"Wire frame" of the Steps to manually update firmware?

[pvanlone1]

I need to go from 2.1(1) to 2.2(3) - but there are complications, and I believe I need to do a manual update, instead of auto install.

I've read through the http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/sw/upgrading/from2-1/to2-2/b_UpgradingCiscoUCSFrom2-1To2-2.html guide, and also the http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/sw/firmware-mgmt/gui/2-2/b_GUI_Firmware_Management_22/b_GUI_Firmware_Management_22_chapter_010.html but my head is swimming with all the options.

Does anyone have a handy "task list" or "wire frame" outline of the major steps of manually upgrading both the servers and the infrastructure?

I know "auto install" is the thing, right -- but I think this older firmware auto install was still suspect, and also we have adapter cards susceptible to a bug that requires the servers to be updated first -- so I *think* that requires a manual update, correct?

So - if you can help me fill in the procedure gaps, that would be great. Here is all I have so far:

server update manually:

1)download update to FI

2)go to equipment tab, select a server/installed firmware, highlight components in the order below, and UPDATE firmware for each component. I think this updates the "backup version"?

cimc first - no server restart requirement

bios and adapter at the same time

3)at that point all backup firmware set to same version - then activate (is setting the startup version: cimc, activate, bios, adapter. Server has to reboot

(do that on all servers, then do the (infrastructure - can I do an auto install of infrastructure after the servers are done?)

[Walter Dey]

Hi

see also the recent discussion in

https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/12441411/firmware-policy-use-or-not-use

The following facts apply, irrelevant of manual or autoinstall

- Upgrade UCS Manager first (autoinstall infrastructure does the same)

- Then upgrade the infrastructure (IOM's, FI's)

- last upgrade the servers

- Autoinstall servers uses Host Firmware Packages, which you should also use for manual update;. it has the advantage, that with one reboot, you update BIOS, CIMC, I/O adaptor,......

- I would use autoinstall, at least for the infrastructure.

- Health warning: I had cases where autoinstall got stuck, or even worse, a IOM and/or FI was dead. Former can be recovered, latter requires a careful check, that updating one fabric finishes ok, before ack'ing to continue with the second one.

I hope this ansers all your questions ?

Walter.

[pvanlone1]

I acknowledge the heath warning, thank you.

Otherwise, I was looking for an outline of the steps to manually update servers and infrastructure ...

[Walter Dey]

you mentioned it in your original post chapter 6 of

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/sw/firmware-mgmt/gui/2-1/b_GUI_Firmware_Management_21.pdf

has all the details of the manual update procedure. However, this manual has no detailed information of the order how components are upgraded, specially the most important fact: UCS Manager must be activated first. It's the only component that is backbards compatible.

In a V2 document,  p13 has the order of a manual upgrade (see also attachment)

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/sw/upgrading/from2-0/to2-0MR/b_UpgradingCiscoUCSFrom2-0To2-0MR.pdf