Cisco UCS Manager GUI Configuration Guide, Release 2.0
Managing Firmware
Download this chapter
Managing FirmwareManaging Firmware
Download the complete book
Cisco UCS Manager GUI Configuration Guide, Release 2.0Cisco UCS Manager GUI Configuration Guide, Release 2.0 (PDF - 9 MB)
 Feedback

Contents

Managing Firmware

This chapter includes the following sections:

Overview of Firmware

Cisco UCS uses firmware obtained from and certified by Cisco to support the endpoints in a Cisco UCS domain. Each endpoint is a component in the Cisco UCS domain that requires firmware to function. The upgrade order for the endpoints in a Cisco UCS domain 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 domain.


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 Manager software
  • Kernel and system firmware for the fabric interconnects
  • I/O module firmware
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 domain. 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.

  • CIMC firmware
  • BIOS firmware
  • Adapter firmware
  • Board controller firmware
  • Third-party firmware images required by the new server
Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server Software Bundle

This bundle includes the following firmware images that are required to update components on rack-mount servers that have been integrated with and are managed by Cisco UCS Manager:

  • CIMC firmware
  • BIOS firmware
  • Adapter firmware
  • Storage controller firmware

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 Headers

Every firmware image has a header, which includes the following:

  • Checksum
  • Version information
  • Compatibility information that the system can use to verify the compatibility of component images and any dependencies

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 version terminology used depends upon the type of endpoint, as follows:

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 domain does not include firmware policies for those endpoints that you upgrade directly. You cannot avoid disruption to traffic in a Cisco UCS domain with only one fabric interconnect.

    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.

  • Upgrades to server endpoints through service profiles that include a host firmware package, a management firmware package, or both. This method can be disruptive to data traffic and should be performed during a maintenance window.

Note

The Cisco UCS Manager GUI does not allow you to choose options that a release does not support. If a Cisco UCS domain includes hardware that is not supported in the release to which you are upgrading, Cisco UCS Manager GUI does not display the firmware as an option for that hardware or allow you to upgrade to it.

Cautions, Guidelines, and Best Practices for Firmware Upgrades

Before you upgrade the firmware for any endpoint in a Cisco UCS domain, consider the following cautions, guidelines, and best practices:


Note

The Cisco UCS Manager GUI does not allow you to choose options that a release does not support. If a Cisco UCS domain includes hardware that is not supported in the release to which you are upgrading, Cisco UCS Manager GUI does not display the firmware as an option for that hardware or allow you to upgrade to it.

Configuration Changes and Settings that Can Impact Upgrades

Depending upon the configuration of your Cisco UCS domain, the following changes may require you to make configuration changes after you upgrade. To avoid faults and other issues, we recommend that you make any required changes before you upgrade.

Overlapping FCoE VLAN IDs and Ethernet VLAN IDs Are No Longer Allowed with Cisco UCS Release 2.0

Caution

In Cisco UCS 1.4 and earlier releases, Ethernet VLANs and FCoE VLANs could have overlapping VLAN IDs. However, starting with Cisco UCS release 2.0, overlapping VLAN IDs are not allowed. If Cisco UCS Manager detects overlapping VLAN IDs during an upgrade, it raises a critical fault. If you do not reconfigure your VLAN IDs, Cisco UCS Manager raises a critical fault and drops Ethernet traffic on the overlapped VLANs. Therefore, we recommend that you ensure there are no overlapping Ethernet and FCoE VLAN IDs before you upgrade to Cisco UCS release 2.0.

If you did not explicitly configure the FCoE VLAN ID for a VSAN in Cisco UCS 1.4 and earlier releases, Cisco UCS Manager assigned VLAN 1 as the default FCoE VLAN for the default VSAN (with default VSAN ID 1). In those releases, VLAN 1 was also used as the default VLAN for Ethernet traffic. Therefore, if you accepted the default VLAN ID for the FCoE VLAN and one or more Ethernet VLANs, you must reconfigure the VLAN IDs for either the FCoE VLAN(s) on the VSAN(s) or the Ethernet VLAN(s).

For a new installation of Cisco UCS release 2.0, the default VLAN IDs are as follows:

  • The default Ethernet VLAN ID is 1.
  • The default FCoE VLAN ID is 4048.
After an upgrade from Cisco UCS release 1.4, where VLAN ID 4048 was used for FCoE storage port native VLAN, to release 2.0, the default VLAN IDs are as follows:
  • The default Ethernet VLAN ID is 1.
  • The current default FCoE VLAN ID is preserved. Cisco UCS Manager raises a critical fault on the conflicting Ethernet VLAN, if any. You must change one of the VLAN IDs to a VLAN ID that is not used or reserved.

Note

If a Cisco UCS domain uses one of the default VLAN IDs, which results in overlapping VLANs, you can change one or more of the default VLAN IDs to any VLAN ID that is not used or reserved. In release 2.0, VLANs with IDs from 3968 to 4047 are reserved.

VSANs with IDs in the Reserved Range are not Operational

A VSAN with an ID in the reserved range is not operational after an upgrade. Make sure that none of the VSANs configured in Cisco UCS Manager are in the reserved range, as follows:

  • If you plan to use FC switch mode in a Cisco UCS domain, do not configure VSANs with an ID in the range from 3040 to 4078.
  • If you plan to use FC end-host mode in a Cisco UCS domain, do not configure VSANs with an ID in the range from 3840 to 4079.

If a VSAN has an ID in the reserved range, change that VSAN ID to any VSAN ID that is not used or reserved.

All Connectivity May Be Lost During Upgrades if vNIC Failover and NIC Teaming Are Both Enabled

All connectivity may be lost during firmware upgrades if you have configured both Enable Failover on one or more vNICs and you have also configured NIC teaming/bonding at the host operating system level. Please design for availability by using one or the other method, but never both.

