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HP BladeSystem Firmware Maintenance

Overview, Downloads & Compatibility


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IT managers need to address changing business needs with tools that meet the challenges of managing today's complex Datacenters. HP provides management solutions that are designed to simplify installation, configuration and maintenance throughout the entire lifecycle. This provides the customer with higher levels of operational efficiency and highly reliable systems.

It is important to manage the firmware inter-dependencies between HP BladeSystem c-Class components. The Compatibility tab provides a table describing the set of compatible firmware for various releases of tested, compatible sets of firmware.

Key Benefits

  • HP BladeSystem Online Firmware Bundle - Online 
    •  For online (OS’s running) updating of c-Class firmware across multiple enclosures, server blades, Onboard Administrators, and Virtual connect modules. Note: a re-boot of the server’s OS is needed for the firmware updates to take effect. This can be scheduled subsequent to the online updates.
    • Includes the HP Smart Update Manager tool and a compatible set of c-Class firmware (according to the c-Class compatibility chart at the above tab)
    • HP BladeSystem c-Class specific online firmware and software components that are tested and supported as a bundled set.
    • Installation is on a PC or Server, setup HP SUM for all the enclosure in the network, and use it to update all the firmware on several enclosures, blades, and VC modules.
    • Support for Windows and Linux (Supported versions are listed on the download page)
  • HP BladeSystem Firmware Deployment Tool - Offline
    • Offline tool for bare metal or offline updates for a single server blade or a single enclosure at a time. This tool provides an update of HP BladeSystem firmware in an enclosure when OS’s are offline – most typically this is used for the first time update of a new enclosure installation.
    • The HP BladeSystem Firmware Deployment Tool delivers a collection of firmware specifically for your HP BladeSystem Servers and options.
    • BladeSystem specific bootable ISO image used for offline firmware deployment in silent, unattended, non-GUI mode.
    • Can be deployed using iLO Virtual Media for a single server blade
    • For an enclosure, one can use a USB key connected to the enclosure’s OA USB port, one can use the enclosures Onboard Administrator DVD drive function.

Firmware Types

HP BladeSystem Online Firmware Bundle – Online

HP BladeSystem Firmware Deployment Tool - Offline
Virtual Connect Manager X
Onboard Administrator Firmware X  
System ROM X X
iLO/iLO2 (both in-band and out-of-band) X X (in-band only)
Embedded and optional NIC’s X X
Embedded and optional Smart Array Controllers X X
HP-branded QLogic Fibre Channel controllers   X
HP-branded Emulex Fibre Channel controllers   X
SAS HDD X X
SATA HDD (some offline only) X X
Tape firmware X  

Note: In-Band / Out of Band
Management using the network that connects the nodes can be accomplished In-Band, where the control and management data shares the same network as the data being processed, or Out-Of-Band, where a separate network is maintained for management access and control data.

Ideal environment

Ideal for...

Any HP BladeSystem customer.

Customer Problem

  •  All customers require a dependable and time saving method to take their servers to a fully deployed, operational, and managed status within their IT infrastructure quickly, consistently, reliably, using minimal precious resources

Typical Use 

  • One to any number of HP BladeSystems enclosures, blade servers, and Virtual Connect modules
  • New deployments and on-going maintenance of existing BladeSystems
  • Any size customer infrastructure: small to massive, single office to worldwide enterprises, basic to highly complex
  • New infrastructure build-outs or expansions of existing ones
  • Implement total server management from anywhere at anytime
  • Any customer experience level: first time server owners to full-time IT administrators

HP Solves the Customer Problem

  •  HP delivers, easy to use set of tools engineered to address any customer scenario and also provides standard installation support for all HP BladeSystems with more comprehensive, custom agreements available to meet any customer business need worldwide

