updating CMC firmware

Question

Hey!

We have an m1000 chassis that is running version 3 firmware and a customer would like to upgrade to the latest.

I've read conflicting procedures on doing this. One says update both primary and secondary at the same time and another document saying switch to secondary upgrade it and then switchback upgrade it first CMC.

What's the latest wisdom on this? Thanks!

Dave

DELL-Chris H · Accepted Answer

Stonewall40,

To eliminate downtime you will update a single CMC and then when it powers down and reboots it will failover to the secondary. Once it does that then update the secondary CMC and it will reboot and fail BACK over to the original CMC.

You don't want to do both as it will down the enclosure.

g00dy3ar · Accepted Answer

I know this is an old question, And Chris H's answer is not "wrong", but if I understand his answer, I must respectfully disagree.

I AGREE that you would not want to do both Primary and Standby CMC at the same time. That is best

However, to limit the amount of down time and number of boots and fail-overs, I think this order is better.

1) Update the Standby/Secondary CMC. No reboot. No fail-over. No disconnect from the web interface.

a. If there are any issues, you can see that and you have not hurt anything (Issues are rare.)

2) Now update the Primary CMC. This will complete with a fail-over to the Standby and a re-login to the CMC web interface. Now the Stdby is the Primary and the Primary is in Standby/Secondary.

b. (SEE: Better Yet below)

Now both are done and you are running with only one fail-over.

If for some reason, you do not want to leave the CMCs this way, though I see no reason not too, then you can do a manual fail-over back to the first CMC.

BETTER YET: You could manually fail-over from the Primary CMC (Still on the old firmware) to the Standby/Secondary CMC (The one now on the new firmware) before you apply the new firmware to the original Primary CMC. Then you kill a couple birds with one stone.

I. You can see that the new CMC firmware is working when you fail-over to the Standby CMC. If for some reason there is an issue, you simply have to fail back over to the CMC with the old firmware.

II. You have performed the first, and only 'required' fail-over/reboot manually rather than forced while updating the second CMC. I little nicer and more controlled.

III. You are never updating the firmware on an 'active' CMC. Always on the standby.

That is about it. Again, none of the methods, even doing both at the same time, is "bad". Chris H's is fine. I just don't see the need to put the new firmware on the Active/Primary CMC... And twice at that?

tds87 · Answer

Good Morning,I would like to ask you a question. the case is as follows:We need to update the network switches (PowerConnect M620) inside a PowerEdge M1000e chassis. We have been reviewing and before we would have to update the CMC of the chassis.The query would be: Is there a business discontinuity in the CMC update? Are the blades and other devices on the chassis still working during the CMC update process? Thanks in advanced Regards

DELL-Shine K · Answer

IS your M1000e chassis have one CMC or dual CMC? As far as I know performing CMC update will not have any impact to running blades and other devices. Fan speed may go high during update process. If it have dual CMC other CMC will take over when first CMC is getting updated and vice versa

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updating CMC firmware

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