To determine whether you have enabled failover for one or more vNICs in a Cisco UCS domain, verify the configuration of the vNICs within each service profile associated with a server. For more information, see the Cisco UCS Manager configuration guide for the release that you are running.

Impact of Upgrade from a Release Prior to Release 1.3(1i)

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 domain, 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.

Hardware-Related Guidelines and Best Practices for Firmware Upgrades

The hardware in a Cisco UCS domain can impact how you upgrade. Before you upgrade any endpoint, consider the following guidelines and best practices:

No Server or Chassis Maintenance

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.

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.

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.

Cannot Upgrade Cisco UCS 82598KR-CI 10-Gigabit Ethernet Adapter

The firmware on the Cisco UCS 82598KR-CI 10-Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (N20-AI0002), Intel-based adapter card, is burned into the hardware at manufacture. You cannot upgrade the firmware on this adapter.

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.

Firmware- and Software-Related Best Practices for Upgrades

Before you upgrade any endpoint, consider the following guidelines and best practices:

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 domain 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.

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 remains in 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 or reset 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.

Select Ignore Compatibility Check When Upgrading

During a direct upgrade to a newer release, we recommend that you choose Ignore Compatibility Check. Newer releases may have incompatible code with older releases. This option ensures that the upgrade can proceed and avoids compatibility issues.

Disable Call Home before Upgrading to Avoid Unnecessary Alerts (Optional)

When you upgrade a Cisco UCS domain, 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 domain, activate the updates in the required order for quicker activation and to avoid potential issues with conflicting firmware versions.

Summary of Steps for Upgrading from Cisco UCS, Release 1.0(2) and Later

  1. Download the following firmware images:
    • Cisco UCS Infrastructure Software Bundle—Required for all Cisco UCS domains.
    • Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Server Software Bundle—Required for all Cisco UCS domains that include blade servers.
    • Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server Software Bundle—Only required for Cisco UCS domains 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.
  2. (Optional) Disable Call Home—If the Cisco UCS domain includes Call Home or Smart Call Home, disable Call Home to ensure you do not receive unnecessary alerts when Cisco UCS Manager restarts components.
  3. Update adapters, /BMC, and IOMs—If you prefer, you can upgrade the adapters in a host firmware package as part of the last upgrade step.
  4. Activate adapters—Choose Ignore Compatibility Check and Set Startup Version Only when performing this step.
  5. Activate /BMC—Choose Ignore Compatibility Check when performing this step.
  6. Activate Cisco UCS Manager—Choose Ignore Compatibility Check when performing this step.
  7. Activate I/O modules—Choose Ignore Compatibility Check and Set Startup Version Only when performing this step.
  8. Activate subordinate fabric interconnect—Choose Ignore Compatibility Check when performing this step.
  9. Activate primary fabric interconnect—Choose Ignore Compatibility Check when performing this step.
  10. Update host firmware package(s) for servers—Must be the last firmware upgraded. We recommend that you upgrade the board controller firmware during this step to avoid an additional reboot of servers with that firmware. You must upgrade the following firmware in a host firmware package:
    • BIOS
    • Storage controller
    • Certain adapters
  11. (Optional) Enable Call Home—If you disabled Call Home before the upgrading the firmware, enable Call Home.

Summary of Upgrading from Cisco UCS, Release 1.0(1)

  1. Download the following firmware images:
    • Cisco UCS Infrastructure Software Bundle—Required for all Cisco UCS domains.
    • Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Server Software Bundle—Required for all Cisco UCS domains that include blade servers.
    • Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server Software Bundle—Only required for Cisco UCS domains 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.
  2. (Optional) Disable Call Home—If the Cisco UCS domain includes Call Home or Smart Call Home, disable Call Home to ensure you do not receive unnecessary alerts when Cisco UCS Manager restarts components.
  3. Update adapters, BMC, and IOMs—If you prefer, you can upgrade the adapters in a host firmware package as part of the last upgrade step.
  4. Activate adapters—Choose Ignore Compatibility Check and Set Startup Version Only when performing this step.
  5. BMC—Choose Ignore Compatibility Check when performing this step.
  6. Activate I/O modules—Choose Ignore Compatibility Check and Set Startup Version Only when performing this step.
  7. Activate subordinate fabric interconnect—Choose Ignore Compatibility Check when performing this step.
  8. Activate primary fabric interconnect—Choose Ignore Compatibility Check when performing this step.
  9. Activate Cisco UCS Manager—Choose Ignore Compatibility Check when performing this step.
  10. Update host firmware package(s) for servers—Must be the last firmware upgraded. We recommend that you upgrade the board controller firmware during this step to avoid an additional reboot of servers with that firmware. You must upgrade the following firmware in a host firmware package:
    • BIOS
    • Storage controller
    • Certain adapters
  11. (Optional) Enable 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 domain 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:

  1. 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.
  2. Obtain the B-Series server bundle for the new blade server from Cisco.com and download it to the fabric interconnect.
  3. Activate the Capability Catalog image from the server bundle.
  4. Activate the Management Extension from the server bundle.
  5. 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.

IntegratingCisco UCS Rack-Mount Servers

After you upgrade the firmware for the existing components, you can integrate one or more Cisco UCS rack-mount servers. When you integrate rack-mount servers, you must perform the steps in the following order:

  1. If you have not already done so, configure the rack server discovery policy in Cisco UCS Manager.
  2. Follow the instructions in the appropriate rack-mount server installation guide for installing and integrating a rack-mount server in a system managed by Cisco UCS Manager.
  3. 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 domain.

