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Cisco Host Upgrade Utility
Overview
The Cisco Host Upgrade Utility is a tool that upgrades the following firmware:
- Cisco Integrated Management Controller (CIMC)
- System BIOS
- LAN on motherboard (LOM)
- LSI (for any third-party LSI storage controllers that are installed)
- Cisco UCS P81E Virtual Interface Card (VIC)
The image file for the firmware is embedded in the ISO. The utility displays a menu that allows you to choose which firmware components to upgrade. After the upgrade, you can also choose whether to reboot with existing CIMC settings or with the factory default CIMC settings.
Important:If you are using UCSM Mode to integrate this server with Cisco UCS Manager, you must use Release 1.2(x) CIMC and BIOS firmware. To upgrade the 1.2(x) firmware, you need to use the Cisco Host Upgrade Utility for 1.2(x). For details, see the following URL: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/sw/lomug/install/LOMUG.html
Requirements and Support
Requirements
Support
Using the Utility
ProcedureYou can use the utility ISO to upgrade components of the server from the host locally with a writable disk (DVD or CD) or remotely by mounting the utility ISO as a virtual device.
Step 1 Find the ISO file download for your server online and download it to a temporary location on your workstation:
- Navigate to the following URL: http://www.cisco.com/cisco/software/navigator.html.
- Click Unified Computing and Servers in the middle column.
- Click Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Standalone Server Software in the right-hand column.
- Click the name of your model of server in the right-hand column.
- Click Unified Computing System (UCS) Server Firmware.
- Click the 1.3 release number.
- Click Download Now to download the hostUpgrade_<version>.iso file.
- Verify the information on the next page, then click Proceed With Download.
- Continue through the subsequent screens to accept the license agreement and browse to a location where you want to save the hostUpgrade_<version>.iso file.
Step 2 If you want to prepare the ISO for a local upgrade, complete this step. Otherwise go to Step 3.
- Burn the ISO image onto a writable disk (DVD or CD).
- Connect a VGA monitor and USB keyboard to the Cisco C-Series server.
- Insert the disk into the DVD drive of the Cisco C-Series server.
- Go to Step 4.
Step 3 Prepare the ISO for a remote upgrade using KVM.
Step 4 Boot the server and press F6 when prompted to open the Boot Menu screen. Step 5 On the Boot Menu screen, select the prepared ISO:
- For a local upgrade, select the physical CD/DVD device and then press Enter. For example, SATA5:TSSTcorp CDDVDW TS-L633C.
- For a remote upgrade, select Cisco Virtual CD/DVD and press Enter.
The server reboots from the selected device.
Step 6 The server displays a screen with the server BIOS and CIMC firmware versions. At the “Have you read the Cisco EULA” (end user license agreement)? prompt:
- Press y to accept the EULA and continue the update.
- Press n to read the EULA. The EULA is displayed and you are prompted to press y to continue the update, or n to cancel. If you press n, the server will reboot without updating.
- Press q to exit without updating. This selection reboots the server.
After you accept the EULA, the server displays the Host Upgrade Menu.
Step 7 On the Host Upgrade Menu, enter one of the following numbers at the Enter Choice prompt:
Option Description 1. Update CIMC Firmware - <version> The utility selects the correct CIMC firmware for your server and then performs the upgrade.
Wait until you see confirmation that the upgrade was successful, then either select another option from this menu or go to Step 8.
Note We recommend you always upgrade the BIOS when you upgrade the CIMC firmware.
2. Update BIOS The utility selects the correct BIOS firmware for your server and then performs the upgrade.
Wait until you see confirmation that the upgrade was successful, then either select another option from this menu or go to Step 8.
Note We recommend you always upgrade the CIMC firmware when you upgrade the BIOS.
3. Update LOM Firmware The utility selects the correct LOM firmware for your server and then performs the upgrade. The updated image reverts LOM firmware settings back to factory defaults.
Wait until you see confirmation that the upgrade was successful, then either select another option from this menu or go to Step 8.
Note It is possible that some older systems might fail the PHY link upgrade. If this happens, power cycle the server and try the LOM update again.
4. Update LSI Firmware The utility checks for any installed and supported LSI storage controller cards, selects the correct LSI firmware and NVdata, and then performs the upgrade.
Wait until you see confirmation that the upgrade was successful, then either select another option from this menu or go to Step 8.
Note These upgrades take place after the server reboots.
5. Update UCS P81E VIC The utility checks for any installed Cisco UCS P81E Virtual Interface Cards (VICs), selects the correct firmware, and then performs the upgrade.
Wait until you see confirmation that the upgrade was successful, then either select another option from this menu or go to Step 8.
6. All of the above The utility selects the correct firmware components for your server and then upgrades the CIMC, BIOS, LOM, LSI, P81E VIC firmware, and in that order.
Wait until you see confirmation that the upgrade was successful, then go to Step 8.
Step 8 After all upgrades are successful, select the appropriate CIMC settings to use during the reboot from the Host Upgrade Menu.
Option Description 7. Reboot (Retains current settings of CIMC) The utility reboots the server with your existing CIMC settings. Use this selection if you are upgrading a standalone server that you want to continue using in standalone mode with your current settings.
Note This reboot will end connection with the CIMC and you must log in again to re-establish connection to the CIMC and reopen any KVM session that you had open.
8. Reboot (Restore factory default settings) The utility reboots the server with factory default settings. This option is not available on C260 and C460 servers.
Note Option 8 enables DHCP, Active-Active NIC redundancy, and Shared LOM NIC mode, which enables CIMC control through the 1Gb LOM ports rather than the management port. Any static IP addresses and the management port are disabled, so you lose connection with the CIMC and you must log in again to re-establish connection to the CIMC and then reopen any KVM session that you had open.
After you select option 7 or 8, the server reboots. If you upgraded the CIMC firmware, the new firmware version is activated during this reboot.
Step 9 (Optional)If you updated the LOM firmware, you must fully power cycle the server. You can do this by:
Troubleshooting
The following table describes troubleshooting suggestions for issues that you might encounter.
Issue
Suggested Solution
Connection to CIMC is lost after an update and reboot and the KVM session ends.
This is expected behavior after a firmware update. Log back in to the CIMC and reestablish your KVM session.
KVM console screen goes blank when it is idle during an upgrade.
Select from the menu in the KVM tab to return the display to the screen.
Additional Information
Related Cisco UCS Documentation
Documentation Roadmaps
For a complete list of all B-Series documentation, see the Cisco UCS B-Series Servers Documentation Roadmap available at the following URL: http://www.cisco.com/go/unifiedcomputing/b-series-doc.
For a complete list of all C-Series documentation, see the Cisco UCS C-Series Servers Documentation Roadmap available at the following URL: http://www.cisco.com/go/unifiedcomputing/c-series-doc .
Other Documentation Resources
An ISO file containing all B and C-Series documents is available at the following URL: http://www.cisco.com/cisco/software/type.html?mdfid=283853163&flowid=25821. From this page, click Unified Computing System (UCS) Documentation Roadmap Bundle.
The ISO file is updated after every major documentation release.
Follow Cisco UCS Docs on Twitter to receive document update notifications.
Obtaining Documentation and Submitting a Service Request
For information on obtaining documentation, submitting a service request, and gathering additional information, see the monthly What's New in Cisco Product Documentation, which also lists all new and revised Cisco technical documentation.
Subscribe to the What's New in Cisco Product Documentation as a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed and set content to be delivered directly to your desktop using a reader application. The RSS feeds are a free service and Cisco currently supports RSS version 2.0.
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