Update System Firmware Using Automatic Mode

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A system firmware patch includes firmware for the Oracle ILOM service processor and either BIOS for x86 systems, or OBP, Hypervisor, NYX, POST, etc. for SPARC systems. In this context, system firmware refers to firmware required for base server operation. It does not include firmware for ancillary devices such as controllers and disk drives.

Before You Begin

To update system firmware using the fastest possible local option, ensure the Host-to-ILOM Interconnect is correctly configured to communicate with the target Oracle ILOM service processor (Configuring the Host-to-ILOM Interconnect). For systems that do not support updates over the Host-to-ILOM interconnect, such as the SPARC M series, the remote option utilizing a network connection to the service processor can be used.
Download the firmware update from https://support.oracle.com.

The download should include a metadata file and firmware file for the target system.
Make sure that the firmware is compatible with the target system. Some updates require a minimum version of firmware from which to perform the update. For some systems, special update processes might be described in the release notes that supersede instructions listed here. Read all documentation and release notes included with the firmware before proceeding.

To display information about system firmware, choose the local or remote option:
- Local – To list information about the local system firmware, type:
  # fwupdate list sysfw -v
- Remote – To list information about system firmware using a network connection, type:
  # fwupdate list sysfw -v -H sp_ip -U username
  
  where sp_ip is the IP address of the service processor and username is the user name with Admin (a) role account privileges for logging in to the Oracle ILOM service processor.
  
  Enter the Oracle ILOM password when prompted.
Output related to the target is displayed. For example the output from this command is similar to:
```
================================================
SP
================================================== 
ID: sp
    Product Name: SPARC T7-1
    System Firmware Version: 9.5.2.g
    ILOM Version: v3.2.5.8.g r105871
    BIOS/OBP Version: OpenBoot 4.38.2 2015/10/30 13:09
    Fallback Boot Version: 11.3.10.5.0
    XML Support: N/A
```
To update the system firmware, choose the local or remote option:
- Local – To update the local system firmware, enter one of the following commands:
  - # fwupdate update all -x metadata.xml
    
    --or--
  - # fwupdate update sysfw -x metadata.xml
  where metadata.xml is the path to the metadata file. For scripting purposes, you can add the -q option to perform the update without user interaction.
  
  Note - For x86 systems, when updating system firmware you can add either the –-silent-reboot or –-silent-no-reboot option after the XML metadata file option to either automatically reboot or not automatically reboot the server after the firmware update.
  For SPARC systems, these options can only be used if the system supports the Live Firmware Update feature and only if the metadata includes a power cycle. Check the release notes included with your SPARC firmware download package to see if this feature is supported.
- Remote – To update system firmware using a network connection, type one of the following commands:
  - # fwupdate update all -x metadata.xml -H sp_ip -U username
    
    --or--
  - # fwupdate update sysfw -x metadata.xml -H sp_ip -U username
  where metadata.xml is the path to the metadata file, sp_ip is the IP address of the service processor and username is the user name with Admin (a) role account privileges for logging in to the Oracle ILOM service processor.
  
  Enter the Oracle ILOM password when prompted.
  
  Note - For x86 systems, when updating system firmware you can add either the –-silent-reboot or –-silent-no-reboot option after the XML metadata file option to either automatically reboot or not automatically reboot the server after the firmware update.
  For SPARC systems, these options can only be used if the system supports the Live Firmware Update feature and only if the metadata includes a power cycle. Check the release notes included with your SPARC firmware download package to see if this feature is supported.
Follow any prompts, as required, to complete the update process.
If you opted not to automatically restart the server after the update, you must plan time to restart the server to utilize the new system firmware.
Note - Unless otherwise specified in the firmware release notes, a reboot is required for an x86 system; a power cycle is required for a SPARC system.
To confirm the new system firmware after the server has restarted, choose the local or remote option:
- Local – To list information about the local system firmware, type:
  # fwupdate list sysfw
- Remote – To list information about system firmware using a network connection, type:
  # fwupdate list sysfw -H sp_ip -U username
  
  where sp_ip is the IP address of the service processor and username is the user name with Admin (a) role account privileges for logging in to the Oracle ILOM service processor.
  
  Enter the Oracle ILOM password when prompted.
Output related to the target is displayed. For example the output from this command is similar to:
```
================================================
SP
================================================== 
ID: sp
    Product Name: SPARC T7-1
    System Firmware Version: 9.5.2.g
    ILOM Version: v3.2.5.8.g r105871
    BIOS/OBP Version: OpenBoot 4.38.2 2015/10/30 13:09
    Fallback Boot Version: 11.3.11.6.0
    XML Support: N/A
```

See Also