C H A P T E R 10

Firmware Upgrade Procedures

This chapter contains the following sections:

Section 10.1, Introduction

Section 10.2, Setting up a TFTP Server

Section 10.3, Installing Firmware Images Onto the TFTP Server

Section 10.4, Upgrading the System Controller Firmware

Section 10.5, Upgrading the Blade Support Chip Firmware on One or More Blades

Section 10.6, Upgrading OpenBoot PROM (OBP) Firmware on a B100s Server Blade

Section 10.7, Upgrading the Integrated Switch Firmware

10.1 Introduction

Note - To perform the update procedures in this chapter, you need to have a connection from the NETMGT port to the management network. This is because you need to transfer the new firmware from a location on your network.

This chapter tells you how to upgrade the firmware on:

One or both System Controllers

One or more Blade Support Chips (each server blade contains a single one of these, called a BSC for short)

One or more blade OpenBoot PROMs (OBP)

One or both switches

The chapter also tells you how to set up a TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol) server if you do not already have one set up on your network. The firmware upgrade procedures require you to use TFTP.

The BSC on each server blade is a management agent for the System Controller. It communicates information about the server blade it resides in to the System Controller. It also receives and processes any commands that you type into the System Controller's command-line interface.

Follow the instructions in this chapter if you have been advised by a Sun support engineer to download new firmware onto a System Controller, server blade, or integrated switch.

New firmware for System Controllers and server blades is available on the following website:

wwws.sun.com/software/download/network.html

These patches are not operating system patches and are not installed using the standard Solaris patchadd(1m) utility. Once the patches have been unpacked they deliver the firmware images with the filename format shown in TABLE 10-1.


Firmware Image	Filename
System Controller application	SunFireB1600-sc-vxxxx.flash1
Integrated Switch firmware	SunFireB1600-switch-vxxxx.flash1
Blade Support Chip firmware	SunFireB100s-bsc-vxxxx.flash1 SunFireB100x-bsc-vxxxx.flash1 SunFireB200x-bsc-vxxxx.flash1
OpenBoot PROM firmware upgrade utility	SunFireB100s-obp-vxxxx.sh1

^{1. Note that -vxxxx represents the version number of the firmware. For example the file SunFireB1600s-switch-v1.0.0.10.flash would be the image for version 1.0.0.10 of the switch firmware.}

In addition to following the instructions in this chapter, please perform any special instructions that are provided in the patch README files.

10.2 Setting up a TFTP Server

The procedures for upgrading firmware on the different components of the Sun B1600 blade system chassis involve using TFTP. This means that to perform them you need to have a TFTP server available on your network.

The instructions in this section assume that you are setting up a TFTP server on a Solaris system. For instructions on setting up a TFTP server on a Linux system, see chapter 4 of the B100x and B200x Blade Server Installation and Setup Guide.

Note - If you are using separated data and management networks, you need a TFTP server available on both networks.

To configure a Solaris system on your network to serve TFTP requests, do the following:

1. On the system that you intend to set up as the TFTP server, log in as root.

2. Use a text editor to un-comment the following line in the file /etc/inetd.conf:

tftp  dgram udp6 wait root /usr/sbin/in.tftpd in.tftpd -s /tftpboot

3. On the same system create a TFTP home directory by typing the following at the Solaris prompt:

# mkdir /tftpboot

# chown root /tftpboot

# chmod 755 /tftpboot

# cd /tftpboot

# ln -s . tftpboot

4. Restart inetd by typing:

# pkill -HUP inetd

5. Verify that TFTP is working.

To do this, use TFTP to get a file from the /tftpboot directory. Follow the instructions below:

a. On the system that you are using as the TFTP server, copy any file (for example, the Solaris /etc/release file) to the /tftpboot directory.

Type the following command at the Solaris prompt:

# cp /etc/release /tftpboot/filename

where filename is the name of the file you intend to make available on the TFTP server.

b. Make the file you have just copied read-only:

# chmod 444 /tftpboot/filename

where filename is the name of the file you intend to make available on the TFTP server.

