Virtual Connect EFI firware update?

[Travis Harp_1]

I have a four new enclosures that I'm not ready to load the OS but I'd like to get the firmware updates done ahead of time.

Now that the web based firmware update is gone for VC is there an EFI firmware update option like I used to update the blades/iLo without an OS?

At the worst I could put down a base OS and use VCSU but I’m thinking surely that’s not the official HP solution.

Thanks,
Travis

[David Claypool]

Huh? Virtual Connect does not require loading an OS. Have you seen the Firmware Release Sets DVD?

http://www.hp.com/go/bladesystem --> HP Firmware Release Sets

[Travis Harp_1]

I've only upgraded VC firmware two ways.
The GUI from the VC manager and VCSU from a running OS (this is HPUX 11.31 by the way).

I followed the link and see a disk for 3.15 but I'm looking for 3.17 that fixes the DNS issues.

If I did find a 3.17 disk on the HP site would I load it though the EFI on a blade like updating blade firmware?

[gregersenj · Accepted solution]

The latest VC FW is 3.18.

You upgrade the VC modules using VCSU. Wich you can run from any machine on the network.

http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/HP-BladeSystem-News-Events/Virtual-Connect-Support-Utility-VCSU-1-5-2-changes-about/ba-p/2345321

BR
/jag

[Travis Harp_1]

The new enclosures are not on the same network as the existing enclosures, they are at the remote DR site.

Will VCSU work from network to network as long as firewall rules allow?
The follow up question would be if so what needs to be allowed for VCSU to work?

Thanks,
Travis

[The Brit]

Hi Travis,
You shouldnt have any problems provided that (as you pointed out), the Firewall rules are obeyed.

Dave.

[The Brit]

By the way, did you see this from a different thread.

http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/HP-BladeSystem-News-Events/Virtual-Connect-Support-Utility-VCSU-1-5-2-changes-about/ba-p/2345321

Dave

[Travis Harp_1]

Hi Dave,
I did read most of that document to figure out how to apply the FC firmware on the enclosures that already have a running OS on a blade.

The HPUX link is broken (like so many links in HP doc's these days) but the user manual works.

Right now I'm trying to figure out what I need opened up through the firewall to allow VCSU to function.
I didn't see this information in the User Guide. Maybe it was in the HP UX link that is broken.

I did see this when making another pass at the User Guide.
-----
No firewalls can exist between the client system and the remote enclosure Onboard Administrator if you
do not have a healthy Backup VCM module. If a firewall exists, and it is blocking ports, then the utility
cannot open a connection with the remote modules to perform the update.
-----
So while the first part seems to almost contradict the second part it seems to support what you were saying that at long as nothing is blocked it should work.

Thanks for the feedback,
Travis

[Travis Harp_1]

The issue is now resolved, I found that indeed there was rules on the firewall blocking traffic to the DR site.

Once I had those removed it works fine, I still had a module fail (which has happened every time I've updated FW using VCSU) but I was able to power cycle that module and re-flash it with no issues.

Thanks for the help narrowing my focus to find the resolution.

Travis