts the components to complete the upgrade process. This restart causes events that are identical to service disruptions and component failures that trigger Call Home alerts to be sent. If you do not disable Call Home before you begin the upgrade, you can ignore the alerts generated by the upgrade-related component restarts.
Required Order of Components for Firmware Activation
If you upgrade firmware by individual components in a Cisco UCS instance, activate the updates in the required order for quicker activation and to avoid potential issues with conflicting firmware versions.
Required Order when Upgrading from Cisco UCS, Release 1.3(1) and Later
- (Optional) Call Home—If the Cisco UCS instance includes Call Home or Smart Call Home, disable Call Home if you do not want to receive unnecessary alerts when Cisco UCS Manager restarts components to complete the firmware activation.
- Adapter—If you plan to upgrade the adapters directly, perform this step first. However, if you prefer or if the adapters require it, you can omit this step and upgrade the adapters as part of the last step, in a host firmware package.
- CIMC—If you upgrade the adapters in the host firmware package, perform this step first.
- Cisco UCS Manager.
- I/O module—Activate with Set Startup Version only.
- Fabric interconnect (subordinate)—If you are upgrading a system with a cluster configuration, activate the subordinate fabric interconnect first.
- Fabric interconnect (primary)—If you are upgrading a system with a cluster configuration, activate the primary fabric interconnect second.
- Host firmware package—Must be the last step in the upgrade process. We recommend that you upgrade the board controller firmware during this step to avoid an additional reboot of the server. You must upgrade the following firmware in a host firmware package:
- (Optional) Call Home—If you disabled Call Home before the upgrading the firmware, enable Call Home.
Required Order when Upgrading from Cisco UCS, Release 1.0(2) and Later
- (Optional) Call Home—If the Cisco UCS instance includes Call Home or Smart Call Home, disable Call Home if you do not want to receive unnecessary alerts when Cisco UCS Manager restarts components to complete the firmware activation.
- Adapter—If you plan to upgrade the adapters directly, perform this step first. However, if you prefer or if the adapters require it, you can omit this step and upgrade the adapters as part of the last step, in a host firmware package.
- BMC—If you upgrade the adapters in the host firmware package, perform this step first.
- Cisco UCS Manager.
- I/O module—Activate with Set Startup Version only.
- Fabric interconnect (subordinate)—If you are upgrading a system with a cluster configuration, activate the subordinate fabric interconnect first.
- Fabric interconnect (primary)—If you are upgrading a system with a cluster configuration, activate the primary fabric interconnect second
- Host firmware package—Must be the last step in the upgrade process. We recommend that you upgrade the board controller firmware during this step to avoid an additional reboot of the server. You must upgrade the following firmware in a host firmware package:
- (Optional) Call Home—If you disabled Call Home before the upgrading the firmware, enable Call Home.
Required Order when Upgrading from Cisco UCS, Release 1.0(1)
- (Optional) Call Home—If the Cisco UCS instance includes Call Home or Smart Call Home, disable Call Home if you do not want to receive unnecessary alerts when Cisco UCS Manager restarts components to complete the firmware activation.
- Adapter (interface card)—If you plan to upgrade the adapters directly, perform this step first. However, if you prefer, you can omit this step and upgrade the adapters as part of the last step, in a host firmware package.
- BMC—If you upgrade the adapters in the host firmware package, perform this step first.
- I/O module—Activate with Set Startup Version only.
- Fabric interconnect (subordinate)—If you are upgrading a system with a cluster configuration, activate the subordinate fabric interconnect first.
- Fabric interconnect (primary)—If you are upgrading a system with a cluster configuration, activate the primary fabric interconnect second
- Cisco UCS Manager.
- Host firmware package—Must be the last step in the upgrade process. We recommend that you upgrade the board controller firmware during this step to avoid an additional reboot of the server. You must upgrade the following firmware in a host firmware package:
- (Optional) Call Home—If you disabled Call Home before the upgrading the firmware, enable Call Home.
Required Order for Adding Support for Previously Unsupported Servers
From Cisco UCS, Release 1.4(1) and later, the method for adding support for previously unsupported type of servers, such as a new blade server or a rack-mount server, to an existing Cisco UCS instance requires the following additional steps after you upgrade your existing firmware to the new release.
Adding Support for a Previously Unsupported Cisco UCS Blade Server
After you upgrade the firmware for the existing components, you can add support for a previously unsupported server that was released between infrastructure bundle releases. When you add the first server of a previously unsupported type of blade server, you must perform the steps to enable Cisco UCS Manager to support that type of server in the following order:
- Insert the blade server into the chassis as described in the server installation guide. Cisco UCS Manager cannot discover the server as it is unsupported, and the finite state machine (FSM) for the discovery fails with an unsupported server error.
- Obtain the B-Series server bundle for the new blade server from Cisco.com and download it to the fabric interconnect.
- Activate the Capability Catalog image from the server bundle.
