Firmware

Screen component

Description

Firmware baseline

Firmware bundles like an HPE Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) enable you to update firmware, drivers, utilities, and the hardware configuration for enclosures, enclosure groups, and interconnects.

An SPP update contains firmware, drivers, and utilities delivered as a single PXE-bootable image. You can upload and install these firmware bundle updates in a repository to simplify maintaining baseline configurations across devices.

The SPP you select as the starting point from which to compare the application of all subsequent SPPs is your firmware baseline. You can use the server profile to assign firmware levels to managed devices or you can choose the managed manually option to manage the firmware manually. The choices for installing an SPP are:
  • Firmware and Operating System (OS) Drivers using Smart Update Tools—Updates the firmware and OS drivers without powering off the server hardware.
  • Firmware only using Smart Update Tools—Updates the firmware without powering off the server hardware.
  • Firmware only—Manages the firmware through HPE OneView. Selecting this option requires powering off.
    NOTE:

    If a Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) equal to or greater than version 2016.10 is selected as the firmware baseline when the option Firmware only is selected, the firmware update occurs through the SPP boot environment instead of Intelligent Provisioning.

    Firmware can be changed while the server hardware is powered on as long as the "Firmware only" setting is not used.
See Smart Update Tools (SUT) for additional information.
NOTE:

If you select an HPE ProLiant Gen8 or newer model server and there is no firmware baseline installed on the appliance, a message is displayed with a link for adding a new firmware baseline.

To install an older firmware version than the version contained in the SPP, you must select the Force installation option to downgrade the firmware. You might want to install older firmware if the newer firmware is known to cause a problem in your environment, as noted in the Release Notes.

CAUTION:

Forcing a firmware downgrade might leave the server unstable.

The firmware is updated when you click create or edit to apply the server profile.

When a firmware baseline associated with a server profile is deleted from the firmware repository, an indicator is placed next to the firmware baseline attribute to note that the server profile is in a degraded state. To resolve this issue, edit the server profile and update the firmware baseline to a valid firmware baseline or choose the managed manually option.

See the Firmware bundles help for information about adding and managing firmware bundles on the appliance.

Default value:

Managed manually. Not managed by HPE OneView.

NOTE:
The affected components are not displayed,
  • if the firmware baseline is Managed manually.

  • for unassigned server profiles.

  • for server profile templates.

Firmware install state

Displays the most recent firmware installation state.

An alert or error message displays for all states that require your intervention. For example, if the state is StagedFailed, an alert or error message displays in HPE OneView that directs you to a resolution for the failure.

The following is a list of possible states:
  • Pending — Action is in the queue to be performed

  • Stage — Determines which components to be applied on the server hardware and copies those components to a stage directory.

    • Staging — Firmware and driver components currently being copied to a stage directory.

    • Staged — Firmware and driver components successfully copied to a stage directory.

    • Stage Failed — Firmware and driver components could not be successfully copied to a stage directory.

  • Schedule — Schedules the firmware and driver components to a specific date and time.

    • Scheduled — Firmware and driver components were successfully staged and are scheduled to be installed.

    • Schedule Failed — Firmware and driver baseline could not be successfully scheduled. An alert displays the probable reasons for failure.

    • Schedule Delayed — Scheduling of firmware and driver components on server hardware is delayed only when you schedule more than 10 VMware ESXi devices at the same time. If you choose to schedule more than 10 VMware ESXi devices, the devices are put in a Schedule Delayed state and rescheduled to the next slot available. Likewise, no more than 128 Windows devices or Linux devices can be scheduled at the same time. You can choose to edit and specify a different schedule or continue with the proposed new schedule.

  • Install — Deploys components that have been staged.

    • Installing — Firmware and driver components are currently being deployed on the server hardware

    • Installed — Firmware and driver components were successfully deployed on the server hardware

    • Install Failed — Firmware and driver deployment on the server hardware was not successful

    • Installed Pending Reboot — Firmware and driver deployment on the server hardware was successful but a reboot is required to complete the action

  • Activate — Reboots server hardware if a reboot is required to make the installed components usable.

    • Activating — Server reboot is underway

    • Activated — Server hardware successfully rebooted and component installation is successfully completed

    • Activate Failed — Server hardware reboot was unable to complete firmware and driver installation

  • Unknown — HPE OneView is unable to either communicate with iLO or read the SUT settings.

This field does not display if you choose to manage the firmware manually.

Installation Method

Displays the most recent installation method used by Smart Update Tools. This field does not display if you choose to manage the firmware manually.

Activate firmware

Enables you to choose the firmware activation method for server profiles.

This field is displayed if you select Firmware and Operating System (OS) Drivers using Smart Update Tools or Firmware only using Smart Update Tools in the Installation Method field.

Immediately

Firmware activation starts when you finish configuring the firmware update.

At a scheduled date and time

Firmware update is scheduled for a specific date and time. A calendar and a time widget displays when you choose this option. Enter the time according to the local time zone. The scheduled time for firmware updates must be in the future.

No more than 10 VMware ESXi devices can be scheduled at the same time. If you choose to schedule more than 10 VMware ESXi devices, the devices are put in a Schedule Delayed state and rescheduled to the next slot available. Likewise, no more than 128 Windows devices or Linux devices can be scheduled at the same time. You can choose to edit and specify a different schedule or continue with the proposed new schedule.

If you choose to update firmware and drivers from a logical enclosure, then the logical enclosure firmware update process overrides all the set schedules resulting in immediate firmware activation.

NOTE:

The browser displays the time according to the local time zone. The appliance console displays the time according to UTC (Universal Time Coordinate).

SUT supports this functionality for Linux, Windows, and VMware ESXi systems. To schedule firmware updates, see Schedule firmware updates from a server profile.

Not scheduled

Scheduled firmware update is cancelled when you choose this option.

Force installation

This field displays in Create and Edit server profiles screen.

Select Force installation if you want to install a firmware version older than the version currently installed or if you want to reapply the current firmware. For more information, see Downgrade firmware.

CAUTION:

Forcing a firmware downgrade might leave the server unusable and might result in slower installation speeds.

Affected Component

Component

Displays the server hardware component for which the firmware status is being displayed

Installed
Displays the version of firmware installed on the component
NOTE:
  • The versions that cannot be read from server hardware are displayed as unknown.

  • The firmware versions of the hardware components which does not have a UEFI compatible firmware and Management Component Transport Protocol (MCTP) support will be displayed as unknown.

  • Intelligent Provisioning is always displayed as unknown.

Baseline

The firmware version in the selected firmware baseline. This is used to compare against the installed version.

  • If OK is displayed, the selected baseline firmware is already installed.

  • If n/a is displayed, the component is not updated through SPP.

NOTE:

An alert is displayed when the firmware is not at baseline.