UCSM, ESXi upgrade options

[Kassim Ismail]

Hi All,

we are currently running a UCS environment with 1.4.3.i firmware & ESXi 4.1 update 1. we are looking to migrate that over to firmware 2.x & ESXi 5.x & was wondering if there is a documented/suggested process to follow for this type of upgrade.

Thanks

Kassim

[padramas · Accepted solution]

Hello Kassim,

Here is the high level overview.

First make sure that the existing hardware ( specially CNA ) are supported by ESXi 5.x or not

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10477/prod_technical_reference_list.html

IIRC, M71KR is not supported by ESXi 5.x version.

Start with upgrading firmware and follow the steps in same order as listed in upgrade guide

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10281/prod_installation_guides_list.html

Then, upgrade the ESXi version.

Finally, update drivers for CNA / new version of ESXi.

Padma

[Kassim Ismail]

Hi Padma,

Thanks for the information.

we have the M81KR on our B200 M2 blades.

We may also have an option to potentially build out a complete new UCSM 2.x & ESXi 5.x environment as we have purchased new FI's, chassis & blades plus all the compenents to take it into production.

one of the thoughts was to build out the above environment & then migrate VM's from the 4.1 environment over to the new 5.x, but we need to check if that is a do-able option.

[gerlee]

Hi all,

While we're on the subject of upgrading ESXi and UCS firmware, I was wondering if the enic and fnic drivers can be upgraded via VUM?  IIRC there's an issue with the drivers not being signed in a way that VUM likes, which requires a manual driver upgrade on each ESXi host via CLI (or potentially vMA/powercli).

Thanks,

Gerald