Note - that TFTP is not the same as FTP. It does not display the same error messages as FTP, and you cannot use the cd or ls commands (or indeed most other commands) that FTP allows you to use.

c. Change directory to a temporary directory:

# cd /tmp

d. Use TFTP to get the file from the tftpboot directory:

# tftp localhost

tftp> get filename

Received xxx bytes in x.x seconds

tftp> quit

where filename is the name of the file you intend to make available on the TFTP server.

e. Ensure that the file is in the tmp directory.

10.3 Installing Firmware Images Onto the TFTP Server

When you have downloaded the Sun Fire B1600 firmware patches (and unpacked the firmware images), you need to install them onto the correct directory on the TFTP server. This makes them available to the System Controller's flashupdate command.

To install the firmware onto the TFTP server, at that system's # prompt, type the following:

# cd /tftp-root-dir

# mkdir firmware

# cp SunFireB1600-sc-vxxxx.flash /tftp-root-dir/firmware

# chmod 444 /tftp-root-dir/firmware/SunFireB1600-sc-vxxxx.flash

# cd switch-firmware-patch-dir

# cp SunFireB1600-switch-vxxxx.flash /tftp-root-dir/firmware

# chmod 444 /tftp-root-dir/SunFireB1600-switch-vxxxx.flash

# cd bsc-firmware-patch-dir

# cp SunFireB100x-bsc-vxxxx.flash /tftp-root-dir/firmware

# chmod 444 /tftp-root-dir/SunFireB100x-bsc-vxxxx.flash

where:

vxxxx is the version of the firmware,

tftp-root-dir is the TFTP root directory on the TFTP server. On Solaris systems this directory is typically called /tftpboot. On Linux systems it is called /tftp.

sc-firmware-patch-dir is the directory into which you unpacked the contents of the System Controller firmware packages.

switch-firmware-patch-dir is the directory into which you unpacked the contents of the switch firmware packages.

bsc-firmware-patch-dir is the directory into which you unpacked the contents of the BSC firmware packages. Note that this example shows the location of BSC firmware for a B100x server blade.

10.4 Upgrading the System Controller Firmware

Note - You must have a-level user privileges to perform an update of the System Controller firmware. For information about the levels of user permission that are available, see Section 3.5, Setting up Named User Accounts for Other People).

Note - To make the standby System Controller take over as the active one so that you can upgrade the firmware on it, use the setfailover command (see Chapter 7).

To perform the upgrade, do the following:

1. Check the current version of the System Controller firmware.

Type:

sc>showsc

Sun Advanced Lights Out Manager for Blade Servers 1.1

Copyright 2003 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ALOM-B 1.1

Release: 1.1.8

Parameter                           Running Value      Stored Value

----------------------------------------------------------------

Bootable Image :                1.0.97 (Jan 06 03)

Current Running Image :         1.0.97 (Jan 06 03)

...

The current version of the System Controller firmware appears in the line labeled "Current Running Image".

2. Read the patch README file supplied with the System Controller firmware image and note the version of the firmware it describes.

Also note any special instructions and cautions.

3. Establish that the upgrade is necessary.

If the current System Controller firmware revision matches the version numbers listed in the patch README file, the upgrade is not necessary for this System Controller.

If the current System Controller firmware revision is lower than the latest firmware revision specified in the patch README file, proceed to Step 4.

4. At the sc> prompt, type:

sc> flashupdate -s ipaddress -f path [-v] [-y] sscn/sc

where:

path specifies the path and filename of the new firmware you intend to download,

ipaddress specifies the IP address of the computer on which the new firmware is stored (in other words, of the TFTP server),

n is either 0 or 1 depending on whether you are downloading new firmware onto SSC0 or SSC1,

and where the -v (verbose) option displays detailed screen output to enable you to observe the progress of the firmware update, and the -y option causes the update command to execute without prompting you for confirmation to proceed.

For example:

sc> flashupdate -s 129.156.237.102 -f /firmware/SunFireB1600-sc-vxxxx.flash -v -y sscn/sc

5. When the update operation has completed, you must reset the System Controller for the new firmware to come into use.

Type:

sc> resetsc -y

where the -y option causes the System Controller to reset without prompting you for confirmation to proceed.