You can directly upgrade the firmware on the following endpoints:

  • Adapters
  • CIMCs
  • I/O modules
  • Board controllers
  • Cisco UCS Manager
  • Fabric interconnects

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:

  • Adapters
  • CIMCs
  • I/O modules

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.

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:

  • Cisco UCS Manager
  • Fabric interconnects
  • Board controllers on those servers that support them

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 domain.

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:

  • The fabric interconnect reboots.
  • The corresponding I/O modules reboot.
Outage Impact of a Cisco UCS Manager Firmware Upgrade

A firmware upgrade to Cisco UCS Manager causes the following disruptions:

  • Cisco UCS Manager GUI—All users logged in to Cisco UCS Manager GUI are logged out and their sessions ended. Any unsaved work in progress is lost.
  • Cisco UCS Manager CLI—All users logged in through telnet are logged out and their sessions ended.
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.
Outage Impact of a CIMC Firmware Upgrade

When you upgrade the firmware for a CIMC in a server, you impact only the CIMC and internal processes. You do not interrupt server traffic. This firmware upgrade causes the following outage impacts and disruptions to the CIMC:

  • Any activities being performed on the server through the KVM console and vMedia are interrupted.
  • Any monitoring or IPMI polling is interrupted.
Outage Impact of an Adapter Firmware Upgrade

If you activate the firmware for an adapter and do not configure the Set Startup Version Only option, you cause the following outage impacts and disruptions:

  • The server reboots.
  • Server traffic is disrupted.

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:

  • Host Firmware Package policy
  • Management Firmware Package policy

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

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:

  • Adapter
  • BIOS
  • Board Controller
  • FC Adapters
  • HBA Option ROM
  • Storage Controller

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.

Existing Service Profile

If the service profile is already associated with a server, Cisco UCS Manager upgrades the firmware as soon as you save the changes to the host firmware packages. For a host firmware package, Cisco UCS Manager reboots the server as soon as the change is saved.

Firmware Downgrades

You downgrade firmware in a Cisco UCS domain 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.


Note

The Cisco UCS Manager GUI does not allow you to choose options that a release does not support. If a Cisco UCS domain includes hardware that is not supported in the release to which you are downgrading, Cisco UCS Manager GUI does not display the firmware as an option for that hardware or allow you to downgrade to it.

Completing the Prerequisites for Upgrading the Firmware

Prerequisites for Upgrading and Downgrading Firmware

All endpoints in a Cisco UCS domain 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 domain, complete the following prerequisites:

  • Review the Release Notes.
  • 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 the data path is up and running. For more information, see Verifying that the Data Path is Ready.
  • Verify that all servers, I/O modules, and adapters are fully functional. An inoperable server cannot be upgraded.
  • Verify that the Cisco UCS domain does not include any critical or major faults. If such faults exist, you must resolve them before you upgrade the system. A critical or major fault may cause the upgrade to fail.
  • Verify that all servers have been discovered. They do not need to be powered on or associated with a service profile.
  • If you want to integrate a rack-mount server into the Cisco UCS domain, follow the instructions in the appropriate rack-mount server installation guide for installing and integrating a rack-mount server in a system managed by Cisco UCS Manager.

Creating an All Configuration Backup File

This procedure assumes that you do not have an existing backup operation for an All Configuration backup file.

Before You Begin

Obtain the backup server IP address and authentication credentials.

Procedure
    Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Admin tab.
    Step 2   Click the All node.
    Step 3   In the Work pane, click the General tab.
    Step 4   In the Actions area, click Backup.
    Step 5   In the Backup Configuration dialog box, click Create Backup Operation.
    Step 6   In the Create Backup Operation dialog box, do the following:
    1. Complete the following fields:
      • Admin State field—Click the Enabled radio button to run the backup operation as soon as you click OK.
      • Type field—Click the All Configuration radio button to create an XML backup file that includes all system and logical configuration information.
      • Preserve Identities check box—If the Cisco UCS domain includes any identities derived from pools that you need to preserve, check this check box. Identities such as MAC addresses, WWNNs, WWPNs, or UUIDS are assigned at runtime. If you do not want these identities to change after you import the backup file, you must check this check box. If you do not, these identities may be changed after the import and operations such as a PXE boot or a SAN boot may no longer function.
      • Protocol field—Click the one of the following radio buttons to indicate the protocol you want to use to transfer the file to the backup server:
        • FTP
        • TFTP
        • SCP
        • SFTP
      • Hostname field—Enter the IP address or hostname of the location where the backup file is to be stored. This can be a server, storage array, local drive, or any read/write media that the fabric interconnect can access through the network. If you use a hostname, you must configure Cisco UCS Manager to use a DNS server.
      • Remote File field—Enter the full path to the backup configuration file. This field can contain the filename as well as the path. If you omit the filename, the backup procedure assigns a name to the file.
      • User field—Enter the username that Cisco UCS Manager should use to log in to the backup location. You do not need to complete this field if you selected TFTP for the protocol.
      • Password field—Enter the password associated with the username. You do not need to complete this field if you selected TFTP for the protocol.
    2. Click OK.
    Step 7   If Cisco UCS Manager displays a confirmation dialog box, click OK.

    If you set the Admin State field to enabled, Cisco UCS Manager takes a snapshot of the configuration type that you selected and exports the file to the network location. The backup operation displays in the Backup Operations table in the Backup Configuration dialog box.

    Step 8   (Optional)To view the progress of the backup operation, do the following:
    1. If the operation does not display in the Properties area, click the operation in the Backup Operations table.
    2. In the Properties area, click the down arrows on the FSM Details bar.

    The FSM Details area expands and displays the operation status.

    Step 9   Click OK to close the Backup Configuration dialog box.

    The backup operation continues to run until it is completed. To view the progress, re-open the Backup Configuration dialog box.

