live filesystem on USB key thru OA port ??

[dm6079]

I've got a USB key with the 9.30 Firmware CD on it.  There are several recent firmware updates that supersede the 9.30 version. For a non-blade machine, updates are dead simple.  Add the updated file to the /HPFWUP930/hp/swpackages directory, plug the key into a USB port, boot, and the firmware updater runs and installs the new packages.

If I plug the same USB key into the OA port, it will search the filesystem on the key for a *.iso file and then present that .iso file to the blade for virtual media mounting. I need to be able to get the real filesystem exposed thru the OA port.  If I take the same key and plug it into the front mounted dongle, the blade sees it fine and update works.  But it's a pain to have to slip this around to each blade individually.

Can the OA USB port work with anything other than a  .iso  image ??

thanks,

Don M.

[Torsten.]

There are several tools to modify an ISO like a zip (add files), but why not using the HPSUM in remote mode?

[dm6079]

That's an excellent suggestion. Tried it and encountered another problem -with the HP SUM running in remote mode, the only patch it finds for the remote system is the ILO3 update (1.25). If I plug the USB key into the front dongle on the same blade and boot to HP SUM, it will find the ILO, array controller, and system BIOS updates. Even after installing the ILO patch, rebooting, and re-running the remote SUM, it still won't see the missing patches.

Any idea why the remote SUM would miss 2/3 of the needed patches ??

thanks,

Don M.

[Torsten.]

Did you specify the servers or iLO IP address?

[dm6079]

This would be the ILO IP address. For this particular new BL460, there is no OS loaded at all.

thanks,

Don M.

[Casper42]

Pointing SUM at the iLO remotely will only update the iLO. (Currently, Gen8 MIGHT change this but that's pure speculation on my part)

Putting a USB Key in the back of the OA is basically the same as using the iLO Virtual Media and therefore needs an ISO to present the virtual CD to the host. There is no "Virtual USB Stick" mode when using the OA.

The Firmware CD is bootable so you can boot from it and update the firmware on the entire server in 1 shot. But...

Keep in mind that only dropping new firmware files into the right folder on the Firmware CD will NOT auto update firmware in unattended mode. You either need to use Interactive mode and tell it to scan the CD (ISO) to find the new firmware files or you need to edit the XML metadata file to include the new Firmware files there as well (this is why most new firmware downloads have an XML file with them)

Now all that being said, if you have more than 1 chassis and you have iLO Advanced for Blades on all your Blade Servers, you can keep the ISO file (with the above edits properly made) on an internal web server and then use an iLO XML Script to simply mount the web hosted ISO file from any blade server in any chassis. Then either do an online update (through the server's OS) or bounce the server and do an offline update (remember the XML index!).

Lastly, as others mentioned, get yourself a decent ISO editing tool so you don't have to tear apart the ISO and rebuild it all every time you want to make a new change.