- Preface
- Overview
- Installing the Server OS
- Managing the Server
- Viewing Server Properties
- Viewing Server Sensors
- Managing Remote Presence
- Managing User Accounts
- Configuring Network-Related Settings
- Managing Network Adapters
- Configuring Communication Services
- Managing Certificates
- Configuring Platform Event Filters
- CIMC Firmware Management
- Viewing Logs
- Server Utilities
- BIOS Parameters by Server Model
- Index
CIMC Firmware Management
This chapter includes the following sections:
- Overview of Firmware
- Obtaining Firmware from Cisco
- Installing CIMC Firmware from a TFTP Server
- Activating Installed CIMC Firmware
- Installing BIOS Firmware from a TFTP Server
Overview of Firmware
C-Series servers use Cisco-certified firmware specific to the C-Series server model that you are using. You can download new releases of the firmware for all supported server models from Cisco.com.
Caution |
When you install new BIOS firmware, it must be from the same software release as the CIMC firmware running on the server. Do not install new BIOS firmware until after you have activated the matching CIMC firmware or the server will not boot. To avoid potential problems, we strongly recommend that you use the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility (HUU), which upgrades the BIOS, CIMC, and other firmware to compatible levels. For detailed information about this utility, see the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility Guide for the version of the HUU that goes with the CIMC software release that you want to install. The HUU guides are available at the following URL: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10493/products_user_guide_list.html. |
If you elect to update the firmware manually, you must update the CIMC firmware first. The CIMC firmware update process is divided into the following stages to minimize the amount of time the server will be offline:
- Installation. During this stage, CIMC installs the selected CIMC firmware in the non-active, or backup, slot on the server.
- Activation. During this stage, CIMC sets the non-active firmware version as active and reboots the server, causing a disruption in service. When the server reboots, the firmware in the new active slot becomes the running version.
After you activate the CIMC firmware, you can update the BIOS firmware. The server must be powered off during the entire BIOS update process, so the process is not divided into stages. Instead, you only need to issue a single command and CIMC installs and updates the BIOS firmware as quickly as possible. Once the CIMC finishes rebooting, the server can be powered on and returned to service.
Note |
You can either upgrade an older firmware version to a newer one, or downgrade a newer firmware version to an older one. |
Obtaining Firmware from Cisco
Step 1 | Navigate to http://www.cisco.com/. |
Step 2 | If you are not already logged in, click Log In at the top right-hand edge of the page and log in using your Cisco.com credentials. |
Step 3 | In the menu bar at the top, click Support. |
Step 4 | Click All Downloads in the roll down menu. |
Step 5 | If your server model is listed in the Recently Used Products list, click the server name. Otherwise, do the following: |
Step 6 | Click the Unified Computing System (UCS) Server Firmware link. |
Step 7 | (Optional)Select a prior release from the menu bar on the left-hand side of the page. |
Step 8 | Click the Download button associated with the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility ISO for the selected release. |
Step 9 | Click Accept License Agreement. |
Step 10 |
Save the ISO file to a local drive. We recommend you upgrade the CIMC and BIOS firmware on your server using this ISO file, which contains the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility. For detailed information about this utility, see the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility Guide for the version of the HUU that goes with the CIMC software release that you want to install. The HUU guides are available at the following URL: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10493/products_user_guide_list.html. |
Step 11 |
(Optional) If you plan to upgrade the CIMC and BIOS firmware manually, do the following:
|
Step 12 |
(Optional)If you plan to install the firmware from a TFTP server, copy the BIOS installation CAP file and the CIMC installation BIN file to the TFTP server you want to use. The server must have read permission for the destination folder on the TFTP server. |
What to Do Next
Use the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility to upgrade all firmware on the server or manually install the CIMC firmware on the server.
Installing CIMC Firmware from a TFTP Server
- Log in to the CIMC CLI as a user with admin privileges.
- Obtain the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility ISO file from Cisco.com and extract the firmware installation files as described in Obtaining Firmware from Cisco.
Note |
If you start an update while an update is already in process, both updates will fail. |
This example updates the CIMC firmware:
Server# scope cimc Server /cimc # scope firmware Server /cimc/firmware # update 192.0.20.34 //test/dnld-ucs-k9-bundle.1.0.2h.bin <CR> Press Enter key Firmware update has started. Please check the status using "show detail" Server /cimc/firmware #
Activate the new firmware.
Activating Installed CIMC Firmware
Install the CIMC firmware on the server.
While the activation is in progress, do not:
This example activates firmware image 1 and then verifies the activation after the BMC reboots:
Server# scope cimc Server /cimc # scope firmware Server /cimc/firmware # show detail Firmware Image Information: Update Stage: NONE Update Progress: 100 Current FW Version: 1.3(3a) FW Image 1 Version: 1.4(3j) FW Image 1 State: BACKUP INACTIVATED FW Image 2 Version: 1.3(3a) FW Image 2 State: RUNNING ACTIVATED Boot-loader Version: 1.4(3.21).18 Server /cimc/firmware # activate 1 This operation will activate firmware 1 and reboot the BMC. Continue?[y|N]y . . -- BMC reboot -- . . -- Log into CLI as Admin -- Server# scope cimc Server /cimc # scope firmware Server /cimc/firmware # show detail Firmware Image Information: Update Stage: NONE Update Progress: 100 Current FW Version: 1.4(3j) FW Image 1 Version: 1.4(3j) FW Image 1 State: RUNNING ACTIVATED FW Image 2 Version: 1.3(3a) FW Image 2 State: BACKUP INACTIVATED Boot-loader Version: 1.4(3.21).18
Installing BIOS Firmware from a TFTP Server
Note |
This procedure is not available on some servers. For other BIOS installation methods, see the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Server BIOS Upgrade Guide available at the following URL: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/sw/bios/b_Upgrading_BIOS_Firmware.html. |
- Log in to the CIMC CLI as a user with admin privileges.
- Activate the CIMC firmware that goes with the BIOS version you want to install, as described in Activating Installed CIMC Firmware.
- Power off the server.
Note |
If you start an update while an update is already in process, both updates will fail. |
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | Server# scope cimc | Enters the CIMC command mode. |
Step 2 | Server /cimc # scope firmware | Enters the firmware command mode. |
Step 3 | Server /cimc/firmware # show detail | Displays the available firmware images and status. |
Step 4 | Make sure the firmware version shown in the Current FW Version field matches the BIOS firmware version you are installing. |
If the CIMC firmware version does not match, activate the CIMC firmware before continuing with this procedure or the server will not boot. For details, see Activating Installed CIMC Firmware. |
Step 5 | Server /cimc/firmware # top | Returns to the server root level. |
Step 6 | Server# scope bios | Enters the BIOS command mode. |
Step 7 | Server /bios # update tftp-ip-address path-and-filename | Starts the BIOS firmware update. The server will obtain the update firmware at the specified path and file name from the TFTP server at the specified IP address. |
This example updates the BIOS firmware to CIMC software release 1.4(3j):
Server# scope cimc Server /cimc # scope firmware Server /cimc/firmware # show detail Firmware Image Information: Update Stage: NONE Update Progress: 100 Current FW Version: 1.4(3j) FW Image 1 Version: 1.4(3j) FW Image 1 State: RUNNING ACTIVATED FW Image 2 Version: 1.3(3a) FW Image 2 State: BACKUP INACTIVATED Boot-loader Version: 1.4(3.21).18 Server /cimc/firmware # top Server# scope bios Server /bios # update 192.0.20.34 //upgrade_bios_files/C260-BIOS-1-4-3j-0.CAP