About updating firmware

When you add a device, the firmware is automatically updated to the firmware management baseline specified. Following are the exceptions:
  • HPE ProLiant G6 servers and HPE ProLiant G7 servers which must be managed outside of HPE OneView.

  • Virtual Connect interconnect firmware which is managed separately as part of the Logical Interconnect.

NOTE:

When adding an enclosure and iLO firmware that is older than the minimum supported version for HPE OneView, the firmware is automatically updated using the SPP that contains the latest iLO firmware while the enclosure is being added. If all SPPs have been deleted, however, such an enclosure cannot be imported. In this situation, first upload an SPP that provides at least the minimum required versions for the iLO before adding the enclosure.

Every resource (iLO, server, or Virtual Connect) goes offline when you upgrade its firmware. Always perform the update during a maintenance window. To help minimize downtime during firmware activation, see Maintain availability during Virtual Connect interconnect firmware upgrades in the online help.

Resource

When you update firmware

Server profiles

Firmware updates require that you edit the server profile to change the firmware baseline. Power down the server hardware to which the server profile is assigned before you change the firmware baseline.

Using Smart Update Tools enables you to change the firmware baseline while server power is on.

Interconnects

An interconnect is taken offline when you:

  • Update or activate firmware for a logical interconnect. Staging firmware does not require interconnects be taken offline.

  • Update firmware for an enclosure and select the option to update the enclosure, logical interconnect, and server profiles.

If an interconnect has firmware that has been staged but not activated, then any subsequent reboot of that interconnect activates the firmware, which takes the interconnect offline.

Order of firmware update matters

You can prevent the loss of network connectivity for servers connected to a logical interconnect that has a stacking mode of Enclosure and a stacking health of Redundantly Connected by updating firmware using the following method:

In general:

  1. Stage the firmware on the logical interconnect.

  2. Activate the firmware for the interconnects in even-numbered enclosure bays.

  3. Wait until the firmware update to complete and the interconnects are in the Configured state.

  4. Activate the firmware for the interconnects in the odd-numbered enclosure bays.

User roles and firmware update

  • The Server administrator role can upgrade the firmware on the enclosure servers.

  • The Network administrator role can upgrade the firmware on interconnects.

  • The Infrastructure administrator role can upgrade the firmware on all devices.