Firmware Maintenance CD enhancement request.

[M Patchett]

Would anyone know where to send an idea for the Firmware Maintenance CD? My thought is that the Firmware Maintenance CD should be able to pull firmware updates from a local Version Control Repository. That would allow me to push the absolute latest firmware to new servers as they arrive without going through the trouble of adding 'supplemental' updates to the CD/USB. If the CD could boot then ask for a host name and IP (or auto-gen a host name and DHCP after a timeout), then ask for the location of a local Version Control Repository, then pull the available firmware from that repository. That would prevent me from having to create new CD's every few months, or having to keep multiple copies of the CD's as not all of my servers are covered by a single CD.

[Gordon Leonard]

Compaq used to do something like this during a SmartStart install. However it only ensured you we're using current drivers.

"not all of my servers are covered by a single CD" I'm not sure I understand this as HP has only one Firmware update CD.

I beleive the thought is to use RDP to push a baseline (or the Firmware CD). Then use SIM (System Insight Manager) to bring everything current.

[M Patchett]

HP has multiple versions of the Firmware Maintenance CD that have support for varying servers. For example v8.0 may have firmware for a DL360G4p, but v8.10 may not. Having the ability to pull from a central repository for updates would allow me to boot any Firmware Maintenance CD and pull from a network to cover all my servers. That would allow me to update all the firmware (including hard drives) all at once, and not boot to one CD to update the drives, boot to the OS, then update the BIOS/Array/etc, then reboot again and hope that all is current / correct.

[Peter Clark UK]

Not necessarily what you were looking for, since it costs money, but HP RDP will do something like this. There's an automated, schedulable job to reboot a server (or several servers) and apply all the firmware updates from a folder on the RDP server by PXE booting to a linux environment and running the equivalent of the firmware CD. I've successfully added both older BIOS files withdrawn from the current CD, and newer ILO2 firmware that wasn't on the current CD when that version of RDP was released. Just added the .scexe files for the updates to the Proliant_Firmware folder on the RDP server, and the tool automatically detects and installs the latest firmware for whatever hardware it finds - even if there are older versions of the same firmware in the same folder.

[Adrian Clint]

What about booting a WINPE CD that maps to the repository and runs the update program from there?

All you have to do is make sure the NIC drivers are in the WINPE cd.

[Kase]

First, I do not know where firmware maintenance enhancement request would be routed. Sorry.

As for firmware updates:
With RDP, we handle firmware updates on our standard builds in two ways:

1. LinuxPE client firmware maintenance job. This is pushed prior to the OS scripted install job and will boot to LinuxPE and force an update of all firmware.
2. Extract the contents of the firmware maintenance ISO to the PSP folder in RDP and use the appropriate switches to force all PSP and firmware updates. This only works for online firmware updates.

If you are not using RDP, a work-around can be to go to the Version Control Agent screen in the SMH and view the available firmware updates. Search hp.com for the exact CPxxxx.exe number of the update (listed on the VCA page), download and install.

[Jeremy Stump]

HPSIM server actually has the capability to push firmware updates to servers.