Looking for HPE Synergy Custom Image for 7.0 U3d Build 19482537 Install CD

[fredgg]

Hello,

I'm looking for the ESXi custom iso 7.0 U3d Build 19482537 Install CD.
Unfortunatly I'm not able to find it anywhere.

On hpe website I can only find the ESXi 7.0 Update 3g

On the vmware website only when choosing the apropriate version I only can download the ESXi 7.0b.

Is there a way to download the version 7.0 U3d ?

thanks for your help

Fred

[support_s]

System recommended content:

1. HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 Server-Configuring ILO in Online Mode on ESXi 6.7 Through HPONCFG

2. VMware - Online Configuration Tool "HPONCFG" "BOOTCFG" and "CONREP" utilities won't get installed in HPE VMWare Esxi 7.0 U3 October Release

Please click on "Thumbs Up/Kudo" icon to give a "Kudo".

Thank you for being a HPE valuable community member.

[DanCernese]

Please start by reviewing the supported Synergy images here:  https://techhub.hpe.com/eginfolib/synergy/sw_release_info/OS_Support.html

Additionally, understand that HPE only produces ESXi custom images that are in sync with a firmware bundle release.  We do not update our custom image for every VMware build:  https://techhub.hpe.com/eginfolib/synergy/sw_release_info/Vmware_HPE_ESXi_images.html

Specifically,

• Updated patches and security builds can be installed from VMware. Installed updates will be reflected with a higher build number than the baseline build from the HPE Synergy-Only ESXi custom images. Patches are supported if they do not cross a VMware ESXi "update" boundary (i.e. 7.0 Update 2 does not become 7.0 Update 3) and do not install drivers that conflict with the HPE Synergy software release.

[PatrickLong · Accepted solution]

HPE-custom install images can be found here:

https://www.hpe.com/us/en/servers/hpe-esxi.html

which provides links to files here:

https://customerconnect.vmware.com/downloads/details?downloadGroup=OEM-ESXI70U3-HPE&productId=974

Please note that the Synergy and ProLiant images are different and you must select the appropriate one for your environment. Also note that not every VMware build release results in a new HPE custom installer .iso. See discussion here: https://community.hpe.com/t5/hpe-synergy/looking-for-hpe-custom-image-for-esxi-7-0-u3-install-cd-for-7-0/m-p/7180551/highlight/true#M1202

Focusing on Synergy since you mentioned that in your post, the currently available HPE Synergy custom image is ESXi 7.0 Update 3g from 2022-09-01 (which itself is getting dated, as the current VMware release is 7.0.3k build 21313628 from 2023-02-21) :
VMware-ESXi-7.0.3-20328353-HPE-703.0.0.10.10.5.17-Nov2022-Synergy.iso
VMware-ESXi-7.0.3-20328353-HPE-703.0.0.10.10.5.17-Nov2022-Synergy-depot.zip

Based on what I have downloaded locally in my repo, the previous Synergy custom version available at that link was HPE Synergy custom image ESXi 7.0 Update 3f from 2022-07-12 :

VMware-ESXi-7.0.3-20036589-HPE-703.0.0.10.9.5.14-Aug2022-Synergy.iso
VMware-ESXi-7.0.3-20036589-HPE-703.0.0.10.9.5.14-Aug2022-Synergy-depot.zip

...but I have no idea how you can get that or other older versions now, nor what requirement would have you intentionally install a version that old? The 7.0.3d version you are looking for was released 2022-03-29 and there are many, many critical fixlist items addressed in subsequent releases over the past year.

Also since you mentioned Synergy, it is a tightly-coupled ecosystem requiring quite specific compute module firmware/driver versions and Shared Infrastructure firmware versions depending on what version of OneView you have on your Composers.  So ALL of those items should be a consideration in any ESXi install or upgrade scenario, not just the ESXi build.

[fredgg]

At all, thanks for your help,

In my point of view, I would like to update to the latest version for sure.

Unfortunately, my client require specific version, which to be honnest is a non sens. I will try to convince them.