Features

  • "Driven By" HP Smart Update Manager - ProLiant Support Pack, Firmware Maintenance CD, HP BladeSystem Firmware Deployment Tool and HP BladeSystem Online Firmware Bundle.
  • HP Smart Update Manager technological trends assist with reducing the complexity for system administrators for provisioning and updating HP ProLiant Servers, Options and Blades within the datacenter.
  • HP Smart Update Manager provides a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and a command-line, scriptable interface for deployment of firmware for single or one-to-many servers. Has a hardware and software discovery engine that will discover the firmware and software versions on target servers, this prevents it from sending components to a target node that may not be needed, reducing the overall network traffic needed to deploy updates. HPSUM also has logic in it to break circular and semi-circular dependencies. It also contains logic to prevent version-based dependencies from derailing an installation, will prevent a downgrade in this situation to prevent the loss of user credentials. HPSUM does not require an agent for remote installations as it copies a small SOAP server to the target server for the duration of the installation. Once the installation is completed, the SOAP server is removed along with all remote files associated with the installation; the log files from the remote targets are copied back to the system where HPSUM is executed
  • Key Features:
    • Agent-less solution
    • Dependency checking - ensure appropriate install order and dependency between components
    • Intelligent deployment - only deploy the update necessary components
    • Firmware & Software can be combined and deployed together
    • Improved deployment performance
    • Local or remote (1-to-many) online deployment
    • Local offline deployments
    • Remote offline deployment when used with the SmartStart Scripting Toolkit or iLO Virtual Media
    • GUI or CLI/Scriptable with extensive logging
    • Remote command-line deployment


IT managers need to address changing business needs with tools that meet the challenges of managing today's complex Datacenters. HP provides management solutions that are designed to simplify installation, configuration and maintenance throughout the entire lifecycle. This provides the customer with higher levels of operational efficiency and highly reliable systems.

It is important to manage the firmware inter-dependencies between HP BladeSystem c-Class components. The Compatibility page provides a table describing the set of compatible firmware for various releases of tested, compatible sets of firmware.

For BladeSystem Matrix, please do not use the latest firmware and firmware set downloads provided here. Please go to BladeSystem Matrix - Compatibility instead.


Description

Version - Release Date

Compatibility with Onboard Administrator release

File Download
HP BladeSystem Online Firmware Bundle for Windows 1.60 Latest - Revision History and Download Links OA V2.52
HP BladeSystem Online Firmware Bundle for Linux 1.60 Latest - Revision History and Download Links OA V2.52
HP BladeSystem Firmware Deployment Tool 1.60 – Aug 10, 2009 N/A
HP BladeSystem Firmware Deployment Tool 1.50 – Mar 25, 2009 N/A
HP BladeSystem Firmware Deployment Tool 1.41 - Jan 26, 2009 N/A
HP BladeSystem Firmware Deployment Tool 1.40 - Dec 19, 2008 N/A
HP BladeSystem Firmware Deployment Tool 1.30 – Sept 3, 2008 N/A
HP BladeSystem Firmware Deployment Tool 1.20 - May 21, 2008 N/A
HP BladeSystem Firmware Deployment Tool 1.10 - Feb. 25, 2008 N/A
HP BladeSystem Firmware Deployment Tool 1.00 - Dec. 11, 2007 N/A

IT managers need to address changing business needs with tools that meet the challenges of managing today's complex Datacenters. HP provides management solutions that are designed to simplify installation, configuration and maintenance throughout the entire lifecycle. This provides the customer with higher levels of operational efficiency and highly reliable systems.

 It is important to manage the firmware inter-dependencies between HP BladeSystem c-Class components. The Compatibility Chart page provides a table describing the set of compatible firmware for various releases of tested, compatible sets of firmware.

For BladeSystem Matrix, please do not use the latest firmware and firmware set downloads provided here. Please go to BladeSystem Matrix - Compatibility instead


The HP BladeSystem c-Class requires firmware and mgmt tool upgrades

According to the following compatibility chart:  

» Virtual Connect Compatibility chart

Compatibility chart between Onboard Administrator & other HP BladeSystem c-Class firmware and management tools. The following chart represents the tested combinations of c-Class firmware. It is recommended that customers use one of the two columns of tested firmware (listed below), and maintain their HP BladeSystem at these versions of tested firmware.

Note 1: Onboard Administrator v2.32 & v2.41 MUST have the latest ROM and iLO versions installed, due to the new “Dynamic Power Capping functionality introduced in OA v2.31 and OA v2.32. Please upgrade the ROM and iLO versions first before upgrading to OA v2.32 or OA v2.41.

Note 2: If you are using G6 ProLiant server blades in an enclosure (with or without G1 or G5 server blades), you are required to upgrade to the OAv2.51 compatibility column below. Using OA v2.51 MUST have the latest ROM and iLO versions installed.

