Upgrade of UCS B2 Blades - package is updated but not running BIOS or CIMC

[CiscoMedMed]

I added the policy for firmware 4.1(2a) to my servers and the servers show the package. However the running BIOS is still showing 4.1.1. I thought perhaps it needed to be activated but I'm not seeing 4.1.2 bios is an option there either. Is there another step to get the package code available to the bios etc and effectuate it for the blade?

[Steven Tardy · Accepted solution]

Pay attention to the versions under Package Version which says 4.1(2c)B.

And ignore the underlying firmware version shown under Running Version and Startup Version.

This is due to the fact the development and release cycle of each underlying component are not in sync.

[CiscoMedMed]

That's good news if the package being correct means the blade is indeed upgraded. But one odd thing is that I have another fairly identical UCS which has the same package 4.1(2a)B. But the BIOS is showing in line with 4.1.2 and board controller is at 16 rather than 15. Any thought appreciated.

[Steven Tardy · Accepted solution]

The two (similar) blades are both B200s yet different generations. One is M4 and one is M5.

Review the UCS Release bundle details documentation:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/release/notes/CiscoUCSManager-RB-4-1.html#reference_as2_xmr_tkb

SWT Unified Computing System (UCS) Server Software (B-Series) for 4.1(2a)
ucs-k9-bundle-b-series.4.1.2a.B.bin contains the following images:
..
 ucs-b200-m4-bios.B200M4.4.1.1b.0.1112191544.bin
 ucs-b200-m4-brdprog.15.0.bin
 ucs-b200-m4-k9-cimc.4.1.32a.bin
..
 ucs-b200-m5-bios.B200M5.4.1.2a.0.0624200115.bin
 ucs-b200-m5-brdprog.16.0.bin
 ucs-b200-m5-k9-cimc.4.1.32a.bin

[Wes Austin · Accepted solution]

It looks like all of your versions are correct for your b200-m4 and b200-m5. Since the blades are different geenrations, they may have different BIOS versions. You can check what BIOS version should be running based on blade model here:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/release/notes/CiscoUCSManager-RB-4-1.html#reference_as2_xmr_tkb 

SWT Unified Computing System (UCS) Server Software (B-Series) for 4.1(2a)

ucs-k9-bundle-b-series.4.1.2a.B.bin contains the following images:

• cmc-psuDV-Delta.03.00.00.bin

• cmc-psuDV-Emerson.05.0b.bin

• ucs-b200-m3-bios.B200M3.2.2.6h.0.110720191420.bin

• ucs-b200-m3-brdprog.16.0.bin

• ucs-b200-m3-k9-cimc.4.1.32a.bin

• ucs-b200-m3-mrsasctlr.20.13.1-0255_4.38.02.2_NA.bin

• ucs-b200-m4-bios.B200M4.4.1.1b.0.1112191544.bin

• ucs-b200-m4-brdprog.15.0.bin

• ucs-b200-m4-k9-cimc.4.1.32a.bin

• ucs-b200-m4-mrsasctlr.24.12.1-0456_6.30.03.3_NA.bin

• ucs-b200-m5-bios.B200M5.4.1.2a.0.0624200115.bin

• ucs-b200-m5-brdprog.16.0.bin

• ucs-b200-m5-k9-cimc.4.1.32a.bin