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MD Series: Controller Firmware Update on MD34xx and MD38xx

Summary: How to do the Controller Firmware Update for a MD34xx and MD38xx.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Symptoms

SLN316728_en_US__1icon Please Note before Update:
 Do a backup of your data!
- The process of updates could take up to 30 minutes and both controllers will be restarted.
- For the update, the storage has to be in the optimal-state.
- We recommend to do the Update during Downtime, because the IO will be stopped during the update.
- Please check the compatibility-guide of your Software-/OS-vendor if the Firmware is approved.

Cause

-

Resolution

 
  1. Please download the needed Firmware and Resource-DVD.
    1. Resource-CD/DVD: MD34xx/MD38xx (Download)
    2. Firmware: MD34xx; MD38xx (Download)
  2. Install the newest Resource-CD/DVD.
    Please uninstall the older Version of the Modular Disk Storage Manager before you begin. Please be aware that the Multipath driver will be automatically uninstalled if you run the Update in Live-Usage.
    1. Full Installation - includes the MDSM and the multipath driver (for server with storage-access and management)
    2. Host Installation - includes only the multipath driver (for Server with storage-access but no management)
    3. Management Station - includes only the MDSM (for server/client with management only)
  3. Extract the controller-firmware (from 1.2.).
  4. Update the firmware as follows:
    1. Open the Modular Disk Storage Manager (MDSM) and connect to the storage you want to update.
    2. Choose the menu Upgrade.
    3. Choose in there the item RAID Controller Module Firmware and in the appearing window Browse to choose the firmware update.
      The update utility will check the Major Event Log for actually existing issues. If there are failure-entries you will get a message. In this Case save and clear the MEL and the update will run.
    4. For the RAID-Controller-Firmware please choose the file with the ending *.dlp. Additionally, please select the check-box Transfer NVSRAM with Raid controller module Firmware and provide the path to the NVSRAM-file via Browse.
    5. Please start the update by clicking Transfer. 
      This process can be take up to 30 Minutes.
    6. Also update the firmware of the hard drives/SSDs after the controller update finished fine.
      1. Download the HDD/SSD-firmware (Download) and extract the file.
      2. Start the Modular Disk Storage Manager (MDSM).
      3. Choose the menu Upgrade.
      4. Now choose Physical Disk Firmware.
      5. In the window, which now appears please click Next.
      6. Now you will find the information which firmware-packages are installed in the moment for the physical drives.
      7. Now please open the ReadMe.txt, which is located in the extracted folder.
      8. In that file you can search for the shown Firmware and you will find the actual package according this firmware.
      9. If you use Add... you can attach the needed update from the folder.
      10. Than you can also add additional packages for the different HDD-types by clicking Add... again.
      11. Please now click Next. 
      12. In the following window you will see a survey with the compatible HDD. Please select the box Select All and click the Finish-button. Now all updates will be enforced to the drive.

Affected Products

Dell PowerVault OEM Ready MD34XX and MD38XX, PowerVault MD3400, PowerVault MD3420, PowerVault MD3460, PowerVault MD3800f, PowerVault MD3800i, PowerVault MD3820f, PowerVault MD3820i, PowerVault MD3860f, PowerVault MD3860i
Article Properties
Article Number: 000123895
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 02 Nov 2022
Version:  5
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