Driver & firmware of BL460c Gen10

[abitos]

Hi,

I'm using a BL460c Gen10 server with ESXi 7.0U3, which has a P204i-b Smart Array.
I want to update the firmware because it's been giving me purple screens due to the driver version, which is 70.4150. VMware support indicated that it should be updated to version 70.4600 to prevent this from happening again. However, there's another issue: for that Smart Array model, the HPE firmware is only available up to v4.11 (according to the compatibility table, the firmware should be upgraded to v6.52).

Could someone help me understand how this could affect the device's functionality if we update the driver to v70.4600 recommended by VMware and to the latest firmware version available for this smart array (v4.11) on the HPE side?

Thank you very much for your help.
Regards,
Alfredo Britos

[Supreeth_B]

Hi @abitos 

I suppose the driver update should improve stability, but the outdated firmware might limit performance enhancements or introduce compatibility issues.
Also, the device might not support newer features or optimizations available in firmware versions beyond 4.11. There could be compatibility issues with other components or software if the firmware is not up-to-date.

Hope this information has helped you, Please click on the "Thumbs Up/Kudo" icon as a token of appreciation. Also, if this post has helped to solve your issue, consider marking this as an "Accepted Solution".

Regards,
Supreeth.

[shiva_jr]

Hi @abitos,
    Please share a screenshot of the error to help trace the root cause. Additionally, it is always recommended to update all components to the latest firmware version.  Here are possible cause and solutions from my side-

1) The issue may be due to outdated firmware on related components such as disk drives, mezzanine cards, or LOM network adapters.
     Please update firmware of all system components using SPP or refer this link for disk firmware udpate.

2)  How can you trace the issue ?
    Check VMware ESXi OS logs, AHS, iLO logs, and hardware diagnostics results for clues.

3) If you have recently added or reseated components such as DIMMs, processors, or controller cables, they might be causing the issue.
     Try reseating them to ensure proper connections.

4)  A fix might be available from VMware.  I attempted a search based on the controller but was unsuccessful.
      Please search for the exact purple screen error code in VMware’s knowledge base.

5)  Lastly and importantly, there is an official advisory, addressing this issue.
      Download and update the recommended driver.

I hope, i have provided all possible cause and solution, it helps to solve your issue, if yes, please give Kudos and mark my post as an Accepted Solution.

Regards,
Shiva_jr

[abitos]

Hi @shiva_jr  @Supreeth_B ,

Yes, I was able to review that advisory yesterday, and we updated the driver version to a higher version, which is v70.4600.0.115-1OEM.

But the thing is, looking at the Broadcom compatibility table, for that version, firmware v6.53 is requested.
But in HPE, this Smart Array model only supports to v4.11.

So we're stuck there.
We don't know whether to keep the driver at the version recommended by VMware (70.4600.0.115-1OEM) and the firmware at v4.11. Or, leave the firmware at v4.11 and downgrade the driver to the version compatible with v4.11, which is v70.4150.0.119 (which may cause purple screens).