6. Confirm that the System Controller is now running the new firmware.

Type:

sc>showsc

Sun Advanced Lights Out Manager for Blade Servers 1.2

Copyright 2003 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ALOM-B 1.2

Release: 1.2.1

Parameter                              Running Value      Stored Value

----------------------------------------------------------------

Bootable Image :                       1.2.1 (Jun 29 03)

Current Running Image :                1.2.1 (Jun 29 03)

7. Upgrade the firmware on the standby System Controller:

a. Follow the instructions in Chapter 7 to make the standby System Controller take over as the active one.

b. Repeat Step 1 through Step 6 above.

10.4.1 Example for Upgrading the System Controller Firmware

To download a new image (called SunFireB1600-sc-v1.1.8.flash) onto the System Controller in SSC0 from a TFTP server whose IP address is 129.156.237.102, you would need to type the following at the SC's command line:

sc> flashupdate -s 129.156.237.102 -f /firmware/SunFireB1600-sc-v1.1.8.flash ssc0/sc

Warning: Are you sure you want to update the flash image (y/n)? y

Erasing segment 2f Programming address ffaeffef

Update of SSC0/SC complete.

The system must be reset (using resetsc) for the new image to be loaded

sc> resetsc -y

10.5 Upgrading the Blade Support Chip Firmware on One or More Blades

1. Check the current version of the blades' BSC firmware.

The current version of the firmware running on each blade is listed at the end of the output from the showsc -v command. Type:

sc>showsc -v

Sun Advanced Lights Out Manager for Blade Servers 1.2

Copyright 2003 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ALOM-B 1.2

FRU   Software Version            Software Release Date

--------------------------------------------------------

S0    v1.1T30-SUNW,Serverblade1   Oct 24 2002 16:22:24

S1    v1.1T30-SUNW,Serverblade1   Oct 24 2002 16:22:24

S2    v1.1T30-SUNW,Serverblade1   Oct 24 2002 16:22:24

S3    v1.1T30-SUNW,Serverblade1   Oct 24 2002 16:22:24

S4    v4.1.1-SUNW,Sun-Fire-B200x  May 27 2003 10:36:23

S6    v4.1.1-SUNW,Sun-Fire-B200x  May 27 2003 10:36:23

S8    v4.1.1-SUNW,Sun-Fire-B200x  May 27 2003 10:36:23

S10   v4.1.1-SUNW,Sun-Fire-B200x  May 27 2003 10:36:20

S12   v5.1.0-SUNW,Sun-Fire-B100x  Oct  7 2003 11:03:20

S13   v5.1.0-SUNW,Sun-Fire-B100x  Oct  7 2003 11:03:20

S14   v5.1.0-SUNW,Sun-Fire-B100x  Oct  7 2003 11:03:20

S15   v5.1.0-SUNW,Sun-Fire-B100x  Oct  7 2003 11:03:20

sc>

(Note that the : character indicates omitted information.)

2. Read the patch README file supplied with the BSC firmware image and note the version of the firmware that it describes.

Also note any special instructions and cautions.

3. Establish that the upgrade is necessary.

If the current BSC firmware revision for a blade matches the version numbers given in the patch README file, the upgrade is not necessary for that blade.

If the current BSC firmware revision is lower than the latest firmware revision specified in the patch README file, proceed to Step 4.

4. At the sc> prompt, type:

sc> flashupdate [-v] [-y] -s ipaddress -f path sn [sn...]

where:

the -v (verbose) option displays detailed screen output to enable you to observe the progress of the firmware update, and the -y option causes the update command to execute without prompting you for confirmation to proceed.

ipaddress specifies the IP address of the computer on which the new firmware is stored (in other words, of the TFTP server),

path specifies the path and filename of the new firmware you intend to download,

n specifies the blade whose firmware you want to upgrade,

and where [sn...] indicates an optional space-separated list of blades to be updated.

5. Check that the new firmware is running on the blades.

To do this, repeat Step 1 to see an updated list of the firmware on the blades.