- Activate the Management Extension from the server bundle.
- Wait for Cisco UCS Manager to retry discovery of the new server. If server discovery does not begin within a few minutes, acknowledge the server.
Note
You only need to perform these steps for the first server of a previously unsupported type of blade server. Cisco UCS Manager discovers all subsequent servers of that type automatically.
Integrating a Cisco UCS Rack-Mount Server
After you upgrade the firmware for the existing components, you can integrate a Cisco UCS rack-mount server. When you integrate a rack-mount server, you must perform the steps in the following order:
- If you have not already done so, configure the rack server discovery policy in Cisco UCS Manager.
- Follow the instructions in the server installation guide for installing and integrating a rack-mount server in a system managed by Cisco UCS Manager.
- Wait for Cisco UCS Manager to discover the new server. If server discovery does not begin within a few minutes, acknowledge the server.
Direct Firmware Upgrade at Endpoints
If you follow the correct procedure and apply the upgrades in the correct order, a direct firmware upgrade and the activation of the new firmware version on the endpoints is minimally disruptive to traffic in a Cisco UCS instance.
You can directly upgrade the firmware on the following endpoints:
The adapter and board controller firmware can also be upgraded through the host firmware package in the service profile. If you use a host firmware package to upgrade this firmware, you can reduce the number of times a server needs to be rebooted during the firmware upgrade process.
Note
Upgrades of a CIMC through a management firmware package or an adapter through a firmware package in the service profile associated with the server take precedence over direct firmware upgrades. You cannot directly upgrade an endpoint if the service profile associated with the server includes a firmware package. To perform a direct upgrade, you must remove the firmware package from the service profile.
Stages of a Direct Firmware Upgrade
Cisco UCS Manager separates the direct upgrade process into two stages to ensure that you can push the firmware to an endpoint while the system is running without affecting uptime on the server or other endpoints.
Update
During this stage, the system copies the selected firmware version from the primary fabric interconnect to the backup partition in the endpoint and verifies that the firmware image is not corrupt. The update process always overwrites the firmware in the backup slot.
The update stage applies only to the following endpoints:
Activate
During this stage, the system sets the specified image version (normally the backup version) as the startup version and, if you do not specify Set Startup Version Only, immediately reboots the endpoint. When the endpoint is rebooted, the backup partition becomes the active partition, and the active partition becomes the backup partition. The firmware in the new active partition becomes the startup version and the running version.
The following endpoints only require activation because the specified firmware image already exists on the endpoint:
When the firmware is activated, the endpoint is rebooted and the new firmware becomes the active kernel version and system version. If the endpoint cannot boot from the startup firmware, it defaults to the backup version and raises a fault.
Caution
When you configure Set Startup Version Only for an I/O module, the I/O module is rebooted when the fabric interconnect in its data path is rebooted. If you do not configure Set Startup Version Only for an I/O module, the I/O module reboots and disrupts traffic. In addition, if Cisco UCS Manager detects a protocol and firmware version mismatch between the fabric interconnect and the I/O module, Cisco UCS Manager automatically updates the I/O module with the firmware version that matches the firmware in the fabric interconnect and then activates the firmware and reboots the I/O module again.
Outage Impacts of Direct Firmware Upgrades
When you perform a direct firmware upgrade on an endpoint, you can disrupt traffic or cause an outage in one or more of the endpoints in the Cisco UCS instance.
Outage Impact of a Fabric Interconnect Firmware Upgrade
When you upgrade the firmware for a fabric interconnect, you cause the following outage impacts and disruptions:
Outage Impact of a Cisco UCS Manager Firmware Upgrade
A firmware upgrade to Cisco UCS Manager causes the following disruptions:
Outage Impact of an I/O Module Firmware Upgrade
When you upgrade the firmware for an I/O module, you cause the following outage impacts and disruptions:
- For a standalone configuration with a single fabric interconnect, data traffic is disrupted when the I/O module reboots. For a cluster configuration with two fabric interconnects, data traffic fails over to the other I/O module and the fabric interconnect in its data path.
- If you activate the new firmware as the startup version only, the I/O module reboots when the corresponding fabric interconnect is rebooted.
- If you activate the new firmware as the running and startup version, the I/O module reboots immediately.
- An I/O module can take up to ten minutes to become available after a firmware upgrade.
Firmware Upgrades through Service Profiles
You can use service profiles to upgrade the server and adapter firmware, including the BIOS on the server, by defining the following policies and including them in the service profile associated with a server:
Note
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.
- Host Firmware Package
- Management Firmware Package
- Stages of a Firmware Upgrade through 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 includes the following firmware for server and adapter endpoints:
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.
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.
Prerequisites
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
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 Service Profiles
You can use the host and management firmware package policies in service profiles to upgrade server and adapter firmware.
Caution
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
During this stage, you create the host and/or management firmware packages and include them in the appropriate firmware policies.
