Updating the Sun Blade 6048 Switched InfiniBand Network ExpressModule Firmware

Consult the Sun Blade 6048 Series Product Notes for the most recent information about the availability of firmware updates.

5.1 Updating IB NEM Firmware for Linux

The firmware version on your IB NEM should be ready to use and should not require updating. However, if you want to update the firmware for any reason, you need to use vendor-specific and (generally) OS-specific firmware updating tools.

For Linux (CentOS Release 4.4 (Final) or later), use the OFED mstflint tool to load new IB NEM firmware. The tool, mstflint, is available both as part of the bundled software and from the standard OFED stack.

Installed by default, mstflint is similar to the Mellanox flint tool with the following exception. You must identify the IB NEM in the PCI bus:dev.fun format to satisfy the mstflint command -d device syntax requirement.

5.1.1 Update IB NEM Firmware for Linux

In the following example, the IB NEM (Mellanox InfiniBand: Mellanox Technologies) is configured as PCI bus number 81, device 00, function 0 (81:00.0), which is NEM slot 1 in a Sun Blade 6048 Modular System. On your system, you might see a different designation for the IB NEM.

> lspci
...
80:0e.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation CK804 PCIE Bridge (rev a3)
81:00.0 InfiniBand: Mellanox Technologies MT25204 [InfiniBand: Mellanox Technologies] (rev 20)

> mstflint -d 81:00.0 -i ibnem.bin  burn
Current FW version on flash:  1.1.0
New FW version:               1.2.100
 
Burn image with the following GUIDs:
  Current GUIDs are:
       Node:      001b00000ca72680
       Port1:     001b00000ca72681
       Sys.Image: 01b00000ca72683
 
Read and verify Invariant Sector - OK
Read and verify PPS/SPS on flash - OK
Burning second FW image without signatures - OK
Restoring second signature -OK
 
Do you want to continue ? (y/n) [n] : y

4. As with any IB NEM FLASHRAM update, reset the Server Module (or at least the IB NEM) to load and execute the new firmware image.

5. After resetting the Server Module (or the IB NEM), enter the ibstat command to verify the new firmware version.

> ibstat
CA 'mthca0'
CA type: MT25204
     Number of ports: 1
     Firmware version: 1.1.0
     Hardware version: a0
     Node GUID: 0x001b00000ca72600
     System image GUID: 0x001b00000ca72603
     Port 1:
          State: Active
          Physical state: LinkUp
          Rate: 20
          Base lid: 70
          LMC: 0
          SM lid: 2
          Capability mask: 0x02510a68
          Port GUID: 0x001b00000ca72601

5.1.2 Update The IB NEM Integrated Switches’ Firmware

Download and install on one node in the fabric the Mellanox Firmware Tools (MFT) that are available from http://www.mellanox.com/.

Use the command install.sh --with-ibspark to build and install the binary file that you need to update the Infiniscale-III devices.


# ibswitches
Switch : 0x00144fa601e00050 ports 24 “MT47396 Infiniscale-III Mellanox Technologies” base port 0 lid 7 lmc 0


# ibspark -d <lid from ibswitches> -i I3_fimrware.img b
- Checking primary image - OK
 
  Current FW Version:  1.0.0
  New FW Version       1.0.4
 
- Burning secondary image       - OK
- Verifying secondary image     - OK
- Burning primary image         - OK
- Verifying primary image       - OK