    Verifying the Overall Status of the Fabric Interconnects

    Procedure
      Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
      Step 2   On the Equipment tab, expand Equipment > Fabric Interconnects.
      Step 3   Click the node for the fabric interconnect that you want to verify.
      Step 4   In the Work pane, click the General tab.
      Step 5   In the Status area, verify that the Overall Status is operable.

      If the status is not operable, create and download a Tech Support file, and contact Cisco Technical Support. Do not proceed with the firmware upgrade. For more information about Tech Support files, see the Cisco UCS Manager B-Series Troubleshooting Guide.

      Verifying the High Availability Status and Roles of a Cluster Configuration

      The high availability status is the same for both fabric interconnects in a cluster configuration.

      Procedure
        Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
        Step 2   On the Equipment tab, expand Equipment > Fabric Interconnects.
        Step 3   Click the node for one of the fabric interconnects in the cluster.
        Step 4   In the Work pane, click the General tab.
        Step 5   If the fields in the High Availability Details area are not displayed, click the Expand icon to the right of the heading.
        Step 6   Verify that the following fields display the following values:
        Field Name Required Value

        Ready field

        Yes

        State field

        Up

        If the values are different, create and download a Tech Support file, and contact Cisco Technical Support. Do not proceed with the firmware upgrade. For more information about Tech Support files, see the Cisco UCS Manager B-Series Troubleshooting Guide.

        Step 7   Note the value in the Leadership field to determine whether the fabric interconnect is the primary or subordinate.

        You need to know this information to upgrade the firmware on the fabric interconnects.

        Verifying the Status of I/O Modules

        Procedure
          Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
          Step 2   On the Equipment tab, expand Equipment > Chassis.
          Step 3   Click on the chassis for which you want to verify the status of the I/O modules.
          Step 4   In the Work pane, click the IO Modules tab.
          Step 5   For each I/O module, verify that the following columns display the following values:
          Field Name Desired Value

          Overall Status column

          ok

          Operability column

          operable

          If the values are different, create and download a Tech Support file, and contact Cisco Technical Support. Do not proceed with the firmware upgrade. For more information about Tech Support files, see the Cisco UCS Manager B-Series Troubleshooting Guide.

          Step 6   Repeat Steps 3 through 5 to verify the status of the I/O modules in each chassis.

          Verifying the Status of Servers

          If a server is inoperable, you can proceed with the upgrade for other servers in the Cisco UCS domain. However, you cannot upgrade the inoperable server.

          Procedure
            Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
            Step 2   On the Equipment tab, click Equipment.
            Step 3   In the Work pane, click the Servers tab to display a list of all servers in all chassis.
            Step 4   For each server, verify that the following columns display the following values:
            Field Name Desired Value

            Overall Status column

            ok, unassociated, or any value that does not indicate a failure.

            If the value indicates a failure, such as discovery-failed, the endpoints on that server cannot be upgraded.

            Operability column

            operable

            Step 5   If you need to verify that a server has been discovered, do the following:
            1. Right-click the server for which you want to verify the discovery status and choose Show Navigator.
            2. In the Status Details area of the General tab, verify that the Discovery State field displays a value of complete.

              If the fields in the Status Details area are not displayed, click the Expand icon to the right of the heading.

            Verifying the Status of Adapters on Servers in a Chassis

            Procedure
              Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
              Step 2   On the Equipment tab, expand Equipment > Chassis > Chassis Number > Servers.
              Step 3   Click the server for which you want to verify the status of the adapters.
              Step 4   In the Work pane, click the Inventory tab.
              Step 5   In the Inventory tab, click the Adapters subtab.
              Step 6   For each adapter, verify that the following columns display the following values:
              Field Name Desired Value

              Overall Status column

              ok

              Operability column

              operable

              If the fields show a different value and the adapter is inoperable, you can proceed with the upgrade for other adapters on the servers in the Cisco UCS domain. However, you cannot upgrade the inoperable adapter.

              Downloading and Managing Firmware Packages

              Obtaining Software Bundles from Cisco

              Before You Begin

              Determine which of the following software bundles you need to update the Cisco UCS domain:

              • Cisco UCS Infrastructure Software Bundle—Required for all Cisco UCS domains.
              • Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Server Software Bundle—Required for all Cisco UCS domains that include blade servers.
              • Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server Software Bundle—Only required for Cisco UCS domains 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.
              Procedure
                Step 1   In a web browser, navigate to Cisco.com.
                Step 2   Under Support, click All Downloads.
                Step 3   In the center pane, click Unified Computing and Servers.
                Step 4   If prompted, enter your Cisco.com username and password to log in.
                Step 5   In the right pane, click the link for the software bundles you require, as follows:
                Bundle Navigation Path

                Cisco UCS Infrastructure Software Bundle

                Click Cisco UCS Infrastructure and UCS Manager Software > Unified Computing System (UCS) Infrastructure Software Bundle.

                Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Server Software Bundle

                Click Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Server Software > Unified Computing System (UCS) Server Software Bundle.

                Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server Software Bundle

                Click Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount UCS-Managed Server Software > Unified Computing System (UCS) Server Software Bundle.
                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:
                1. Click the link for the release you want to downloadthe latest release 2.0 software bundle.

                  The release number is followed by a number and a letter in parentheses. The number identifies the maintenance release level, and the letter differentiates between patches of that maintenance release. For more information about what is in each maintenance release and patch, see the latest version of the Release Notes.

                2. Click one of the following buttons and follow the instructions provided:
                  • Download Now—Allows you to download the software bundle immediately.
                  • Add to Cart—Adds the software bundle to your cart to be downloaded at a later time.
                3. Follow the prompts to complete your download of the software bundle(s).
                Step 8   Read the Release Notes before upgrading your Cisco UCS domain.
                What to Do Next

                Download the software bundles to the fabric interconnect.

