BIOS Upgrade - 80 servers - Best Tools?

[Darrell Christensen]

We have 80+ HP/Compaq servers, G1-4, of DL 360, 380, 570 and 760, plus ML 370-570.

I have been requested to prepare a project proposal "Normalize the BIOS revisions on all DL/ML infrastructure servers".

Research to date indicates that everything from Diskette to Open view is possible.

Question: If I use the VC Agent in conjunction with VC Repository and HP Insight Manager, will all hardware components including: HD, Controllers, Video, ETC be updated? What are the limitations if any?

Sincerely,
Darrell Christensen
FLINT ENERGY SERVICES LTD.

100, 2899 Broadmoor Blvd
Sherwood Park, AB T8H 1B5
Direct: (780) 416-3555
Fax: (780) 416.3552
Cell: (780) 405-7288
E-mail: dchristensen@flint-energy.com

[Ivan KOVAC]

Hello

Upgrade BIOS on hard disk is only possible with CD or diskette for now.
For Video im not shure that upgrade of BIOS exist.

I.

[Rob Buxton]

The VCRM has online updates for the System and Array BIOS. These can be done via scheduled jobs if required.

Take care, there are some pre-requisites for updates.

There's a NIC firmware utility on the HP site which can be used to update firmware. You can trigger NIC firmware updates from the VCA but it's not in the list, you will only see the NIC updates in the Additional Items. My guess is that will change.
As another poster stated, Disk Firmware updates need the system down.

[Claas Kruhoefer]

Hello,

I am in the same situation.

Firmware distribution through SIM ist great, but only one issue occurred in my case:

I copied all online Firmwares in the repository directory and then distributed them to the applicable servers ( ROM and Array/iLO ), but if the ROM are from a specific value the online is not possible, and I had to do it via cold update.

But for the rest it went perfect. Just reboot and everything works.

The problem with the harddisk firmware I could confirm. And after updating the Array controllers firmware some server hang with F1 prompt at next reboot, telling to update the disks firmware too.