- Service Profile Association
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. For a host firmware package, the server is rebooted to ensure that the endpoints are running the versions specified in the firmware package.
Firmware Downgrades
You downgrade firmware in a Cisco UCS instance in the same way that you upgrade firmware. The package or version that you select when you update the firmware determines whether you are performing an upgrade or a downgrade.
Completing the Prerequisites for Upgrading the Firmware
Prerequisites for Upgrading and Downgrading Firmware
All endpoints in a Cisco UCS instance must be fully functional and all processes must be complete before you begin a firmware upgrade or downgrade on those endpoints. You cannot upgrade or downgrade an endpoint that is not in a functional state. For example, the firmware on a server that has not been discovered cannot be upgraded or downgraded. An incomplete process, such as an FSM that has failed after the maximum number of retries, can cause the upgrade or downgrade on an endpoint to fail. If an FSM is in progress, Cisco UCS Manager queues up the update and activation and runs them when the FSM has completed successfully.
Colored boxes around components on the Equipment tab may indicate that an endpoint on that component cannot be upgraded or downgraded. Verify the status of that component before you attempt to upgrade the endpoints.
Note
The Installed Firmware tab in Cisco UCS Manager GUI does not provide sufficient information to complete these prerequisites.
Before you upgrade or downgrade firmware in a Cisco UCS instance, complete the following prerequisites:
- Back up the configuration into an All Configuration backup file.
- For a cluster configuration, verify that the high availability status of the fabric interconnects shows that both are up and running.
- For a standalone configuration, verify that the Overall Status of the fabric interconnect is Operable.
- Verify that all servers, I/O modules, and adapters are fully functional. An inoperable server cannot be upgraded.
- Verify that all servers have been discovered. They do not need to be powered on or associated with a service profile.
Creating an All Configuration Backup File
ProcedureThis procedure assumes that you do not have an existing backup operation for an All Configuration backup file.
Verifying the Overall Status of the Fabric Interconnects
Procedure
Verifying the High Availability Status and Roles of a Cluster Configuration
Procedure
Verifying the Status of I/O Modules
Procedure
Verifying the Status of Servers
ProcedureIf a server is inoperable, you can proceed with the upgrade for other servers in the Cisco UCS instance. However, you cannot upgrade the inoperable server.
Verifying the Status of Adapters on Servers in a Chassis
Procedure
Downloading and Managing Firmware Packages
Obtaining Software Bundles from Cisco
Before You BeginProcedureDetermine which of the following software bundles you need to update the Cisco UCS instance:
- Cisco UCS Infrastructure Software Bundle—Required for all Cisco UCS instances.
- Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Server Software Bundle—Required for all Cisco UCS instances that include blade servers.
- Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server Software Bundle—Only required for Cisco UCS instances that include integrated rack-mount servers. This bundle contains firmware to enable Cisco UCS Manager to manage those servers and is not applicable to standalone C-Series rack-mount servers.
Step 1 In a web browser, navigate to http://www.cisco.com. Step 2 Under Support, click Download Software. Step 3 Click Unified Computing and Servers. Step 4 If prompted, enter your Cisco.com username and password to log in. Step 5 Navigate to the software bundles you need, as follows:
Bundle Navigation Path Cisco UCS Infrastructure Software Bundle
Click .
Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Server Software Bundle
Click .
Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server Software Bundle
Click .
Tip The Unified Computing System (UCS) Documentation Roadmap Bundle, which is accessible through these paths, is a downloadable ISO image of all Cisco UCS documentation.
Step 6 On the first page from which you download a software bundle, click the Release Notes link to download the latest version of the Release Notes. Step 7 For each software bundle that you want to download, do the following:
Step 8 Read the Release Notes before upgrading your Cisco UCS instance.
What to Do Next
Download the software bundles to the fabric interconnect.
Downloading Firmware Images to the Fabric Interconnect from a Remote Location
Procedure
Note
In a cluster setup, the image file for the firmware bundle is downloaded to both fabric interconnects, regardless of which fabric interconnect is used to initiate the download. Cisco UCS Manager maintains all firmware packages and images in both fabric interconnects in sync. If one fabric interconnect is down, the download still finishes successfully. The images are synced to the other fabric interconnect when it comes back online.
What to Do Next
After the image file for the firmware bundles have downloaded completely, update the firmware on the endpoints.
Downloading Firmware Images to the Fabric Interconnect from the Local File System
Procedure
Note
In a cluster setup, the image file for the firmware bundle is downloaded to both fabric interconnects, regardless of which fabric interconnect is used to initiate the download. Cisco UCS Manager maintains all firmware packages and images in both fabric interconnects in sync. If one fabric interconnect is down, the download still finishes successfully. The images are synced to the other fabric interconnect when it comes back online.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node. Step 3 In the Work pane, click the Firmware Management tab. Step 4 Click the Installed Firmware tab. Step 5 Click Download Firmware. Step 6 In the Download Firmware dialog box, click the Local File System radio button in the Location of the Image File field. Step 7 In the Filename field, type the full path and and name of the image file. If you do not know the exact path to the folder where the firmware image file is located, click Browse and navigate to the file.
