Activate Firmware Backup Image for Immediate Installation

Note:

The ability to activate a backup firmware image for installation is supported on newer Oracle server platforms such as SPARC T7 and later platforms; as well as X86 X7 and later platforms. This functionality is not supported on SPARC M-Series platforms.

Before You Begin

Oracle ILOM Admin (a) privileges are required to activate the firmware backup image for installation.
Verify that the managed server SP has network connectivity.
For example, to verify that the server SP is connected to the network, use a remote web browser client or a remote CLI ssh client to log in to the server SP. For instruction, see Log In to the Oracle ILOM SP.

To active the backup firmware image for immediate installation, perform the following steps using one of the Oracle ILOM interfaces:

Oracle ILOM Interface Activate Backup Image (Immediate Installation)

Oracle ILOM Interface	Activate Backup Image (Immediate Installation)
Web	Click Maintenance > Firmware Update. Click the button for Enter Update Mode, then click OK in the update confirmation dialog box to proceed. In the Firmware Update page, perform the following actions: Note. The Firmware Update page displays the properties associated with the current backup firmware image. Select the Backup Image button. Click the Upload button. Oracle ILOM validates the firmware image and then displays options in the Firmware Verification page. Note. If the firmware update is to a previous firmware release, Oracle ILOM will validate the security level of the firmware image and determine whether to accept or prevent the update process. For more information, see Firmware Downgrade Package Restrictions In the Firmware Verification page, enable the applicable options: Preserve Configuration – Enable this option to save and restore the existing Oracle ILOM firmware settings after the firmware update is complete. For further details about this option, see Preserve Oracle ILOM Configuration . Preserve BIOS Configuration (x86 server SPs only) - Enable this option to save and restore existing BIOS configurations after the update process is complete. This option is not supported on all x86 servers. Therefore, if this option is not presented, Oracle ILOM restores the default BIOS settings after completing the update process. Delay BIOS Upgrade (x86 server SPs only) – Enable this option to postpone the x86 BIOS upgrade until after the next time the system is power-cycled. Click Start to start the update process. Click OK to proceed through a series of prompts until the Update Status page appears. The system will either reboot or power-off when the Update Status indicates 100%. If your system powers off, refer to the documentation provided with your system for instructions on how to power on the system. Note. (x86 server SPs only) If the server has a pending BIOS upgrade, the power reset could take longer to complete. This is expected behavior, as it is necessary to power cycle the server to upgrade the BIOS firmware. If the upgrade includes an FPGA update, the process can take as long as 26 minutes to complete. To verify the current firmware version installed on the SP, click System Info > Firmware. Note. The Oracle ILOM web interface might not refresh properly after a firmware update. If the Oracle ILOM web page is missing information or displays an error message, you might be viewing a cached version of the page from the previous version. Clear the browser cache and refresh the browser before continuing. Note. After a backup image is activated as the current firmware image, the former firmware image installed on the SP becomes the backup image.
CLI	Type: cd /SP/firmware To activate the backup firmware image as the current firmware image, issue the `load` -source command followed by the path to the backup image. For example: load -source /SP/firmware/backupimage A series of prompts appear. Type `y` to load the image file, then type `y` to enable the applicable options: Preserve Configuration – Enable this option to save and restore the existing Oracle ILOM firmware settings after the firmware update is complete. For further details about this option, see Preserve Oracle ILOM Configuration . Preserve BIOS Configuration (x86 server SPs only) - Enable this option to save and restore existing BIOS configurations after the update process is complete. This option is not supported on all x86 servers. Therefore, if this option is not presented, Oracle ILOM restores the default BIOS settings after completing the upgrade process. Delay BIOS Upgrade (x86 server SPs only) – Enable this option to postpone the x86 BIOS upgrade until after the next time the system is power-cycled. Note. All firmware update options presented for your server are enabled (`y`) by default when using a script (-`script`) to perform the firmware update. Oracle ILOM displays a status message when the firmware process is complete. The system will either reboot or power-off to apply the new firmware image. If the system powers off, refer to the documentation provided with your system for instructions on how to power on the system. Note. (x86 server SPs only) If the server has a pending BIOS upgrade, the power reset could take longer to complete. This is expected behavior, as it is necessary to power cycle the server to upgrade the BIOS firmware. If the upgrade includes an FPGA update, the process can take as long as 26 minutes to complete. To verify the current firmware version installed, type: show /system/firmware Note. After a backup image is activated as the current firmware, the former firmware image installed on the SP becomes the backup image.

