Total custom firmware upgrade and how to do it.

[chuckk281]

Eirik was looking for some info on how to best create and implement a custom firware upgrade CD:

***********************************************************

My question is, is it possible to create a fully automated firmware deployment CD based on FWDVD9.00 or earlier with only the custom firmwares that I copy over.

And if so, is there anyone who has a HOWTO for this ?

This would be quite handy considering we have 33 fully loaded enclosures that need a specified System-ROM \ NicFW \ etc on the blades.

Hope for your swift replies.

********************************************************

We got a number of replies to this question:

Stu was ready to help: 

Yes you can – and there are two methods to implement this.

1)  Modify the current FW DVD image, use the included USB tool (v1.5) to create an image you can plug physically directly onto the OA and boot all Servers from there (DDR2 models work very well I am told with this method) or load across the Network from an http source when scripted

2)  Worst case use the original FDT 1.70 as it was last released to include FW updates and then script from http or load directly into the OA ?

Let me know if you need more info’.

Eirik:

Thanks for the reply, however the ISO itself is fully bootable from USB nowadays with OA newer than 2.32.

However, I need to remove all FW from the DVD \ CD and add only the specified FW’s I want, I however have no idea how since everything now is controlled via XML-files.

Any help would be highly appreciated.

Stu:

I understand – but what we found (outside of OA FW version) was that the original OA modules were not really practical for a complete simultaneous Server update when using the USB media in the module itself.

But with DDR2 OA hardware versions, we were pleasantly surprised with the performance.

As far as the USB/ISO is concerned, you can remove a lot of the modules from the sw/packages location (comparative process based on which model of Server and latest psp/FW on our public support site(s)) – but remember that while HPSUM will automatically take additional packages into consideration and use them, manually editing (hex-editor of course J) the bp00745.xml file will achieve more or less the same process as the UI when having to add in ‘custom’ components.

So, when HPSUM interrogates a Server, the only components then applied to that Server will be those that are relevant. This embedded intelligence allows for us to reduce the size of data required to send over the wire to each Server or device.

If you are looking to update en-masse, then building a reduced footprint FDT (1.70 base) or FW DVD – utilising USB ISO tool then scripting with iLO(x) media would be most efficient method.

The iLO(x) CLI and UG have details about the http transfer and settings required on either apache or IIS that need to be utilised. As well as the syntax needed to drive the whole process.

Hope this helps.

Eirik:

When trying to remove all firmware files from the DVD, then adding just the ones that I want I get the error “Checksum error” when trying to boot the FW DVD.

Procedure was performed using magicISO to simply delete the scexefiles on the DVD, then copy the ones I want over to the \hp\swpackages folder

Any ideas at all out there ? :-)

Michael chimed in:

  I would recommend using UltraISO to modify the ISO image.  It is the tool most people have had the greatest success with when adding/removing files from the Firmware DVD ISO.

Eirik was finally on the right path:

Hi Michael.

I tried UltraISO, worked like a charm, stay away from MagicISO boys and girls ;-)

************************************************************

Some good info for you. Let us know if you use it and what is your experience or issues.