Step 8 Click OK. Cisco UCS Manager GUI begins downloading the firmware bundle to the fabric interconnect.
Step 9 (Optional)Monitor the status of the firmware bundle download on the Download Tasks tab.
Note If Cisco UCS Manager reports that the bootflash is out of space, delete obsolete bundles on the Packages tab to free up space. To view the available space in bootflash, navigate to the fabric interconnect on the Equipment tab and expand the Local Storage Information area on the General tab.
Step 10 Repeat this task until all the required firmware bundles have been downloaded to the fabric interconnect.
What to Do Next
After the image file for the firmware bundles have downloaded completely, update the firmware on the endpoints.
Canceling an Image Download
Determining the Contents of a Firmware Package
Procedure
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node. Step 3 In the Work pane, click the Firmware Management tab. Step 4 On the Packages subtab, click the + icon next to a package to view its contents. Step 5 To take a snapshot of the package contents, do the following:
Checking the Available Space on a Fabric Interconnect
ProcedureIf an image download fails, check whether the bootflash on the fabric interconnect or fabric interconnects in the Cisco UCS has sufficient available space.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, expand . Step 3 Click the fabric interconnect on which you want to check the available space. Step 4 In the Work pane, click the General tab. Step 5 Expand the Local Storage Information area. When you download a firmware image bundle, a fabric interconnect needs at least twice as much available space as the size of the firmware image bundle. If the bootflash does not have sufficient space, delete the obsolete firmware, core files, and other unneeded objects from the fabric interconnect.
Deleting Firmware Packages from a Fabric Interconnect
ProcedureUse this procedure if you want to delete an entire firmware package or bundle. If you prefer you can also delete one or more of the individual images in a package.
For releases prior to Cisco UCS, Release 1.3(1), you cannot delete firmware packages from the Packages tab. After you delete all images from the package, Cisco UCS Manager removes the packages.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node. Step 3 In the Work pane, click the Firmware Management tab. Step 4 On the Firmware Management tab, click the Packages tab. Step 5 In the table, click the package that you want to delete. You can use the Shift key or Ctrl key to select multiple entries.
Step 6 Right-click the highlighted package or packages and choose Delete. Step 7 If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.
Cisco UCS Manager deletes the selected package or packages and all images contained within each package.
Deleting Firmware Images from a Fabric Interconnect
Procedure
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node. Step 3 In the Work pane, click the Firmware Management tab. Step 4 On the Firmware Management tab, click the Images tab. Step 5 In the table, click the image that you want to delete. You can use the Shift key or Ctrl key to select multiple entries.
Step 6 Right-click the highlighted image or images and choose Delete. Step 7 If Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.
Directly Updating Firmware at Endpoints
Updating the Firmware on Multiple Endpoints
ProcedureYou can use this procedure to update the firmware on the following endpoints:
Caution
Do not remove the hardware that contains the endpoint or perform any maintenance on it until the update process has completed. If the hardware is removed or otherwise unavailable due to maintenance, the firmware update fails. This failure may corrupt the backup partition. You cannot update the firmware on an endpoint with a corrupted backup partition.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node. Step 3 In the Work pane, click the Firmware Management tab. Step 4 On the Installed Firmware subtab, click Update Firmware. Cisco UCS Manager GUI opens the Update Firmware dialog box and verifies the firmware versions for all endpoints in the Cisco UCS instance. This step may take a few minutes, depending upon the number of chassis and servers.
Step 5 In the Update Firmware dialog box, do the following:
Cisco UCS Manager copies the selected firmware image to the backup memory partition and verifies that the image is not corrupt. The image remains as the backup version until you explicitly activate it. Cisco UCS Manager begins all updates at the same time. However, some updates may complete at different times.
The update is complete when the Update Firmware dialog box displays ready in the Update Status column for all updated endpoints.
Step 6 (Optional)To monitor the progress of the update to a specific endpoint, right-click the endpoint and choose Show Navigator. Cisco UCS Manager displays the progress in the Update Status area on the General tab. If the navigator has an FSM tab, you can also monitor the progress there. An entry in the Retry # field may not indicate that the update has failed. The retry count also includes retries that occur when Cisco UCS Manager retrieves the update status.
What to Do Next
Activate the firmware.
Updating the Firmware on an Adapter
Procedure
Caution
Do not remove the hardware that contains the endpoint or perform any maintenance on it until the update process has completed. If the hardware is removed or otherwise unavailable due to maintenance, the firmware update fails. This failure may corrupt the backup partition. You cannot update the firmware on an endpoint with a corrupted backup partition.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, expand . Step 3 Expand the node for the server which includes the adapter you want to update. Step 4 Expand Interface Cards and select the interface card for the adapter you want to upgrade. Step 5 In the General tab, click Update Firmware. Step 6 In the Update Firmware dialog box, do the following:
Cisco UCS Manager copies the selected firmware package to the backup memory slot, where it remains until you explicitly activate it.