As you talk abaout composer, the status is worth... I'm new with synergy system, but as I understand, I must upgrade first the composer ? Am I right ?
Actual version is 5.20.01... I would like to upgrade to 8.1, but the upgrade path is not so simple and will take time.
Anyway, first thing, upgrade composers, then upgrade ESXi.

thanks,

Fred

[DanCernese]

As you talk abaout composer, the status is worth... I'm new with synergy system, but as I understand, I must upgrade first the composer ? Am I right ?
Actual version is 5.20.01... I would like to upgrade to 8.1, but the upgrade path is not so simple and will take time.
Anyway, first thing, upgrade composers, then upgrade ESXi.

In general, yes, the philosophy (as documented) is to update the appliances, followed by infrastructure, followed by the compute modules.  However, you're in a difficult situation because 5.20.01 is long out of support (2-1/2 years out of support?).

That means if you were to update the appliance all the way (5.20=>5.40=>6.0=>6.3=>7.0=>8.0=>8.x) there is absolutely nothing known about whether those compute modules would stay up once you moved on to update the virtual connect infrastructure  We do know, however, you would completely lose the ability to manage those compute modules once you updated past a point of incompatibility:  HPE OneView version 6.0 and later require the compute modules to already be running HPE iLO 5 version 2.0 or later prior to updating to HPE OneView 6.0 or later. See the Customer Advisory https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-a00111879en_us.

The least painful way to deal with such an old environment is to determine if an extended maintenance downtime is available to bring a whole Logical Enclosure up to date at one time.

[PatrickLong]

Dan is quite correct here - this environment is so far out of date the best solution would be to bring the entire environment down to be updated at one time if that is possible.  If that is NOT possible, unfortunately you have a long sequence of tightly-coupled upgrades to plan out.  You didn't mention what generation of Composer you have (Composer1 or 2) but that will also determine the ceiling of your upgrade path.  If you have Composer1, which is likely given the age or your OneView install,  you cannot go further than OneView Long-Term Support release 6.60.03.  From the OneView 8.10 release notes: "If you are using HPE Synergy Composer (1st gen), you must migrate to HPE Synergy Composer2 before you update to HPE OneView 7.0 version or later. " so with Composer1 your upgrade path would be abbreviated to (5.20=>5.40=>6.0=>6.3>6.60.03).   Also please note that Composer1 was EOL in November 2019, discontinued for sale in March of 2020, and continues to be supported through December 2023 - so you will need to look at replacing with Composer2 anyway fairly soon.  At each step along the way of your upgrade path, there will be minimum and maximum firmware versions supported as determined by the SSP versions that were supported for the given OneView version - so in order to remain in a supported (or should I say "previously- supported") state, you will have to upgrade OneView, Shared Infra, and compute modules in a stepwise fashion, i.e. something like:

Verify your current Shared infra and compute module firmware/drivers are supported under proposed new target OneView version OneView 5.40 and if not, upgrade them to the versions on the latest SSP that was supported under your *current* OneView version 5.20 - this should get you into the realm of firmware that was supported under your next targeted upgrade to OneView version 5.40.

Then upgrade to OneView 5.40, then upgrade shared Infra followed by compute modules firmware/drivers to the latest SSP that was supported under 5.40, which will get you into the realm of firmware supported under 6.0..

Then upgrade to to OneView 6.0, then upgrade shared Infra followed by compute modules firmware/drivers to the latest SSP supported under 6.0, so on and so forth. 

It is going to be a journey that you need to map out in detail before starting.  Use https://techhub.hpe.com/us/en/enterprise/docs/index.aspx?doc=/eginfolib/synergy/sw_release_info/Upgrade_Table.html and https://techhub.hpe.com/us/en/enterprise/docs/index.aspx?doc=/eginfolib/synergy/sw_release_info/Firmware_Feature_Table.html to guide you.

[fredgg]

Thanks for all advices.

this is really a mess for sure...
we plan to work with hpe directly on site to figure out how we can handle the best with that.

Thanks,

Fred

[DanCernese]

Agreed the best scenario is to engage a qualified partner or HPE services for assistance.  Feel free to ask questions here too.