10.5.1 Example of Upgrading Firmware on a Single Blade

To download a new image (called SunFireB100x-bsc-v5.0.0.flash) onto the blade in slot 3 from the firmware directory on a TFTP server whose IP address was 129.156.237.102, you would need to type:

sc> flashupdate -s 129.156.237.102 -f /firmware/SunFireB100x-bsc-v5.0.0.flash s3

Warning: Are you sure you want to update S3 bsc image;

all console connections to the fru will be reset (y/n)? y

131072 bytes of 131072 completed on S3

Update of S3 complete

sc>

10.5.2 Examples for Upgrading Firmware on a Number of Blades

To download a new image (called SunFire100x-bsc-v5.0.0.flash) onto the blades in slots 5, 10, and 13 from a TFTP server whose IP address was 129.156.237.102, you would need to type:

sc> flashupdate -s 129.156.237.102 -f /firmware/SunFireB100x-bsc-v5.0.0.flash s5 s10 s13

Warning: Are you sure you want to update s5 bsc image;

all console connections to s5 will be reset (y/n)? y

131072 bytes of 131072 completed on s5

Update of s5 complete

Warning: Are you sure you want to update s10 bsc image;

all console connections to s10 will be reset. (y/n)? y

131072 bytes of 131072 completed on s10

Update of s10 complete

Warning: Are you sure you want to update s13 bsc image;

all console connections to s13 will be reset (y/n)? y

131072 bytes of 131072 completed on s13

Update of s13 complete

sc>

10.6 Upgrading OpenBoot PROM (OBP) Firmware on a B100s Server Blade

This section tells you how to upgrade the OBP firmware on a SPARC Solaris server blade. You need to do this from the Solaris operating environment on the blade itself.

1. Check the current version of the OBP firmware on the blade.

From the Solaris prompt type:

# /usr/sbin/prtconf -V

    OBP  4.7.3 2002/12/09 08:30

Alternatively, from the PROM monitor's ok prompt on the blade, type:

ok .version

  Release  4.7.3 created 2002/12/09 08:30

  OBP  4.7.3 2002/12/09 08:30 Sun Serverblade1

2. Copy the OBP firmware upgrade to a known location on the blade.

3. Change to the directory that you have put the new firmware into, and extract the contents of the zip file containing it.

# cd /var/tmp

# unzip patchnumber-rev.zip

# cd patchnumber-rev

An example is as follows:

# cd /var/tmp

# unzip 123456-01.zip

# cd 123456-01

4. Read the patch README file and note the version of the OBP firmware that it describes. Also note any special instructions.

5. Establish whether it is necessary to proceed with the OBP firmware upgrade for the particular blade.

If the current Flash PROM revision matches the version numbers given in the patch README file then the upgrade is not necessary for this blade.

If the current Flash PROM firmware revision is lower than the latest firmware revision specified in the patch README file, then proceed to Step 6.

6. Prepare the blade for the OBP firmware upgrade.

Close and exit all applications. You need to do this because the OBP upgrade utility you will run in Step 8 reboots the blade's operating environment.

7. Become root user.

8. Execute the OBP upgrade utility.

Type:

# cd /var/tmp/patchnumber-rev

# chmod +x SunFireB100s-obp-vxxxxx.sh

# ./SunFireB100s-obp-vxxxxx.sh

where vxxxxx is the firmware version information.

A sample command is as follows:

# ./SunFireB100s-obp-v4.7.3.sh

Flash Update 2.4: Program and system initialization in progress...

    Current System Flash PROM Revision:

    -----------------------------------

    OBP 4.7.0.stlo.v111 2002/11/01 17:44 Sun

    Available System Flash PROM Revision:

    -------------------------------------

    OBP 4.7.3 2002/12/09 08:30

NOTE: The system will be rebooted (reset) after the firmware has been updated. However, if an error occurs then the system will NOT be rebooted.

Do you wish to update the firmware in the system Flash PROM? yes/no: yes

     Erasing the top half of the Flash PROM.

     Programming OBP into the top half of the Flash PROM.

     Verifying OBP in the top half of the Flash PROM.

     Erasing the bottom half of the Flash PROM.

     Programming OBP into the bottom half of Flash PROM.

     Verifying OBP in the bottom half of the Flash PROM.

     Erasing the top half of the Flash PROM.

     Programming POST into the top half of Flash PROM.

     Verifying POST in the top half of the Flash PROM.

     The system's Flash PROM firmware has been updated.

     Please wait while the system is rebooted...

