Virtual Connect Manager still uses Flash

[Navitaire]

Very curious if anyone can shed some light on the Virtual Connect Manager (VCM) which we are using to manage our virtual connects.  Adobe Flash will be disabled by the end of 2020 and I have not been able to find any information on what HPE will be doing about the Flash requirement for VCM.

I would assume that they are working on a HTML version of VCM, or will it be completely retired....?

Thanks for any info on this.

Jeff S.

[AmRa]

Hi

As per latest HPE Virtual Connect for c-Class BladeSystem User Guide Version 4.80 , VCM still requires Adobe Flash Player 11.1 or higher before you can log in.

The recommended Adobe Flash Player web browser plug-in can be downloaded and installed from the Adobe website, or downloaded as a standalone executable from the Adobe website. For the latest Adobe Flash Player Security Bulletin Updates, see the Adobe website.

https://helpx.adobe.com/security.html#flashplayer

For more information please refer HPE Virtual Connect for c-Class Blade System User Guide Version 4.80. (page Number 12 - 13)

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docLocale=en_US&docId=a00094035en_us

In meanwhile please subscribe to HPE Preference Center to receive updates on new technology, research and products.

https://h41360.www4.hpe.com/

[claude191]

Hi AmRa,

Thanks for the reply, but we too are concerned by this.  Is there a schedule for when a new version will be released that does not depend on Flash?

My undertsanding is that at midnight on 31st December all major web-browsers will cease to load the flash plugin. Thus the ability to manage the device will cease suddenly.

Thanks,

Claude Brown.

[AmRa]

Hi Claude,

As of now there is no schedule for when a new version will be released that does not depend on Flash?

Howvere, you can subcribbe to HPE Newsletters and Technology Updates on below link for HPE product updates.

https://h41360.www4.hpe.com/

[Lawrance Lee_1]

Virtual Connect firmware version 4.85 is the answer.

Supports 3rd generation Virtual Connect onwards, so please read the release notes as not all Virtual Conect modules can support this firmware version.  Some of the older VC modules are no longer supported since VC firmware version 4.80 so 4.85 will not work with them either.

[rmay_bk]

Anyone have a link to the 4.85 release notes?  I can't find them...

Edit: Finally found them! https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docLocale=en_US&docId=sd00002020en_us

[Moderator edit: Updated the working link.]

[claude191]

Hi,

Has anyone successfully completed this upgrade?  I'm trying to upgrade a "HP VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24-Port Module" - which apepars in the supported list in the release-notes.

However, I'm receiving an error when I issue this command:

vcsu -a update -i 172.17.1.21 -u Administrator -p xxxxxxx -l C:\vcfwall485.bin -vcu Administrator -vcp xxxxx

The errors are:
- ERROR: One or more parameters are not valid
- Error in getting the FirmwareIncompatible Status

Below is the text from the log-file, but I cannot find anything that reveals my error.   Any assistance appreciated.

Thanks, Claude.

[Tue Oct 06 18:59:48 2020]
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:48 2020] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:48 2020] HP BladeSystem c-Class Virtual Connect Support Utility
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:48 2020] Version 1.7.1 (Build 21)
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:48 2020] Build Date: Nov 23 2012 05:51:02
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:48 2020] Copyright (C) 2006-2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:48 2020] All Rights Reserved
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:48 2020] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:48 2020]
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:48 2020] Initializing, please wait... [Step 1 of 2 : 30 seconds]
[Tue Oct 06 19:02:18 2020] ERROR: One or more parameters are not valid
[Tue Oct 06 19:02:18 2020]
[Tue Oct 06 19:02:18 2020] Total execution time: 00:02:30
[Tue Oct 06 19:02:18 2020]
[Tue Oct 06 19:02:18 2020] VCSU log file is available at the following location: C:\Program Files
[Tue Oct 06 19:02:18 2020] (x86)\Hewlett-Packard Company\Virtual Connect Support Utility\vcsu-11500.log

