Firmware/BIOS Upgrades?

[Paul Hutchings]

Something I've not yet seen covered, nor have I found online, is what (if any) is the process for keeping the various firmwares on P4000 nodes current?

I ask as they're servers, and if I'd purchased them as servers I'd periodically download a SmartStart Firmware DVD and make sure all the latest firmwares are loaded.

Thanks,
Paul

[WIS_1 · Accepted solution]

Hi Paul,

From SanIQ 9.0 on the CMC will check for updates on the HP site and make them available for install.
From what I always understood you shouldn't use the Firmware CD for the independent storage nodes itself...

Kr,
Bart

[Sudhakar Subramaniam]

You can use the below link to get complete information on P4000.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DocumentIndex.jsp?contentType=SupportManual〈=en&cc=us&docIndexId=64179&taskId=101&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=3936136#5

[Mark...]

Hi Paul,
Yes as far as I know / have done the way to upgrade the f/w of say the disks/smart ctrl is via smartstart f/w cd or off the files loaded on a USB stick plugged into the USB port of the P4x00 after you have booted a f/w cd. So you shut the node down and then boot the f/w cd...
The SAN/iQ s/w is loaded / patched from the CMC GUI interface.
Mark...

[Paul Hutchings]

Thanks Mark and all.

Is it documented anywhere that you should or shouldn't do this?

AFAIK the CMC just updates SANiQ features?

[Dave Finch]

Paul,

What you're looking for is the Firmware Compatibility Matrix, http://h20272.www2.hp.com/utility/document.aspx?docurl=Shared%20Documents/hw/iscsi/p4000_fw_compatibility_matrix_2010_05_18.pdf, available from SPOCK, http://h20272.www2.hp.com/Pages/spock2Html.aspx?htmlFile=hw_iscsi.html〈=en-us&cc=us&hpappid=hppcf. I think version 9 only manages SANi/Q patches, not firmware updates (there aren't any *.scexe files in my P4000 downloads folder). Be sure to follow the instructions for your model and generation. The P4000's don't always use the newest version. Don't be shy about calling support for help on this, it's a bit daunting the first time. Note that you will need a physical Windows XP PC to build the USB key from the Firmware Maintenance CD.

Dave

[Paul Hutchings]

Thanks Dave, in all my searching/digging I've never set eyes on that before.