Using iDRAC, you can update the iDRAC, BIOS, and all
device firmware that is supported by using Lifecycle Controller update
such as:
Fibre Channel (FC) cards
Diagnostics
Operating System Driver Pack
Network Interface Card (NIC)
RAID Controller
Power Supply Unit (PSU)
NVMe PCIe devices
SAS/SATA hard drives
Backplane update for internal and external enclosures
OS Collector
CAUTION:The PSU
firmware update may take several minutes depending on the system configuration
and PSU model. To avoid damaging the PSU, do not interrupt the update process or power on the system during PSU firmware update.
You must upload the required firmware to iDRAC. After
the upload is complete, the current version of the firmware installed
on the device and the version being applied is displayed. If the firmware
being uploaded is not valid, an error message is displayed. Updates
that do not require a reboot are applied immediately. Updates that
require a system reboot are staged and committed to run on the next
system reboot. Only one system reboot is required to perform all updates.
After the firmware is updated, the System
Inventory page displays the updated firmware version and
logs are recorded.
The supported firmware image file types are:
.exe — Windows-based Dell Update
Package (DUP)
.d7 — Contains both iDRAC and
Lifecycle Controller firmware
For files with .exe extension,
you must have the System Control privilege. The Remote Firmware Update
licensed feature and Lifecycle Controller must be enabled.
For files with .d7 extension,
you must have the Configure privilege.
NOTE:After upgrading
the iDRAC firmware, you may notice a difference in the time stamp
displayed in the Lifecycle Controller log until the iDRAC time is
reset using NTP. The Lifecycle log displays the BIOS time until the
iDRAC time is reset.
You can perform firmware updates by using the following
methods:
Uploading a supported image type, one at a time, from a local system or network share.
Connecting to an FTP, TFTP, or HTTP site or a network
repository that contains Windows DUPs and a corresponding catalog file.
You can create
custom repositories by using the Dell Repository Manager. For more
information, see Dell Repository Manager Data Center User's Guide. iDRAC can provide a difference report between the BIOS and firmware installed on the system and the updates available in the repository. All applicable updates contained in the repository are
applied to the system. This feature is available with iDRAC Enterprise
license.
Scheduling recurring automated firmware updates by
using the catalog file and custom repository.
There are multiple tools and interfaces that can be used to update the iDRAC firmware. The following table is applicable only to iDRAC firmware. The table lists the supported interfaces, image-file types, and whether Lifecycle Controller must be in enabled state for the firmware to be updated.
Table 1. Image file types and dependenciesThe supported interfaces, image-file types & state of Lifecycle Controller for iDRAC firmware are as follows:
.D7 Image
iDRAC DUP
Interface
Supported
Requires LC enabled
Supported
Requires LC enabled
BMCFW64.exe utility
Yes
No
No
N/A
Racadm FWUpdate (old)
Yes
No
No
N/A
Racadm Update (new)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
iDRAC UI
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
WSMAN
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
In-band OS DUP
No
N/A
Yes
No
The following table provides information on whether a system restart is required when firmware is updated for a
particular component:
NOTE:When multiple firmware
updates are applied through out-of-band methods, the updates are ordered
in the most efficient possible manner to reduce unnecessary system
restart.
* Indicates that though a system restart is not required,
iDRAC must be restarted to apply the updates. iDRAC communication
and monitoring may temporarily be interrupted.
** When iDRAC is updated from version 1.30.30 or later,
a system restart is not necessary. However, firmware versions of iDRAC
earlier than 1.30.30 require a system restart when applied by using
the out-of-band interfaces.
NOTE:Configuration changes
and firmware updates that are made within the operating system may
not reflect properly in the inventory until you perform a server restart.
When you check for updates, the version marked
as Available does not always indicate that it is the latest
version available. Before you install the update,
ensure that the version you choose to install is newer than the
version currently installed. If you want to control the version
that iDRAC detects, create a custom repository using Dell
Repository Manager (DRM) and configure iDRAC to use that repository
to check for updates.
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