9. Repeat Step 1 to confirm that the upgrade was successful.

10.7 Upgrading the Integrated Switch Firmware

Note - To enable you to perform the instructions in this section, the switch you are downloading new firmware onto must have an IP address set. For instructions about setting the IP address, see the Sun Fire Blade System Chassis Software Setup Guide.

To download new firmware onto the switch belonging to one of the SSCs:

1. Access the console of the switch you want to download new firmware onto.

To do this, type:

sc> console sscn/swt

where n is either 0 or 1 depending on whether the switch you want to upgrade belongs to SSC0 or SSC1.

2. When prompted, type your switch user name and password.

For information about accessing the switch using the default user name (admin) and password (admin), and about setting passwords, see the Sun B1600 Blade System Chassis Software Setup Guide.

3. Read the patch README file supplied with the switch firmware image and note the version of the firmware that it describes. Also note any special instructions and cautions.

4. Establish that the upgrade is necessary.

Find out the version number of the currently installed operation code firmware.

To do this, type the following:

Console# show version

     Unit1

     Serial number :

     Service tag :

     Hardware version :

     Number of ports :24

     Main power status :up

     Redundant power status :not present

     Agent(master)

     Unit id :1

     Loader version :0.0.6.5

     Boot rom version :0.0.7.3

     Operation code version :0.0.0.7

The version of the operating code appears on the last line of the screen output.

If the current operating code firmware revision matches the version numbers given in the patch README file then the upgrade is not necessary for this switch.

If the current operating code firmware revision is lower than the latest firmware revision specified in the patch README file, then proceed to the next step.

5. Find out if there is more than one version of the operation code firmware stored on the switch.

To do this, type:

Console#dir

                        file name      file type startup size (byte)

 -------------------------------- -------------- ------- --------

                diag_v0073     Boot-Rom image       Y  114228

                    runtime_v0005    Operation Code          N   1012032

                    runtime_v0007    Operation Code          Y   1018048

   Factory_Default_Config.cfg  Config File          Y   2574

 ----------------------------------------------------------------

                                         Total free space:   6230132

6. Delete any operation code files marked `N'.

In the example in Step 5, you would type the following to delete the piece of firmware not being used:

Console#delete runtime_v0005

7. Perform the download by typing the following:

Console#copy tftp file

8. When prompted, specify:

The IP address of the TFTP server

`2' as the type of firmware you are downloading (this indicates that it is operation code and not a configuration file)

The name of the source file containing the new operation code

The name you want the new operation code to have when it is copied onto the switch.

Console#copy tftp file

TFTP server ip address: 129.156.223.5

Choose file type:

 1. config: 2. opcode: <1-2>:  2

Source file name: SunFireB1600-switch-v1.0.0.10.flash

Destination file name: runtime_v10010

-Write to FLASH Programming.

/Write to FLASH finish.

Success.

Console#

For more information about downloading firmware to the switch, refer to the description of the "copy" command in the Sun B1600 Blade System Chassis Switch Administrator's Guide (816-3365).

9. Confirm that the new file has been stored in the switch's flash memory.

To do this, type:

Console#dir

                       file name      file type startup size (byte)

 -------------------------------- -------------- ------- --------

                       diag_v0073 Boot-Rom image       Y      114228

                    runtime_v0007 Operation Code       Y     1018048

                    runtime_v10010 Operation Code       N     1018056

       Factory_Default_Config.cfg    Config File     Y        2574

 ----------------------------------------------------------------

                                         Total free space:   4980736

10. Make the new firmware into the default boot-image for the switch.

Console#configure

Console(config)#boot system opcode: runtime_v10010

Console(config)#end

11. Reset the switch by typing:

Console#reload

System will be restarted, continue <y/n>? y

12. When you have reset the switch, log into it again and confirm that the switch is using the new operating code.

Type:

Console#show version     Unit1

     Serial number :

     Service tag :

     Hardware version :r0b

     Number of ports :24

     Main power status :up

     Redundant power status :not present

     Agent(master)

     Unit id :1

     Loader version :0.0.6.5

     Boot rom version :0.0.7.3

     Operation code version :1.0.0.10

13. Repeat Step 1 through Step 12 to upgrade the operating code on the other switch in the chassis.