                Downloading Firmware Images to the Fabric Interconnect from a Remote Location


                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.

                Before You Begin

                Obtain the required firmware bundles from Cisco.

                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   Click the Installed Firmware tab.
                  Step 5   Click Download Firmware.
                  Step 6   In the Download Firmware 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 one of the following:

                  • FTP
                  • TFTP
                  • SCP
                  • SFTP
                  Note   

                  TFTP has a file size limitation of 32 MB. Because firmware bundles can be much larger than that, we recommend that you do not choose TFTP for firmware downloads.

                  Server field

                  If the file came from a remote server, this is the IP address or hostname of the remote server on which the files resides. If the file came from a local source, this field displays "local".

                  Note   

                  If you use a hostname rather than an IP address, you must configure a DNS server in Cisco UCS Manager.

                  Filename field

                  The name of the firmware file.

                  Path field

                  The absolute path to the file on the remote server.

                  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 GUI begins downloading the firmware bundle to the fabric interconnect.

                  Step 9   (Optional)Monitor the status of the 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.

                  Downloading Firmware Images to the Fabric Interconnect from the Local File System


                  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.

                  Before You Begin

                  Obtain the required firmware bundles from Cisco.

                  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   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

                    You can cancel the download task for an image only while it is in progress. After the image has downloaded, deleting the download task does not delete the image that was downloaded. You cannot cancel the FSM related to the image download task.

                    Procedure
                      Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
                      Step 2   Expand the Equipment node.
                      Step 3   In the Work pane, click the Firmware Management tab.
                      Step 4   On the Download Tasks tab, right-click the task you want to cancel and select Delete.

                      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:
                        1. Highlight the rows that include the image name and its contents.
                        2. Right-click and choose Copy.
                        3. Paste the contents of your clipboard into a text file or other document.

                        Checking the Available Space on a Fabric Interconnect

                        If an image download fails, check whether the bootflash on the fabric interconnect or fabric interconnects in the Cisco UCS has sufficient available space.

                        Procedure
                          Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
                          Step 2   On the Equipment tab, expand Equipment > Fabric Interconnects.
                          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

                          Use 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.

                          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 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 the 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

                            Use this procedure if you want to delete only a single image from a 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 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 the Cisco UCS Manager GUI displays a confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

                              Directly Upgrading Firmware at Endpoints

                              Updating the Firmware on Multiple Endpoints

                              You can use this procedure to update the firmware on the following endpoints:

                              • Adapters
                              • CIMCs
                              • I/O modules

                              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.

                              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 tab, 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 domain. 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:
                                1. From the Filter drop-down list on the menu bar, select ALL.

                                  If you want to update all endpoint firmware of a specific type, such as all adapters or server BIOS, select that type from the drop-down list.

                                2. In the Select field, do one of the following:
                                  • To activate all endpoints to the same version, click the Version radio button and select the appropriate version from the Set Version drop-down list.
                                  • To activate all endpoints to the firmware version included in a specific bundle, click the Bundle radio button and select the appropriate bundle from the Set Bundle drop-down list .
                                3. Click OK.

                                  If one or more endpoints cannot be directly updated, Cisco UCS Manager displays a notification message. After you acknowledge the notification message, Cisco UCS Manager updates the firmware for all other endpoints on servers that can be directly updated.

                                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


                                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.

                                Procedure
                                  Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
                                  Step 2   On the Equipment tab, expand Equipment > Chassis > Chassis Number > Servers.
                                  Step 3   Expand the node for the server which includes the adapter you want to update.
                                  Step 4   Expand Adapters and select 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:
                                  1. From the Version drop-down list, select the firmware version to which you want to update the endpoint.
                                  2. Optional: If you want to update the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box.
                                  3. Click OK.

                                    If one or more endpoints cannot be directly updated, Cisco UCS Manager displays a notification message. After you acknowledge the notification message, Cisco UCS Manager updates the firmware for all other endpoints on servers that can be directly updated.

                                  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 Equipment > Chassis > Chassis Number > Servers.
                                    Step 3   Expand the node for the server that includes the adapter for which you want to activate the updated firmware.
                                    Step 4   Expand Adapters and select the adapter for which you want to activate the firmware.
                                    Step 5   In the General tab, click Activate Firmware.
                                    Step 6   In the Activate Firmware dialog box, do the following:
                                    1. Select the appropriate version from the Version To Be Activated drop-down list.

                                      If one or more of the selected endpoints are not configured with the desired version as the backup version, Cisco UCS Manager GUI does not display that version in the Set Version drop-down list. You must select the version from the Startup Version column for each individual endpoint.

                                    2. Optional: If you want to activate the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box.
                                    3. If you want to set the start up version and not change the version running on the endpoint, check the Set Startup Version Only check box.

                                      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 remains in 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 or reset an unassociated server to activate the firmware.

                                    4. Click OK.

                                    Updating the BIOS Firmware on a Server


                                    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.

                                    Procedure
                                      Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
                                      Step 2   On the Equipment tab, expand Equipment > Chassis > Chassis Number > Servers.
                                      Step 3   Expand the node for the server for which you want to update the BIOS firmware.
                                      Step 4   On the General tab, click the Inventory tab.
                                      Step 5   Click the Motherboard tab.
                                      Step 6   In the Actions area, click Update Bios Firmware.
                                      Step 7   In the Update Firmware dialog box, do the following:
                                      1. From the Version drop-down list, select the firmware version to which you want to update the server BIOS.
                                      2. Optional: If you want to update the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Force check box.
                                      3. Click OK.

                                      Cisco UCS Manager copies the selected server BIOS firmware package to the backup memory slot, where it remains until you explicitly activate it.

