Updating Virtual Connect firmware to 4.45 risk and caveats ?

[Server-Support]

Hi People,

My current HP Virtual Connect manager v 4.01 with the following interconnect modules:

HP VC Flex-10 Enet Module
Part Number: 455880-B21
Firmware Version: 4.01 2013-05-21T16:57:08Z

HP B-series 8/24c SAN Switch BladeSystem c-Class

Cannot be managed due to the Adobe Flash issue described in this document http://h20564.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c04677033

At the moment there is no problem in my environment hence I'm quite hesitant to upgrade it to the latest version v4.45 as in this document http://vibsdepot.hp.com/hpq/recipes/HPE-VMware-Recipe.pdf on page 7

Because of this risk of outage and lost of configuration: http://h20565.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?sp4ts.oid=3794423&docId=emr_na-c04422904&docLocale=en_US

So any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Jay_helps · Accepted solution]

You can upgrade the VC fw 4.01 to Vc fw 4.45 without any problem.

The issue you refered in the Customer Advisory is only related to VC fw 4.30 and was fixed with fw 4.31.

To avaid any problem during enclosure upgrade, make sure to follow the these steps:

HP always recommends a scheduled maintenance downtime during a Firmware upgrade.

HP Smart Update Best Practices Implementer Guide:

http://h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?sp4ts.oid=5182020&docId=emr_na-c04461668&docLocale=en_US

Step 1 - HP Service Pack for ProLiant (HP SPP): 

http://h17007.www1.hp.com/us/en/enterprise/servers/products/service_pack/spp/index.aspx

HP Service Pack for ProLiant Quick Start Guide:

http://h20564.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=c03190790&lang=en-us&cc=us

Step 2 - HP Onboard Administrator (OA) 4.50:

http://h20564.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/readIndex?sp4ts.oid=1844083&swLangOid=8&swEnvOid=4064

Onboard Administrator User Guide October 2015:

http://h20628.www2.hp.com/km-ext/kmcsdirect/emr_na-c00705292-47.pdf

HP BladeSystem Onboard Administrator 4.50 Release Notes

https://h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?sp4ts.oid=3188465&docId=emr_na-c04427725&docLocale=en_US

Step 3 - VMware FW and Software Recipe. Make sure Drivers and Firmware are matched according to this VMware recipe.
http://vibsdepot.hp.com/hpq/recipes/HPE-VMware-Recipe.pdf

You can login into the shell and use the following commands to find out what version of drivers/firmware you have on your ESXi OS:

• For ESXi 4.x, 5.x (below 5.5)

ethtool -i vmnicX         (X represent the NIC numbers 0, 1, 2 etc)

esxcli network nic list 

esxcli network nic vmnicX get

esxcli hardware platform get lspci

• For ESXi 5.5

esxcli network nic get -n vmnicX

Step 4 - Download the firmware and utility tool (VC current version: 4.45/Virtual Connect Support Utility tool (VCSU) 1.11.0): 

HP Virtual Connect Firmware Upgrade Steps and Procedures:
http://h20565.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c02885443  

HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 10Gb Ethernet Module: 

• http://h20564.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/readIndex?sp4ts.oid=3794436&swLangOid=8&swEnvOid=4064   

Select the OS version you will run the software from, and then go the bottom of the list and look for firmware and Utility Tool.

Here is the link for Virtual connect Support Utility - User Guide:

• https://h20565.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?sp4ts.oid=3942029&docId=emr_na-c04567803&docLocale=en_US  

Make sure to install  VCSU after you download it. When ready,  select interactive mode to run the upgrade from Windows Start bottom >> Hewlett-Packard >> Virtual Connect Support Utility >> Virtual Connect Support Utility Interact Mode. Follow the instruction from Virtual Connect Utility Guide, Page 9.

[Server-Support]

@Jay_helps thanks for the reply,

So in this case I assume that when using the VCSU, it doesn't upgrade the firmware of below FC SAN Switch:

HP B-series 8/24c SAN Switch BladeSystem c-Class on Bay 5 & 6
Part Number: AJ821A
Spare Part Number: 489865-001
Firmware Version: N/A

Is there any steps in testing the health of the Virtual Connect first before the firmware upgrade to avoid any unwanted outage ?

[wilber82]

Hi Albert,

Following is my upgrading path:

SPP2013.02 -> SPP2014.06 (Contains problem driver of Emulex NIC, you'd better replace this SPP by SPP2014.09 or later) -> SPP2015.02

[Server-Support]

@wilber82 thanks for the reply.

I've downloaded HP SPP 2015.10 so I does that the latest ?

[Jay_helps]

That is correct Albertwt.

HP B-series 8/24c SAN Switches are not part of Virtual connect Domain and are not manage by VCM. they  have to be updated separately. here is the link for it; http://h20565.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/readIndex?sp4ts.oid=5332781&swLangOid=8&swEnvOid=54

You can test the health of VC modules using VCSU interactive mode, just type "healthcheck" (without quotes) and press enter. Enter the OA credentials, and wait for the results.

e.i.:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
HP BladeSystem c-Class Virtual Connect Support Utility
Version 1.10.1 (Build 5)
Build Date: Aug 26 2014 16:17:30
Copyright (C) 2006-2015 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
All Rights Reserved
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please enter action ("help" for list): healthcheck
Please enter Onboard Administrator IP Address: 192.168.1.2
Please enter Onboard Administrator Username: admin
Please enter Onboard Administrator Password: *****
Initializing, please wait... [Step 1 of 2]

[Server-Support]

@Jay_helps and @wilber82 Does the HP/Brocade switch must also be updated before / after the HP Blades running ESXi 5.5 U3b ?

Because at the moment it runs perfectly fine with no issue.

[Jay_helps]

Not necessarely, that is up to you. just go to the web site and see if there is any issue related to the switch. if nothing major are reported you can keep it the way it is...

jay

[Jay_helps]

Yes, that is the latest..

Now if you have Gen 8 or Gen9 with HP 650FLB in your enclosure, contact HPE... there is some FCoE issues related to 650flb firmware in the October SPP being reported...