Step 7 (Optional)Monitor the status of the update in the Update Status area. The update process can take several minutes. Do not activate the firmware until the selected firmware package displays in the Backup Version field in the Firmware area of the General tab.
What to Do Next
Activate the firmware.
Activating the Firmware on an Adapter
Procedure
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, expand . Step 3 Expand the node for the server that includes the adapter for which you want to activate the updated firmware. Step 4 Expand Interface Cards and select the interface card for the adapter. Step 5 In the General tab, click Activate Firmware. Step 6 In the Activate Firmware dialog box, do the following:
Updating the CIMC Firmware on a Server
Procedure
Caution
Do not remove the hardware that contains the endpoint or perform any maintenance on it until the update process has completed. If the hardware is removed or otherwise unavailable due to maintenance, the firmware update fails. This failure may corrupt the backup partition. You cannot update the firmware on an endpoint with a corrupted backup partition.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, expand . Step 3 Expand the node for the server for which you want to update the CIMC. Step 4 In the General tab, click the Inventory tab. Step 5 Click the CIMC tab. Step 6 In the Actions area, click Update Firmware. Step 7 In the Update Firmware dialog box, do the following:
- From the Version drop-down list, select the firmware version to which you want to update the endpoint.
- Optional: If you want to update the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box.
- Click OK.
Cisco UCS Manager copies the selected firmware package to the backup memory slot, where it remains until you explicitly activate it.
Step 8 (Optional)Monitor the status of the update in the Update Status area. The update process can take several minutes. Do not activate the firmware until the selected firmware package displays in the Backup Version field in the Firmware area of the General tab.
What to Do Next
Activate the firmware.
Activating the CIMC Firmware on a Server
Procedure
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, expand . Step 3 Expand the node for the server that includes the CIMC for which you want to activate the updated firmware. Step 4 On the General tab, click the Inventory tab. Step 5 Click the CIMC tab. Step 6 In the Actions area, click Activate Firmware. Step 7 In the Activate Firmware dialog box, do the following:
Updating the Firmware on an IOM
Procedure
Caution
Do not remove the hardware that contains the endpoint or perform any maintenance on it until the update process has completed. If the hardware is removed or otherwise unavailable due to maintenance, the firmware update fails. This failure may corrupt the backup partition. You cannot update the firmware on an endpoint with a corrupted backup partition.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, expand . Step 3 Click the I/O module that you want to update. Step 4 In the General tab, click Update Firmware. Step 5 In the Update Firmware dialog box, do the following:
- From the Version drop-down list, select the firmware version to which you want to update the endpoint.
- Optional: If you want to update the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box.
- Click OK.
Cisco UCS Manager copies the selected firmware package to the backup memory slot, where it remains until you explicitly activate it.
Step 6 (Optional)Monitor the status of the update in the Update Status area. The update process can take several minutes. Do not activate the firmware until the selected firmware package displays in the Backup Version field in the Firmware area of the General tab.
What to Do Next
Activate the firmware.
Activating the Firmware on an IOM
Procedure
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, expand . Step 3 Select the IO Module node that includes the I/O module for which you want to activate the updated firmware. Step 4 In the General tab, click Activate Firmware. Step 5 In the Activate Firmware dialog box, do the following:
Activating the Board Controller Firmware on a Server
ProcedureOnly certain servers, such as the Cisco UCS B440 High Performance blade server and the Cisco UCS B230 blade server, have board controller firmware. The board controller firmware controls many of the server functions, including eUSBs, LEDs, and I/O connectors.
Note
This activation procedure causes the server to reboot. Depending upon whether or not the service profile associated with the server includes a maintenance policy, the reboot can occur immediately. To reduce the number of times a server needs to be rebooted during the upgrade process, we recommend that you upgrade the board controller firmware through the host firmware package in the service profile as the last step of upgrading a Cisco UCS domain, along with the server BIOS.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node. Step 3 In the Work pane, click the Firmware Management tab. Step 4 On the Installed Firmware subtab, click Activate Firmware. Cisco UCS Manager GUI opens the Update Firmware dialog box and verifies the firmware versions for all endpoints in the Cisco UCS instance. This step may take a few minutes, depending upon the number of chassis and servers.
Step 5 From the Filter drop-down list on the menu bar of the Activate Firmware dialog box, select Board Controller. Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays all servers that have board controllers in the Activate Firmware dialog box.
Step 6 From the drop-down list in the Startup Version column, select the version to which you want to update the software. Step 7 If you want to activate the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box. Step 8 Click OK.
