The one-to-many
update feature in CMC enables you to update server component firmware
across multiple servers. You can update the server components using
the Dell Update Packages available on the local system or on a network
share. This operation is enabled by leveraging the Lifecycle Controller
functionality on the server.
The Lifecycle Controller service
is available on each server and is facilitated by iDRAC. You can manage
the firmware of the components and devices on the servers using the
Lifecycle Controller service. The Lifecycle Controller uses an optimization
algorithm to update the firmware that efficiently reduces the number
of restarts.
The Lifecycle Controller provides module update
support for iDRAC7 and later servers. The iDRAC firmware must be at
version 2.3 or later to update firmware using Lifecycle Controller.
Dell Update Packages (DUPs) are used to perform the firmware updates
using Lifecycle Controller. The Operating System Driver Pack component
DUP exceeds this limit and must be updated separately using the Extended
Storage feature.
-
NOTE: Before using the Lifecycle
Controller–based update feature, server firmware versions must be
updated. You must also update the CMC firmware before updating the
server component firmware modules.
-
NOTE: To update component
firmware, the CSIOR option must be enabled for servers. To enable
CSIOR on:
-
12th generation servers and later— After restarting the server,
from the F2 setup, select
, enable
CSIOR and save the changes.
-
13th generation servers —After rebooting the server, when prompted,
press F10 to access Lifecycle Controller. Go to the
Hardware
Inventory
page by selecting
. On the
Hardware Inventory page,
click
Collect System Inventory on Restart.
The
Update from File method
enables you to update the server component firmware using DUP files
stored on a local system. You can select the individual server components
to update the firmware using the required DUP files. You can update
large number of components at a time by using an SD Card to store
DUP file of more than 48 MB memory size.
-
NOTE: Note the following:
-
While selecting the individual server components for update,
make sure that there are no dependencies between the selected components.
Else, selecting some components that have dependencies on other components
for update may cause the server to stop functioning abruptly.
-
Make sure to update the server components in the recommended
order. Else, the process of component firmware update may become unsuccessful.
Always update the server component firmware modules in the following
order:
-
iDRAC
-
Lifecycle Controller
-
BIOS
The Single Click all blade update or the
Update from Network Share method enables you to update
the server component firmware using DUP files stored on a network
share. You can use the Dell Repository Manager (DRM) based update
feature to access the DUP files stored on a network share and update
the server components in a single operation. You can setup a custom
remote repository of firmware DUPs and binary images using the Dell
Repository Manager and share it on the Network Share. Alternatively,
use the Dell Repository Manager (DRM) to check for the latest available
firmware updates. The Dell Repository Manager (DRM) ensures that the
Dell systems are up-to-date with the latest BIOS, driver, firmware,
and software. You can search for the latest updates available from
the Support site (
support.dell.com) for supported platforms
based on Brand and Model or a Service Tag. You can download the updates
or build a repository from the search results. For more information
on using the DRM to search for latest firmware updates, refer to http://en.community.dell.com/TECHCENTER/EXTRAS/M/WHITE_PAPERS/20438118/DOWNLOAD
on the Dell Tech Center. For information on saving the inventory file
that DRM uses as input to create the repositories, see
Saving Chassis Inventory
Report Using CMC Web Interface
-
NOTE: The Single Click all
blade update method has the following benefits:
-
Enables you to update all the components on all the blade servers
with minimal clicks.
-
All the updates are packaged in a directory. This avoids individual
upload of each component’s firmware.
-
Faster and consistent method of updating the server components.
-
Enables you to maintain a standard image with the required
updates versions of the server components that can be used to update
multiple servers in a single operation.
-
You can copy the directories of updates from the Dell Server
Update Utility (SUU) download DVD or create and customize the required
update versions in the Dell Repository Manager (DRM). You do not need
the latest version of the Dell Repository Manager to create this directory.
However, Dell Repository Manager version 1.8 provides an option to
create a repository (directory of updates) based on the inventory
that was exported from the servers in the chassis. For information
on creating a repository using the Dell Repository Manger see the
Dell Repository Manager Data Center Version 1.8 User’s Guide and the
Dell Repository Manager Business Client Version 1.8 User’s
Guide
available at
dell.com/support/manuals.
It is recommended to update the CMC firmware before
updating the server component firmware modules. After updating the
CMC firmware, in the CMC Web interface, you can update the server
component firmware on the
page.
It is also recommended to select all the component modules of a server
to be updated together. This enables Lifecycle Controller to use its
optimized algorithms to update the firmware, reducing the number of
reboots.
To update the server component firmware, using the
CMC Web interface, click
.
If the server does not support the Lifecycle Controller service,
the
Component/Device Firmware Inventory section
displays
Not Supported. For the latest generation
servers, install the Lifecycle Controller firmware and update the
iDRAC firmware to enable the Lifecycle Controller service on the server.
For earlier generation servers, this upgrade is not possible.
Normally, the Lifecycle Controller firmware is installed using an
appropriate installation package that is executed on the server operating
system. For supported servers, a special repair or installation package
with an
.usc file extension is available. This
file enables you to install the Lifecycle Controller firmware through
the firmware update facility available on the native iDRAC Web browser
interface.
You can also install Lifecycle Controller firmware
through an appropriate installation package executed on the server
OS. For more information, see the
Dell Lifecycle Controller User’s
Guide
.
If Lifecycle Controller service is disabled on the
server, the
Component/Device Firmware Inventory section displays:
Lifecycle Controller may not be enabled.