                                      The update is complete when the BIOS area of the Motherboard tab displays Ready in the Update Status column for the Backup Version.

                                      What to Do Next

                                      Activate the firmware.

                                      Activating the BIOS Firmware on a Server

                                      Procedure
                                        Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
                                        Step 2   On the Equipment tab, expand Equipment > Chassis > Chassis Number > Servers.
                                        Step 3   Expand the node for the server for which you want to activate the updated BIOS firmware.
                                        Step 4   On the General tab, click the Inventory tab.
                                        Step 5   Click the Motherboard tab.
                                        Step 6   In the Actions area, click Activate Bios Firmware.
                                        Step 7   In the Activate Firmware dialog box, do the following:
                                        1. Select the appropriate server BIOS version from the Version To Be Activated drop-down list.
                                        2. Optional: If you want to activate the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box.
                                        3. If you want to set the start up version and not change the version running on the server, check the Set Startup Version Only check box.

                                          If you configure Set Startup Version Only, the activated firmware moves into the pending-next-reboot state and the server is not immediately rebooted. The activated firmware does not become the running version of firmware until the server is rebooted.

                                        4. Click OK.

                                        Updating the CIMC Firmware on a Server


                                        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.

                                        Procedure
                                          Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
                                          Step 2   On the Equipment tab, expand Equipment > Chassis > Chassis Number > Servers.
                                          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:
                                          1. From the Version drop-down list, select the firmware version to which you want to update the endpoint.
                                          2. Optional: If you want to update the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box.
                                          3. 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

                                          The activation of firmware for a CIMC does not disrupt data traffic. However, it will interrupt all KVM sessions and disconnect any vMedia attached to the server.


                                          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.

                                          Procedure
                                            Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
                                            Step 2   On the Equipment tab, expand Equipment > Chassis > Chassis Number > Servers.
                                            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:
                                            1. Select the appropriate version from the Version To Be Activated drop-down list.

                                              If one or more of the selected endpoints are not configured with the desired version as the backup version, Cisco UCS Manager GUI does not display that version in the Set Version drop-down list. You must select the version from the Startup Version column for each individual endpoint.

                                            2. Optional: If you want to activate the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box.
                                            3. If you want to set the start up version and not change the version running on the endpoint, check the Set Startup Version Only check box.

                                              If you configure Set Startup Version Only, the activated firmware moves into the pending-next-reboot state and the endpoint is not immediately rebooted. The activated firmware does not become the running version of firmware until the endpoint is rebooted.

                                            4. Click OK.

                                            Updating the Firmware on an IOM


                                            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.

                                            Procedure
                                              Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Equipment tab.
                                              Step 2   On the Equipment tab, expand Equipment > Chassis > Chassis Number > IO Modules.
                                              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:
                                              1. From the Version drop-down list, select the firmware version to which you want to update the endpoint.
                                              2. Optional: If you want to update the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box.
                                              3. 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 Equipment > Chassis > Chassis Number > IO Modules.
                                                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:
                                                1. Select the appropriate version from the Version To Be Activated drop-down list.

                                                  If one or more of the selected endpoints are not configured with the desired version as the backup version, Cisco UCS Manager GUI does not display that version in the Set Version drop-down list. You must select the version from the Startup Version column for each individual endpoint.

                                                2. Optional: If you want to activate the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box.
                                                3. If you want to set the start up version and not change the version running on the endpoint, check the Set Startup Version Only check box.

                                                  If you configure Set Startup Version Only, the activated firmware moves into the pending-next-reboot state and the endpoint is not immediately rebooted. The activated firmware does not become the running version of firmware until the endpoint is rebooted.

                                                4. Click OK.

                                                Activating the Board Controller Firmware on a Server

                                                Only 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.

                                                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 tab, click Activate Firmware.

                                                  Cisco UCS Manager GUI opens the Activate Firmware dialog box and verifies the firmware versions for all endpoints in the Cisco UCS domain. 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   In the Select field, do one of the following:
                                                  • To activate the board controller firmware on all servers to the same version, click the Version radio button and select the appropriate version from the Set Version drop-down list.
                                                  • To activate the board controller firmware on all servers to the firmware version included in a specific bundle, click the Bundle radio button and select the appropriate bundle from the Set Bundle drop-down list .
                                                  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 tab, click Activate Firmware.

                                                    Cisco UCS Manager GUI opens the Activate Firmware dialog box and verifies the firmware versions for all endpoints in the Cisco UCS domain. 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:
                                                    1. From the drop-down list in the Startup Version column, select the version to which you want to update the software.
                                                    2. Optional: If you want to activate the firmware regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently executing tasks, check the Ignore Compatibility Check check box.
                                                    3. Click OK.

                                                    Cisco UCS Manager disconnects all active sessions, logs out all users, and activates the software. When the upgrade is complete, you are prompted to log back in. If you are prompted to re-login immediately after being disconnected, the login will fail. You must wait until the activation of Cisco UCS Manager is completed, which takes a few minutes.

                                                    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 Begin

                                                    Determine which fabric interconnect in the cluster is the subordinate 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 Installed Firmware tab, click Activate Firmware.

                                                      Cisco UCS Manager GUI opens the Activate Firmware dialog box and verifies the firmware versions for all endpoints in the Cisco UCS domain. 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:
                                                      1. In the Kernel row, choose the firmware version to which you want to upgrade from the drop-down list in the Startup Version column.
                                                      2. In the System row, choose the firmware version to which you want to upgrade from the drop-down list in the Startup Version column.
                                                      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.

                                                      Field Name Required Value

                                                      Ready field

                                                      Yes

                                                      State field

                                                      Up

                                                      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

                                                      This procedure continues directly from Activating the Firmware on a Subordinate Fabric Interconnect and assumes you are on the Firmware Management tab.

