UCS Firmware

June 7, 2017

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 Topics
• Download UCS Release Software Bundles from Cisco
• Backup UCSM Configuration
• Cisco UCS Health Check
• Download Firmware Images to the Fabric Interconnect
• Steps to Upgrade Firmware Bundles
• Host Firmware Package
• VIC Drivers for ESXi Host

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 Download Firmware Upgrade from Cisco Site

• Download firmware upgrade bundles from Cisco.com website

• Downloads Home > Products > Unified Computing and

Servers > Cisco UCS Infrastructure and UCS Manager Software

• Download Unified Computing System (UCS) Infrastructure Software

Bundle

• Download Unified Computing System (UCS) Manager Capability

Catalog

• Download Cisco UCS VIC Drivers

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 Infrastructure Software Bundle
• UCS Infrastructure bundle
(NX-OS software for UCS Fabric Interconnects, Firmware for Fabric
Extenders & I/O modules,UCS Manager, Chassis Management
Controller,UCSM Capability Catalog )

• UCS B-Series
( Server BIOS,CIMC,Adapters and Controllers )

• UCS C-Series
( Server BIOS,CIMC,Adapters and Controllers )

• UCS VIC Drivers

Cisco UCS VIC driver ISO bundles include an eNIC driver and an fNIC
driver. The eNIC is the driver for the Cisco UCS VIC Ethernet NIC. The
fNIC is the driver for the Cisco UCS VIC Fibre Channel over Ethernet
HBA.

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Backup UCSM Configuration

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 UCS Health Check
Verify overall status (Should be Operable / OK) of Fabric Interconnects, I/O
Modules, Servers and Adapters

UCSM-->Equipment-->Fabric Interconnects -->Fabric Interconnect A-->General -->

Status (Check same status for Fabric Interconnect B )
UCSM-->Equipment-->Fabric Interconnects -->Fabric Interconnect A-->General --> High
Availability Details (Check same status for Fabric Interconnect B )
UCSM-->Equipment--> Chassis -->Chassis 1 -->General -->Status (Check same status
for all Chassis)
UCSM-->Equipment--> Chassis -->Chassis 1 -->IO Module 1 -->General -->Status
(Check same status for all IO Modules)
UCSM-->Equipment--> Chassis -->Chassis 1 -->Servers -->Server1-->General -->Status
(Check same status for all servers)
UCSM-->Equipment--> Chassis -->Chassis 1 -->Servers -->Server1-->Adapters --
>Adapter 1-->General -->Status (Check same status for all Adapters)

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 UCS Health Check
Verify enough space on both Fabric Connect bootflash
UCSM-->Equipment-->Fabric Interconnects -->Fabric Interconnect A--
>General --> Local Storage Information (Check same status for Fabric
Interconnect B )

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 UCS Health Check
Verify vNIC Template

UCSM-->LAN-->Policies -->root-->vNIC Templates

Verify vHBA Template

UCSM-->SAN-->Policies -->root-->vHBA Templates

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 UCS Health Check
Verify Fault Summary: Make sure there are no Critical /Major alerts or if they
can be safely ignored

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 Download Firmware Bundles to Fabric Interconnect

UCSM-->Equipment-->Firmware Management -->Installed Firmware--

>Download Firmware

Download both Infra and Server Bundles

(If you have two Fabric Interconnects configured as a cluster, the firmware
upgrade bundles will be uploaded to both FIs)

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 Upgrade Steps to be followed

• Disabling Call Home

• Updating the Firmware on the Adapters,CIMCs and IOMs
• Activating the Firmware on the Adapters
• Activating the Firmware on the CIMCs
• Activating the Board Controller Firmware
• Activating the UCS Manager Software
• Activating the I/O Modules
• Activating the Subordinate Fabric Interconnect Firmware
• Activating the Primary Fabric Interconnect Firmware
• Host Firmware
• Upgrade VIC drivers

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 Host Firmware Packages
UCSM-->Servers-->Policies -->root-->Host Firmware Packages

Update host firmware package(s) for servers — Must be the last firmware upgraded.

Host firmware package will include firmware upgrade for BIOS, CIMC,Storage
Controller and Adapters. You can amend existing Host Firmware Package to include
new firmware versions or create a new one. New Host firmware package will need to
be associated with the Server Service Profile(s). Before you amend Host Profile
Package to include new firmware or associate a new Host Profile Package with a
Service Profile, make sure you have management policy setup correctly.

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 Management Policies
UCSM-->Servers-->Policies -->root-->Maintenance Policies

Immediate – the server will be rebooted immediately after you amend Host
Profile Package already associated with Service Profile

User Ack – User will need to acknowledge server reboot in Pending Activities.
The interesting part is that even if user reboots the server manually, the
changes will not be activated, you need to acknowledge the changes in Pending
Activities.

Timer Automatic- Automatic reboot during scheduled maintenance window(s)

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 VIC Drivers for ESXi Host

http://www.bonusbits.com/uploads/Cisco_UCS_B-
Series_VIC_Drivers_for_ESX_Installation_Guide.pdf

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-
virtual-interface-card/products-installation-guides-list.html

Determining Network/Storage firmware and driver version in ESXi/ESX

4.x and 5.x (1027206)

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1027206

Determining which storage or network driver is actively being used on

ESXi host (1034674)

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1034674

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 Reference

http://www.vstrong.info/2012/10/22/how-to-upgrade-cisco-ucs-
manager-fabric-interconnects-io-modules-and-b-series-blade-server-
firmware

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