[Tue Oct 06 18:59:48 2020] (2960)[VcsuInit.cpp:411] : VCSU Library Version: 1.7.1.21
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:51 2020] (2960)[GetRemoteEndpointInfo.cpp:99] : OA found at 172.17.1.21 with version 4.90
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:55 2020] (2960)[VcsuCore.cpp:374] : Target name: BladeSystem c3000 Enclosure
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:55 2020] (2960)[OaWrap.cpp:804] : OA IP Address: 172.17.1.21
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:56 2020] (2960)[OaWrap.cpp:819] : OA1 IP Address: 172.17.1.21
[Tue Oct 06 18:59:57 2020] (2960)[VcsuInit.cpp:532] : [SGH743B5F2] OA Version: 4.90
[Tue Oct 06 19:00:02 2020] (2960)[OaWrap.cpp:404] : Onboard Administrator Role: Active
[Tue Oct 06 19:00:23 2020] (2960)[OaWrap.cpp:404] : Onboard Administrator Role: Active
[Tue Oct 06 19:00:32 2020] (2960)[VcsuCore.cpp:1890] : Module not present in bay 2
[Tue Oct 06 19:00:33 2020] (2960)[VcsuCore.cpp:1890] : Module not present in bay 3
[Tue Oct 06 19:00:34 2020] (2960)[VcsuCore.cpp:1890] : Module not present in bay 4
[Tue Oct 06 19:00:36 2020] (2960)[VcsuCore.cpp:1292] : VCM IP Address: 172.17.1.41
[Tue Oct 06 19:00:36 2020] (2960)[VcsuCore.cpp:1293] : VCM Firmware Version: 4.75
[Tue Oct 06 19:00:36 2020] (2960)[VcsuCore.cpp:1047] : Domain configuration is present
[Tue Oct 06 19:00:36 2020] (2960)[VcsuCore.cpp:1061] : This is primary enclosure
[Tue Oct 06 19:00:37 2020] (2960)[VcsuInit.cpp:753] : VCM user authenticated successfully
[Tue Oct 06 19:00:43 2020] (2960)[VcsuCore.cpp:4918] : VCM is in Unlocked mode
[Tue Oct 06 19:00:43 2020] (2960)[VcsuCore.cpp:1856] : [SGH743B5F2:1] Primary VCM found
[Tue Oct 06 19:02:18 2020] (2960)[VcsuCore.cpp:3542] : Error in getting the FirmwareIncompatible status
[Tue Oct 06 19:02:18 2020] (2960)[VcsuCore.cpp:3542] : ErrorCode :4 Error :One or more parameters are not valid
[Tue Oct 06 19:02:18 2020] (2960)[VcsuInit.cpp:795] : Error in getting the FirmwareIncompatible Status
[Tue Oct 06 19:02:18 2020] (2960)[VcsuInit.cpp:795] : ErrorCode :4 Error :One or more parameters are not valid
[Tue Oct 06 19:02:18 2020] (2960)[AuthenticateUser.cpp:142] : authenticateVCM failed
[Tue Oct 06 19:02:22 2020] (2960)[OaWrap.cpp:784] : User successfully deleted

[Torsten.]

From the release notes:

Virtual Connect 4.85 is supported on the following interconnect modules:
• HPE VC Flex-10/10D Module
• HPE VC FlexFabric 10Gb/24-Port Module
• HPE VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8 Module
• HPE VC FlexFabric-20/40 F8 TAA Module
• HPE VC 8Gb 20-Port FC Module
• HPE VC 8Gb 24-Port FC Module
• HPE VC 16Gb 24-Port FC Module
• HPE VC 16Gb 24-Port FC TAA Module

[Torsten.]

Your VCUTIL is 1.7.1, but must be 1.15.0.

Your version is much too old.

https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?swItemId=MTX_f111ffc2e2de4aeca450a0495d

[claude191]

Thank you Torsten!   I only just installed it and I kept reading "7" as "17" and thought I was ok.    Such a silly thing - thank you so much for you assistance.

[blackft]

I had to build a fresh Windows 10 Pro instance to be able to get into VC and then somehow it stops working within an hour.  I rebuild it again and this time take a snapshot, turn off all updates and flash goes away again within an hour.  My Flex connect modules are too old to have a firmware update that will get them off of thier flash dependancy.  This is a really bad situation to be in for a solution that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.  You sold me new Gen10 blades just last year knowing that this c7000 would be nearly impossible to administrate in 2021.  I would like HP to suggest a proper solution to this.  Maybe figure out an OS that will not disable flash.  Maybe find a browser that can work on modern software.  I get that flash is a security risk, but there is literally no other way to admin these boxes at this point and they're not that old. 

[claude191]

I feel your pain as I was very worried I'd end up in your situation. However we were lucky: our old hardware was compatible with the new non-Flash version of VC.