Web

Click Maintenance > Firmware Update.
Click the button for Enter Update Mode, then click OK in the update confirmation dialog box to proceed.
In the Firmware Update page, perform the following actions:
Note. The Firmware Update page displays the properties associated with the current backup firmware image.
1. Select the Backup Image button.
2. Click the Upload button.
Oracle ILOM validates the firmware image and then displays options in the Firmware Verification page.

Note. If the firmware update is to a previous firmware release, Oracle ILOM will validate the security level of the firmware image and determine whether to accept or prevent the update process. For more information, see Firmware Downgrade Package Restrictions
In the Firmware Verification page, enable the applicable options:
Preserve Configuration – Enable this option to save and restore the existing Oracle ILOM firmware settings after the firmware update is complete. For further details about this option, see Preserve Oracle ILOM Configuration .

Preserve BIOS Configuration (x86 server SPs only) - Enable this option to save and restore existing BIOS configurations after the update process is complete. This option is not supported on all x86 servers. Therefore, if this option is not presented, Oracle ILOM restores the default BIOS settings after completing the update process.

Delay BIOS Upgrade (x86 server SPs only) – Enable this option to postpone the x86 BIOS upgrade until after the next time the system is power-cycled.
Click Start to start the update process.
Click OK to proceed through a series of prompts until the Update Status page appears.
The system will either reboot or power-off when the Update Status indicates 100%.
If your system powers off, refer to the documentation provided with your system for instructions on how to power on the system.

Note. (x86 server SPs only) If the server has a pending BIOS upgrade, the power reset could take longer to complete. This is expected behavior, as it is necessary to power cycle the server to upgrade the BIOS firmware. If the upgrade includes an FPGA update, the process can take as long as 26 minutes to complete.
To verify the current firmware version installed on the SP, click System Info > Firmware.
Note. The Oracle ILOM web interface might not refresh properly after a firmware update. If the Oracle ILOM web page is missing information or displays an error message, you might be viewing a cached version of the page from the previous version. Clear the browser cache and refresh the browser before continuing.

Note. After a backup image is activated as the current firmware image, the former firmware image installed on the SP becomes the backup image.

CLI

Type:
```
cd /SP/firmware
```
To activate the backup firmware image as the current firmware image, issue the load -source command followed by the path to the backup image.
For example:
```
load -source /SP/firmware/backupimage
```
A series of prompts appear.
Type y to load the image file, then type y to enable the applicable options:
Preserve Configuration – Enable this option to save and restore the existing Oracle ILOM firmware settings after the firmware update is complete. For further details about this option, see Preserve Oracle ILOM Configuration .

Preserve BIOS Configuration (x86 server SPs only) - Enable this option to save and restore existing BIOS configurations after the update process is complete. This option is not supported on all x86 servers. Therefore, if this option is not presented, Oracle ILOM restores the default BIOS settings after completing the upgrade process.

Delay BIOS Upgrade (x86 server SPs only) – Enable this option to postpone the x86 BIOS upgrade until after the next time the system is power-cycled.

Note. All firmware update options presented for your server are enabled (y) by default when using a script (-script) to perform the firmware update.
Oracle ILOM displays a status message when the firmware process is complete. The system will either reboot or power-off to apply the new firmware image.
If the system powers off, refer to the documentation provided with your system for instructions on how to power on the system.

Note. (x86 server SPs only) If the server has a pending BIOS upgrade, the power reset could take longer to complete. This is expected behavior, as it is necessary to power cycle the server to upgrade the BIOS firmware. If the upgrade includes an FPGA update, the process can take as long as 26 minutes to complete.
To verify the current firmware version installed, type:
```
show /system/firmware
```
Note. After a backup image is activated as the current firmware, the former firmware image installed on the SP becomes the backup image.

Related Information:

Storing and Managing SP Firmware Images - As of Firmware Version 5.0