Activating the Cisco UCS Manager Software
Procedure
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node. Step 3 In the Work pane, click the Firmware Management tab. Step 4 On the Installed Firmware subtab, click Activate Firmware. Cisco UCS Manager GUI opens the Update Firmware dialog box and verifies the firmware versions for all endpoints in the Cisco UCS instance. This step may take a few minutes, depending upon the number of chassis and servers.
Step 5 On the UCS Manager row of the Activate Firmware dialog box, do the following:
- From the drop-down list in the Startup Version column, select the version to which you want to update the software.
- Optional: If you want to activate the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box.
- Click OK.
Cisco UCS Manager makes the selected version the startup version and schedules the activation to occur when the fabric interconnects are upgraded.
Activating the Firmware on a Subordinate Fabric Interconnect
Before You BeginProcedureDetermine which fabric interconnect in the cluster is the subordinate fabric interconnect.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node. Step 3 In the Work pane, click the Firmware Management tab. Step 4 On the Installed Firmware subtab, click Activate Firmware. Cisco UCS Manager GUI opens the Update Firmware dialog box and verifies the firmware versions for all endpoints in the Cisco UCS instance. This step may take a few minutes, depending upon the number of chassis and servers.
Step 5 From the Filter drop-down list on the menu bar, choose Fabric Interconnects. Step 6 On the menu bar, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box. Step 7 On the row of the Activate Firmware dialog box for the subordinate fabric interconnect, do the following: Step 8 Click Apply. Cisco UCS Manager updates and activates the firmware and reboots the fabric interconnect and any I/O module in the data path to that fabric interconnect, disrupting data traffic to and from that fabric interconnect. However, assuming the Cisco UCS domain is configured to permit traffic and port failover, data traffic fails over to the primary fabric interconnect and is not disrupted.
Step 9 Verify the high availability status of the subordinate fabric interconnect. If the High Availability Details area for the fabric interconnect does not show the following values, contact Cisco Technical Support immediately. Do not continue to update the primary fabric interconnect.
What to Do Next
If the high availability status of the subordinate fabric interconnect contains the required values, update and activate the primary fabric interconnect.
Activating the Firmware on a Primary Fabric Interconnect
ProcedureThis procedure continues directly from Activating the Firmware on a Subordinate Fabric Interconnect and assumes you are on the Firmware Management tab.
Step 1 On the Installed Firmware subtab, click Activate Firmware. Cisco UCS Manager GUI opens the Update Firmware dialog box and verifies the firmware versions for all endpoints in the Cisco UCS instance. This step may take a few minutes, depending upon the number of chassis and servers.
Step 2 From the Filter drop-down list on the menu bar, choose Fabric Interconnects. Step 3 On the menu bar, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box. Step 4 On the row of the Activate Firmware dialog box for the subordinate fabric interconnect, do the following: Step 5 Click Apply. Cisco UCS Manager updates and activates the firmware and reboots the fabric interconnect and any I/O module in the data path to that fabric interconnect, disrupting data traffic to and from that fabric interconnect. However, assuming the Cisco UCS domain is configured to permit traffic and port failover, data traffic fails over to the other fabric interconnect, which becomes the primary. When it comes back up, this fabric interconnect is the subordinate fabric interconnect.
Step 6 Verify the high availability status of the fabric interconnect. If the High Availability Details area for the fabric interconnect does not show the following values, contact Cisco Technical Support immediately.
Activating the Firmware on a Standalone Fabric Interconnect
ProcedureFor a standalone configuration with a single fabric interconnect, you can minimize the disruption to data traffic when you perform a direct firmware upgrade of the endpoints. However, you must reboot the fabric interconnect to complete the upgrade and, therefore, cannot avoid disrupting traffic.
Tip
If you ever need to recover the password to the admin account that was created when you configured the fabric interconnects for the Cisco UCS domain, you must know the running kernel version and the running system version. If you do not plan to create additional accounts, we recommend that you save the path to these firmware versions in a text file so that you can access them if required.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab. Step 2 On the Equipment tab, click the Equipment node. Step 3 Expand the Fabric Interconnects node and click the standalone fabric interconnect. Step 4 On the General tab, click Activate Firmware. Step 5 In the Activate Firmware dialog box, complete the following fields:
Name Description Kernel Version drop-down list
Choose the version that you want to use for the kernel.
System Version drop-down list
Choose the version you want to use for the system.
Ignore Compatibility Check check box
By default, Cisco UCS makes sure that the firmware version is compatible with everything running on the server before it activates that version.
Check this check box if you want Cisco UCS to activate the firmware without making sure that it is compatible first.
Note We recommend that you use this option only when explicitly directed to do so by a technical support representative.
Step 6 Click OK.
Cisco UCS Manager activates the firmware and reboots the fabric interconnect and any I/O module in the data path to that fabric interconnect. For a standalone fabric interconnect, this disrupts all data traffic in the Cisco UCS domain.