Before the non-Flash VC came out our contingency plan was to rely on the command-line tool for managing VC.  This appears to be able to do most things, although pretty inconvenient.  This was 6 months ago, and I was able to find and download a PDF document called "HPE Virtual Connect Manager Command Line Interface for c-Class BladeSystem User Guide Version 4.62/4.63".   

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Claude.

P.S. sorry, I can't remember where I found it - and a quick Google just failed me

[claude191]

Update: I just found the document on the hpe.com web-site; here is the link:

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docLocale=en_US&docId=a00055966en_us

[blackft]

Please explain how a link to a 300+ page document published in 2018 helps a situation that just came about in 2021 because flash went away and the VC Manager depends on flash.

[Torsten.]

Because it is about working from CLI without GUI.

[helpteddy]

has anybody managed to get an older version of flash installed so they can still access their VC?
were running VC 4.60 and cant view the config since flash is now gone.

ive installed flash 11.5 on my machine but the console still isnt opening correctly in IE 11
forget about chrome/firefox... these browsers refuse to accept any flash stuff now

we will upgrade our VC and OA to the latest version but we'd like to connect up and check to see whats there first.
i can still access via CLI but im not too familiar with the commands... much easier to do it via the GUI.

any help would be great appreciated

cheers!

[RCostin]

I did set up a date before (ex 01/01/2020) in a VM with Win7 made exactly for this kind of issues. Working flawlessly ...

Costin

[Jeff Kalchik]

FYI, if you dig up the Flash Admin guide, there is a reference to an mms.cfg file that will allow Flash to execute in older browsers (such as Firefox ESR.)  Note that this will not work with updated browsers as those are getting Flash pulled out completely, along with a Windows update that also removes Flash.

[Michael Ryder]

Yes but the problem is you can no longer download Flash executables from Adobe.

And just about any other source should be considered suspect.

[Xavier Walker]

I'm in the process of rebuilding a new set of c7000 enclosures with the Flex-10 VC modules and now have consistent timeouts on the webserver of the VC module. The OA modules are fine.

I've tried several things including installing proper certificates that are valid and signed with an approved CA, but still, after a minute or two, I just get kicked out.

I'm wondering if this is a side-effect of Flash no longer being supported - I'm using Firefox 72.0.

Of course, any recent version of Chrome doesn't work, and because I have the older non-/D version, I cannot upgrade the firmware.

Fortunately, I can still do the configuration via SSH, but it's true that the web GUI is very practical for quickly checking something visually.

Is anyone else also having this particular issue where you are kicked out ? I get this:

tollowed by this:

[Matt20v]

I am having a very similar issue was a bit late to the party as I have not had to log into my VC for ages but I have updated to 4.85 and the interface is so slow and does not load properly no matter what browser I use.
I get that time out message when I first log in and not all the icons display correctly. There hasn’t been a newer update to fix this has there or is there anything in the browser config you need to do to allow it to run correctly ?

Thanks in advance.

[rmay_bk]

Which browser?  I have similar issues with the new Chromium-based Edge but the "real" Chrome works better.

The fastest/best browser I've found for use with the latest VC firmware is Firefox 52.9 ESR.

[Matt56]

The current version of Firefox is my goto for Virtual Connect, it's worth noting that if one is using a really old version of Virtual Connect that I've had to use an old version of firefox portable as it includes an older version of flash etc i think

[Matt20v]

Thanks i was using Edge and then Chrome but sounds like i might need to try with Firefox ... 

Will test again today and see who we go

Thanks guys! 

Update - Tested with Firefox and its like chalk and cheese the interface instantly loads, thanks again slighlty dissapointing that when its developed in HTML5 and it does not work as well across all browsers  

But i can do what i need so all good! 

Cheers 

[PDP-Fan]

Ok I just managed to update to 4.85 but it was a struggle since I'm not familiar with the CLI and I first had to set up the VC-Flex module in my workshop enclosure first.... with a GUI that was half dead.... thanks to Adobe!

I'd say what Adobe did with this total blockage of Flash content is criminal damage. They just built in an ultimatum into their software and now perfectly working stuff is suddenly unusable.
I fully understand that they don't want to be responsible for damage caused by security flaws. But why didn't they include the possibility for the user to say "I know the risks, please continue" Why must it be a total stop??