                                                      Before You Begin

                                                      Activate the subordinate fabric interconnect.

                                                      Procedure
                                                        Step 1   On the Installed Firmware tab, click Activate Firmware.

                                                        Cisco UCS Manager GUI opens the Activate Firmware dialog box and verifies the firmware versions for all endpoints in the Cisco UCS domain. 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:
                                                        1. In the Kernel row, choose the firmware version to which you want to upgrade from the drop-down list in the Startup Version column.
                                                        2. In the System row, choose the firmware version to which you want to upgrade from the drop-down list in the Startup Version column.
                                                        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.

                                                        Field Name Required Value

                                                        Ready field

                                                        Yes

                                                        State field

                                                        Up

                                                        Activating the Firmware on a Standalone Fabric Interconnect

                                                        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.


                                                        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.

                                                        Procedure
                                                          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.

                                                          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.

                                                          Force check box

                                                          If checked, the system performs the activation regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently-executing tasks.

                                                          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.

                                                          Force check box

                                                          If checked, the system performs the activation regardless of any possible incompatibilities or currently-executing tasks.
                                                          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.

                                                          Upgrading 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:

                                                          • Adapter
                                                          • BIOS
                                                          • Board Controller
                                                          • FC Adapters
                                                          • HBA Option ROM
                                                          • Storage Controller

                                                          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.

                                                          Effect of Updates to Host Firmware Packages and Management Firmware Packages

                                                          To update firmware through a host firmware package or a management firmware package, you need to update the firmware in the package. What happens after you save the changes to a host or management firmware package depends upon how the Cisco UCS domain is configured.

                                                          The following table describes the most common options for upgrading servers with a host or management firmware package.

                                                          Service Profile Maintenance Policy Upgrade Actions

                                                          Host or management firmware package is not included in a service profile or an updating service profile template.

                                                          OR

                                                          You want to upgrade the firmware without making any changes to the existing service profile or updating service profile template.

                                                          No maintenance policy

                                                          After you update the firmware package, do one of the following:

                                                          • To reboot and upgrade some or all servers simultaneously, follow the procedure in the Cisco UCS Manager configuration guides for the appropriate release to add the firmware package to one or more service profiles that are associated with servers or to an updating service profile template.
                                                          • To reboot and upgrade one server at a time, do the following for each server:
                                                            1. Create a new service profile and include the firmware package in that service profile.
                                                            2. Dissociate the server from its service profile.
                                                            3. Associate the server with the new service profile.
                                                            4. After the server has been rebooted and the firmware upgraded, disassociate the server from the new service profile and associate it with its original service profile.
                                                              Caution   

                                                              If the original service profile includes a scrub policy, this procedure may result in data loss when the disk or the BIOS is scrubbed upon association with the new service profile.

                                                          Host or management firmware package is included in one or more service profiles, and the service profiles are associated with one or more servers.

                                                          OR

                                                          Host or management firmware package is included in an updating service profile template, and the service profiles created from that template are associated with one or more servers.

                                                          No maintenance policy

                                                          OR

                                                          A maintenance policy configured for immediate updates.

                                                          The following occurs when you update the firmware package:

                                                          1. The changes to the firmware package take effect as soon as you save them.
                                                          2. 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 reboots the servers and updates the firmware.

                                                          All servers associated with service profiles that include the firmware package are rebooted at the same time.

                                                          Host or management firmware package is included in one or more service profiles, and the service profiles are associated with one or more servers.

                                                          OR

                                                          Host or management firmware package is included in an updating service profile template, and the service profiles created from that template are associated with one or more servers.

                                                          Configured for user acknowledgment

                                                          The following occurs when you update the firmware package:

                                                          1. Cisco UCS Manager asks you to confirm your change and advises that a user-acknowledged reboot of the servers is required.
                                                          2. Click the flashing Pending Activities button to select the servers you want to reboot and apply the new firmware.
                                                          3. 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 reboots the server and updates the firmware.

                                                          A manual reboot of the servers does not cause Cisco UCS Manager to apply the firmware package, nor does it cancel the pending activities. You must acknowledge or cancel the pending activity through the Pending Activities button.

                                                          Host or management firmware package is included in one or more service profiles, and the service profiles are associated with one or more servers.

                                                          OR

                                                          Host or management firmware package is included in an updating service profile template, and the service profiles created from that template are associated with one or more servers.

                                                          Configured for changes to take effect during a specific maintenance window.

                                                          The following occurs when you update the firmware package:

                                                          1. Cisco UCS Manager asks you to confirm your change and advises that a user-acknowledged reboot of the servers is required.
                                                          2. Click the flashing Pending Activities button to select the servers you want to reboot and apply the new firmware.
                                                          3. 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 reboots the server and updates the firmware.

                                                          A manual reboot of the servers does not cause Cisco UCS Manager to apply the firmware package, nor does it cancel the scheduled maintenance activities.

                                                          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 Begin

                                                          Ensure that the appropriate firmware has been downloaded to the fabric interconnect.

                                                          Procedure
                                                            Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
                                                            Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
                                                            Step 3   Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy.

                                                            If the system does not include multitenancy, 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 other than - (hyphen), _ (underscore), : (colon), and . (period), 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:
                                                            1. In the Select column, ensure that the check box for the appropriate lines are checked.
                                                            2. In the Vendor, Model, and PID columns, verify that the information matches the servers you want to update with this package.

                                                              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.

                                                            3. In the Version column, choose the firmware version to which you want to update the firmware.
                                                            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 Begin

                                                            Ensure that the appropriate firmware has been downloaded to the fabric interconnect.

                                                            Procedure
                                                              Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
                                                              Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
                                                              Step 3   Expand the node for the organization that includes the policy you want to update.