Updating Firmware through 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 includes the following firmware for server and adapter endpoints:
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.
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.
Prerequisites
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.
Creating a Host Firmware Package
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.
Before You BeginProcedureEnsure that the appropriate firmware has been downloaded to the fabric interconnect.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab. Step 2 On the Servers tab, expand . Step 3 Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy. If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.
Step 4 Right-click Host Firmware Packages and choose Create Package. Step 5 In the Create Host Firmware Package dialog box, enter a unique name and description for the package. This name can be between 1 and 16 alphanumeric characters. You cannot use spaces or any special characters, and you cannot change this name after the object has been saved.
Step 6 On each sub-tab, do the following for each type of firmware you want to include in the package:
Step 7 When you have added all the desired firmware to the package, click OK.
What to Do Next
Include the policy in a service profile and/or template.
Updating a Host Firmware Package
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 firmware in the server and adapter with the new versions and reboots the server as soon as you save the host firmware package policy.
Before You BeginProcedureEnsure that the appropriate firmware has been downloaded to the fabric interconnect.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab. Step 2 On the Servers tab, expand . Step 3 Expand the node for the organization that includes the policy you want to update. If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.
Step 4 Expand Host Firmware Packages and choose the policy you want to update. Step 5 In the Work pane, click the General tab. Step 6 On each sub-tab, do the following for each type of firmware you want to include in the package:
Step 7 Click Save Changes. 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.
Management Firmware Package
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.
Creating a Management Firmware Package
Before You BeginProcedureEnsure that the appropriate firmware has been downloaded to the fabric interconnect.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab. Step 2 On the Servers tab, expand . Step 3 Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy. If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.
Step 4 Right-click Management Firmware Packages and select Create Package. Step 5 In the Create Management Firmware Package dialog box, enter a unique name and description for the package. This name can be between 1 and 16 alphanumeric characters. You cannot use spaces or any special characters, and you cannot change this name after the object has been saved.
Step 6 In the firmware table, do the following:
Step 7 When you have added the desired firmware to the package, click OK.
What to Do Next
Include the policy in a service profile and/or template.
Updating a Management Firmware Package
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
Before You BeginProcedureEnsure that the appropriate firmware has been downloaded to the fabric interconnect.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab. Step 2 On the Servers tab, expand . Step 3 Expand the node for the organization that includes the policy you want to update. If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.
Step 4 Expand Management Firmware Packages and choose the policy you want to update. Step 5 In the Work pane, click the General tab. Step 6 In the firmware table, do the following:
Step 7 Click Save Changes. 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.
Adding Firmware Packages to an Existing Service Profile
ProcedureIf the service profile does not include a maintenance policy and is associated with a server, Cisco UCS Manager updates and activates the firmware in the server with the new versions and reboots the server as soon as you save the changes to the service profile.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab. Step 2 On the Servers tab, expand . Step 3 Expand the node for the organization that includes the service profile that you want to update. If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the root node.
Step 4 Click the service profile to which you want to add the firmware packages. Step 5 In the Work pane, click the Policies tab. Step 6 Click the down arrows to expand the Firmware Policies section. Step 7 To add a host firmware package, select the desired policy from the Host Firmware drop-down list. Step 8 To add a management firmware package, select the desired policy from the Management Firmware drop-down list. Step 9 Click Save Changes.
Managing the Capability Catalog
Capability Catalog
The Capability Catalog is a set of tunable parameters, strings, and rules. Cisco UCS Manager uses the catalog to update the display and configurability of components such as newly qualified DIMMs and disk drives for servers.
The catalog is divided by hardware components, such as the chassis, CPU, local disk, and I/O module. You can use the catalog to view the list of providers available for that component. There is one provider per hardware component. Each provider is identified by the vendor, model (PID), and revision. For each provider, you can also view details of the equipment manufacturer and the form factor.
Contents of the Capability Catalog
Updates to the Capability Catalog
Capability Catalog updates are included in each Cisco UCS Manager update. Unless otherwise instructed by Cisco Technical Support, you only need to activate the Capability Catalog update after you've downloaded, updated, and activated an Cisco UCS Infrastructure Software Bundle.
As soon as you activate a Capability Catalog update, Cisco UCS Manager immediately updates to the new baseline catalog. You do not have to perform any further tasks. Updates to the Capability Catalog do not require you to reboot any component in the Cisco UCS instance or to reinstall Cisco UCS Manager.
Each Cisco UCS Manager release contains a baseline catalog. In rare circumstances, Cisco releases an update to the Capability Catalog and makes it available on the same site where you download firmware images. The catalog update is compatible with Cisco UCS, Release 1.3(1) and later.
Activating a Capability Catalog Update
Procedure
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Admin tab. Step 2 On the Admin tab, expand All. Step 3 Click the Capability Catalog node. Step 4 In the Work pane, click the Catalog Update Tasks tab. Step 5 Click Activate Catalog. Step 6 In the Activate Catalog dialog box, choose the capability catalog update that you want to activate from the Version to be Activated drop-down list. Step 7 Click OK.
