HP ProLiant SL250s HP ProLiant firmware management architecture - Page 10

How frequently should I update the firmware?, How do I manage critical updates?

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Use the HP firmware compatibility charts to see the current and previous firmware and software versions that HP tested together. We update this chart approximately every three weeks, after we release a new Release Set or complete all components in a given three-week test set. To get information about the individual firmware versions contained within each Release Set, click the Download link on the HP BladeSystem Firmware Compatibility Chart. Select the Installation Instructions tab, and follow the link to the contents document. Consider the following tips as you develop a firmware management strategy. For more information, see the "HP Blade System ProLiant Firmware Management Best Practices Implementer Guide" at http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02049593/c02049593.pdf. How frequently should I update the firmware? We recommend standardizing on a 6-month maintenance window for updating firmware. Your specific environment may require a different schedule. We provide information about the relative importance of each firmware release. HP SUM can display this information to help you determine whether an update is required, recommended, or optional. The release notes posted with the HP BladeSystem Release Sets describe the release's importance and indicate whether you should activate it right away. Reviewing available release notes and customer advisories can help you determine whether you need to install a firmware release, and whether in or out of cycle. You can decide the best time to update your firmware by viewing these recommendations and considering available downtimes. How do I manage critical updates? The first thing you should do when you receive a critical update is to consider your options for installing it. Also, consider the required downtime for installing the firmware compared to your server uptime requirements for daily operations. You can update some firmware, such as iLO firmware, with no downtime to the target servers. You can update many network-based devices such as the OA, VC, and iLO without affecting server operations. For example, if you set up a redundant VC configuration, you can prevent network downtime and allow server operations to continue without interruption. Some firmware updates require rebooting the server using the Smart Update Firmware DVD ISO and using HP SUM in either offline or interactive mode. This is true for components that you can only update offline. Because the server will not be running the production OS, it is also necessary to consider the downtime of an offline update before proceeding. For example, updating an external array of 70 drives takes about 40 seconds per drive and can require almost an hour of downtime. Analyzing these types of update dependencies helps you decide on a firmware update strategy. When do I stage updates? Staging means that you download the firmware update to the ROM but do not reboot the server immediately afterward. You can minimize or eliminate server downtime for firmware updates if you wait to reboot for other reasons, such as installing Microsoft or Linux fixes, application updates, or running weekly server reboots. You can stage many types of firmware updates, for example the System ROM, Storage Controller, and hard drive firmware. 10

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Use the HP firmware compatibility charts to see the current and previous firmware and software
versions that HP tested together. We update this chart approximately every three weeks, after we
release a new Release Set or complete all components in a given three-week test set.
To get information about the individual firmware versions contained within each Release Set, click the
Download
link on the HP BladeSystem Firmware Compatibility Chart. Select the
Installation
Instructions
tab, and follow the link to the contents document.
Consider the following tips as you develop a firmware management strategy. For more information,
see the “HP Blade System ProLiant Firmware Management Best Practices Implementer Guide” at
.
How frequently should I update the firmware?
We recommend standardizing on a 6-month maintenance window for updating firmware. Your
specific environment may require a different schedule.
We provide information about the relative importance of each firmware release. HP SUM can display
this information to help you determine whether an update is required, recommended, or optional. The
release notes posted with the HP BladeSystem Release Sets describe the release’s importance and
indicate whether you should activate it right away.
Reviewing available release notes and customer advisories can help you determine whether you need
to install a firmware release, and whether in or out of cycle. You can decide the best time to update
your firmware by viewing these recommendations and considering available downtimes.
How do I manage critical updates?
The first thing you should do when you receive a critical update is to consider your options for
installing it. Also, consider the required downtime for installing the firmware compared to your server
uptime requirements for daily operations. You can update some firmware, such as iLO firmware, with
no downtime to the target servers. You can update many network-based devices such as the OA, VC,
and iLO without affecting server operations. For example, if you set up a redundant VC configuration,
you can prevent network downtime and allow server operations to continue without interruption.
Some firmware updates require rebooting the server using the Smart Update Firmware DVD ISO and
using HP SUM in either offline or interactive mode. This is true for components that you can only
update offline. Because the server will not be running the production OS, it is also necessary to
consider the downtime of an offline update before proceeding. For example, updating an external
array of 70 drives takes about 40 seconds per drive and can require almost an hour of downtime.
Analyzing these types of update dependencies helps you decide on a firmware update strategy.
When do I stage updates?
Staging means that you download the firmware update to the ROM but do not reboot the server
immediately afterward. You can minimize or eliminate server downtime for firmware updates if you
wait to reboot for other reasons, such as installing Microsoft or Linux fixes, application updates, or
running weekly server reboots. You can stage many types of firmware updates, for example the
System ROM, Storage Controller, and hard drive firmware.