                                                              If the system does not include multitenancy, 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:
                                                              1. In the Select column, ensure that the check box for the appropriate lines are checked.
                                                              2. In the Vendor, Model, and PID columns, verify that the information matches the servers you want to update with this package.

                                                                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.

                                                              3. In the Version column, choose the firmware version to which you want to update the firmware.
                                                              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.

                                                              Creating a Management Firmware Package

                                                              Before You Begin

                                                              Ensure that the appropriate firmware has been downloaded to the fabric interconnect.

                                                              Procedure
                                                                Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
                                                                Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
                                                                Step 3   Expand the node for the organization where you want to create the policy.

                                                                If the system does not include multitenancy, 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 other than - (hyphen), _ (underscore), : (colon), and . (period), and you cannot change this name after the object has been saved.

                                                                Step 6   In the firmware table, do the following:
                                                                1. In the Select column, ensure that the check box for the appropriate lines are checked.
                                                                2. In the Vendor, Model, and PID columns, verify that the information matches the servers you want to update with this package.

                                                                  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.

                                                                3. In the Version column, choose the firmware version to which you want to update the firmware.
                                                                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 Begin

                                                                Ensure that the appropriate firmware has been downloaded to the fabric interconnect.

                                                                Procedure
                                                                  Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
                                                                  Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Policies.
                                                                  Step 3   Expand the node for the organization that includes the policy you want to update.

                                                                  If the system does not include multitenancy, 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:
                                                                  1. In the Select column, ensure that the check box for the appropriate lines are checked.
                                                                  2. In the Vendor, Model, and PID columns, verify that the information matches the servers you want to update with this package.

                                                                    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.

                                                                  3. In the Version column, choose the firmware version to which you want to update the firmware.
                                                                  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

                                                                  If 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.

                                                                  Procedure
                                                                    Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Servers tab.
                                                                    Step 2   On the Servers tab, expand Servers > Service Profiles.
                                                                    Step 3   Expand the node for the organization that includes the service profile that you want to update.

                                                                    If the system does not include multitenancy, 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.

                                                                    Verifying Firmware Versions on Components

                                                                    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 tab, review the firmware versions listed for each component.

                                                                      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.

                                                                      For information about which hardware components are dependent upon a particular catalog release, see the component support tables in the Service Notes for the B- Series servers. For information about which components are introduced in a specific release, see the Cisco UCS Release Notes.

                                                                      Contents of the Capability Catalog

                                                                      The contents of the Capability Catalog include the following:

                                                                      Implementation-Specific Tunable Parameters
                                                                      • Power and thermal constraints
                                                                      • Slot ranges and numbering
                                                                      • Adapter capacities
                                                                      Hardware-Specific Rules
                                                                      • Firmware compatibility for components such as the BIOS, CIMC, RAID controller, and adapters
                                                                      • Diagnostics
                                                                      • Hardware-specific reboot
                                                                      User Display Strings
                                                                      • Part numbers, such as the CPN, PID/VID
                                                                      • Component descriptions
                                                                      • Physical layout/dimensions
                                                                      • OEM information

                                                                      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 domain 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.


                                                                      Note

                                                                      The Capability Catalog version is determined by the version of Cisco UCS Manager that you are using. Cisco UCS Manager 2.0 releases work with any 2.0 release of the Capability Catalog, but not with any 1.0 releases of the Capability Catalog. For information about Capability Catalog releases supported by specific Cisco UCS Manager releases, see the Release Notes for Cisco UCS Manager accessible through the Cisco UCS B-Series Servers Documentation Roadmap available at the following URL: http://www.cisco.com/go/unifiedcomputing/b-series-doc.

                                                                      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

                                                                        Before You Begin
                                                                        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.

                                                                          Viewing a Capability Catalog Provider

                                                                          Procedure
                                                                            Step 1   In the Navigation pane, click the Admin tab.
                                                                            Step 2   On the Admin tab, expand All > Capability Catalog.
                                                                            Step 3   In the Work pane, click the tab for the provider you want to view.
                                                                            Step 4   To view the details of a provider, do the following:
                                                                            1. In the table, click the row with the vendor, model, and revision of the provider you want to view.
                                                                            2. Click the Expand icon to the right of the heading to display the properties for the following areas:
                                                                              • Equipment Manufacturing area
                                                                              • Form Factor area

                                                                            Downloading Individual Capability Catalog Updates

                                                                            Obtaining Capability Catalog Updates from Cisco

                                                                            Procedure
                                                                              Step 1   In a web browser, navigate to Cisco.com.
                                                                              Step 2   Under Support, click All Downloads.
                                                                              Step 3   In the center pane, click Unified Computing and Servers.
                                                                              Step 4   If prompted, enter your Cisco.com username and password to log in.
                                                                              Step 5   In the right pane, click Cisco UCS Infrastructure and UCS Manager Software > Unified Computing System (UCS) Manager Capability Catalog.
                                                                              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:
                                                                              • Download Now—Allows you to download the catalog update immediately
                                                                              • Add to Cart—Adds the catalog update to your cart to be downloaded at a later time
                                                                              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

                                                                              You 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.

                                                                              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 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 one of the following:

                                                                                • FTP
                                                                                • TFTP
                                                                                • SCP
                                                                                • SFTP

                                                                                Server field

                                                                                The IP address or hostname of the remote server on which the catalog image resides.

                                                                                Filename field

                                                                                The name of the catalog executable you want to download.

                                                                                Path field

                                                                                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

                                                                                You 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.

                                                                                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 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 domain.

                                                                                  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

                                                                                  The Management Extension is included in the server bundle that you have already downloaded. You do not need to download the Management Extension separately.

                                                                                  Procedure
                                                                                    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.