Verifying that the Capability Catalog Is Current
Procedure
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Admin tab. Step 2 On the Admin tab, expand All. Step 3 Click the Capability Catalog node. Step 4 In the Work pane, click the Catalog Update Tasks tab. The current version of the capability catalog is located on the upper right of that tab.
Step 5 On Cisco.com, determine the most recent release of the capability catalog available. For more information about the location of capability catalog updates, see Obtaining Capability Catalog Updates from Cisco.
Step 6 If a more recent version of the capability catalog is available on Cisco.com, update the capability catalog with that version.
Downloading Individual Capability Catalog Updates
Obtaining Capability Catalog Updates from Cisco
Procedure
Step 1 In a web browser, navigate to http://www.cisco.com. Step 2 Under Support, click Download Software. Step 3 Click Unified Computing. Step 4 If prompted, enter your Cisco.com username and password to log in. Step 5 Click . Step 6 Click the link for the latest release of the Capability Catalog. Step 7 Click one of the following buttons and follow the instructions provided: Step 8 Follow the prompts to complete your download of the catalog update.
What to Do Next
Update the Capability Catalog.
Updating the Capability Catalog from a Remote Location
ProcedureYou cannot perform a partial update to the Capability Catalog. When you update the Capability Catalog, all components included in the catalog image are updated.
A B-series server bundle includes the Capability Catalog update for that server. You do not need to download a separate Capability Catalog update. You only need to activate the Capability Catalog update.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Admin tab. Step 2 On the Admin tab, expand All. Step 3 Click the Capability Catalog node. Step 4 In the Work pane, click the Catalog Update Tasks tab. Step 5 Click Update Catalog. Step 6 In the Update Catalog dialog box, click the Remote File System radio button in the Location of the Image File field. Step 7 Complete the following fields:
Name Description Protocol field
The protocol to use when communicating with the remote server. This can be:
The IP address or hostname of the remote server on which the catalog image resides.
The absolute path to the catalog image file on the remote server, if required.
If you use SCP, the absolute path is always required. If you use any other protocol, you may not need to specify a remote path if the file resides in the default download folder. For details about how your file server is configured, contact your system administrator.
User field
The username the system should use to log in to the remote server. This field does not apply if the protocol is TFTP.
Password field
The password for the remote server username. This field does not apply if the protocol is TFTP.
Step 8 Click OK.
Cisco UCS Manager downloads the image and updates the Capability Catalog. You do not need to reboot any hardware components.
What to Do Next
Activate the Capability Catalog update.
Updating the Capability Catalog from the Local File System
ProcedureYou cannot perform a partial update to the Capability Catalog. When you update the Capability Catalog, all components included in the catalog image are updated.
A B-series server bundle includes the Capability Catalog update for that server. You do not need to download a separate Capability Catalog update. You only need to activate the Capability Catalog update.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Admin tab. Step 2 On the Admin tab, expand All. Step 3 Click the Capability Catalog node. Step 4 In the Work pane, click the Catalog Update Tasks tab. Step 5 Click Update Catalog. Step 6 In the Download Firmware dialog box, click the Local File System radio button in the Location of the Image File field. Step 7 In the Filename field, type the full path and and name of the image file. If you do not know the exact path to the folder where the firmware image file is located, click Browse and navigate to the file.
Step 8 Click OK.
Cisco UCS Manager downloads the image and updates the Capability Catalog. You do not need to reboot any hardware components.
What to Do Next
Activate the Capability Catalog update.
Updating Management Extensions
Management Extensions
Management Extension updates are included in each Cisco UCS Manager update. Unless otherwise instructed by Cisco Technical Support, you only need to activate the Management Extension update after you've downloaded, updated, and activated an Cisco UCS Infrastructure Software Bundle.
Management Extensions enable you to add support for previously unsupported servers and other hardware to Cisco UCS Manager. For example, you may need to activate a Management Extension if you want to add a new, previously unsupported server to an existing Cisco UCS instance.
The Management Extension image contains the images, information, and firmware required by Cisco UCS Manager to be able to manage the new hardware.
Cisco UCS Manager may need to access a Management Extension when you activate. Therefore, the Management Extension is locked during the activation and update process.
Activating a Management Extension
ProcedureThe Management Extension is included in the server bundle that you have already downloaded. You do not need to download the Management Extension separately.
Step 1 In the Navigation pane, click the Admin tab. Step 2 On the Admin tab, expand All. Step 3 Click the Management Extension node. Step 4 In the Work pane, click the General tab. Step 5 In the Actions area, click Activate Management Extension. Step 6 In the Activate Management Extension dialog box, choose the management extension that you want to activate from the Version to be Activated drop-down list. Step 7 Click OK.