Onboard Administrator

v2.52

v2.60

ProLiant iLO2

v1.79 or later

v1.79 or later

Integrity iLO 2

v03.10 or later

v03.12 or later

HP Systems Insight Manager

v5.2.1

v5.3.1

HP Insight Control suite

v2.35 or later

v3.10

HP Insight Control suite for Linux

v2.0 or later

v2.11 or later

Virtual Connect Manager (VCM)

v2.12 or later

v2.12 or later

Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager

v1.30 with VCM v2.12

v1.30 with VCM v2.12

Power Management Controller (c-Class blades)

v3.4(C)
Note: iLO must be updated to at least v1.78 before updating the Power Management Controller

v3.4(D)
Note: iLO must be updated to at least v1.78 before updating the Power Management Controller

Server Blade BIOS - System ROM

 

 

BL460c G1

v2009.05.12 or later

v2009.07.10 or later

BL460c G5

v2009.05.12 or later

v2009.07.10 or later

BL460c G6

v2009.06.20 or later

v2009.07.25 or later

BL480c G1

v2009.05.12 or later

v2009.07.10 or later

BL465c G1/G5/G6

v2009.05.07 or later

v2009.07.27 or later

BL495c G5/G6

v2009.05.07 or later

v2009.07.27 or later

BL490c G6

v2009.06.20 or later

v2009.07.24 or later

BL685c G1/G5

v2009.01.29 or later

v2009.07.20 or later

BL685c G6

v2009.05.07 or later

v2009.07.28 or later

xw460c

v06.11.2008 or later

v11.02.2008 or later

xw2x220c

v11.02.2008 or later

v11.02.2008 or later

BL680c G5

v2009.05.10 or later

v2009.07.10 or later

BL260 G5

v2009.05.12 or later

v2009.07.10 or later

BL280c G6

v2009.06.20 or later

v2009.07.24 or later

BL2x220c G5

v2009.05.12 or later

v2009.07.10 or later

BL860c

v04.11 or later

v04.21 or later

BL870c

v04.11 or later

v04.21 or later

Click on the following links to get downloads:



 

Onboard Administrator v2.41 (See Note 1 above)

Onboard Administrator v2.51 (See Note 2 above)

ProLiant iLO2 v1.78 or later v1.78 or later
Integrity iLO 2 version 03.06 or later version 03.12 or later
HP BladeSystem Integrated Manager v3.3 or later v3.5.1 or later
HP Systems Insight Manager v5.2.1 v5.3.1
HP Insight Control suite v2.35 or later v3.10
HP Insight Control suite for Linux v2.0 or later v2.10 or later
Virtual Connect Manager (VCM) v2.0 or later V2.10 or later
Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager V1.10 with VCM v1.24 V1.30 with VCM v2.10
Online ROM Flash for Windows - Power Management Controller (c-Class blades) V3.4(B)
Note: iLOv1.78 must be updated before updating V3.4(B) of the Power Management Controller		 V3.4(B)
Note: iLOv1.78 must be updated before updating V3.4(B) of the Power Management Controller
Server Blade BIOS - System ROM    
BL2x220c G5 version 2008.11.02 or later version 2009.05.12 or later
BL260 G5 version 2008.11.02 or later version 2009.05.12 or later
BL280c G6 N/A version 2009.06.01 or later
BL460c G1 version 2008.11.02 or later version 2009.05.12 or later
BL460c G5 version 2008.11.02 or later version 2009.05.12 or later
BL460c G6 N/A version 2009.06.01 or later
BL465c G1/G5/G6 version 2008.11.06 or later version 2009.05.07 or later
BL480c G1 version 2008.11.03 or later version 2009.05.12 or later
BL490c G6 N/A version 2009.06.01 or later
BL495c G5/G6 version 2008.11.06 or later version 2009.05.07 or later
BL680c G5 version 2008.09.23 or later version 2009.05.10 or later
BL685c G1/G5 version 2008.11.03 or later version 2009.01.29 or later
BL685c G6 N/A version 2009.05.07 or later
BL860c version 04.11 or later version 04.21 or later
BL870c version 04.11 or later version 04.21 or later
xw2x220c N/A version 11.02.2008 or later
xw460c version 06.11.2008 or later version 06.11.2008 or later