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.
NOTE When updating the PSU firmware for PowerEdge C series servers, ensure that all servers in the same chassis are powered OFF first. If any of the other servers in the chassis are powered ON, the update process fails.
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.
NOTE
When SEKM mode is enabled on a controller, iDRAC Firmware downgrade/upgrade shall fail when tried from a SEKM to a non-SEKM iDRAC version. iDRAC Firmware upgrade/downgrade shall pass when done within the SEKM versions.
PERC firmware downgrade shall fail when SEKM is enabled.
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). You must have Control and Configure Privilege to use this image file type.
.d9 — 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
.d9 extension, you must have the Configure privilege.
NOTE Ensure that all nodes in the system are powered off before updating the PSU firmware.
NOTE After upgrading the iDRAC firmware, you may notice a difference in the time stamp displayed in the Lifecycle Controller log. Time displayed in LC Log is different from NTP/Bios-Time for few logs during idrac 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, HTTP or HTTPS 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 or Datacenter license.
NOTE HTTP/HTTPS only supports with either digest authentication or no authentication.
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 dependenciesImage file types and dependencies
.D9 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
Redfish
Yes
N/A
Yes
N/A
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.
For Expander (Active) backplanes, system restart is required.
For SEP (Passive) backplanes, rebootless update is supported only from 4.00.00.00 release onwards.
Enclosures
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
NIC
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Power Supply Unit
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
CPLD
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
NOTE After CPLD firmware upgrade is complete, iDRAC restarts automatically.
FC Cards
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
NVMe PCIe SSD drives
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
NOTE Rebootless update is supported on some devices starting from release 5.00.00.00.
SAS/SATA hard drives
No
Yes
Yes
No
OS Collector
No
No
No
No
CMC (on PowerEdge FX2 servers)
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
TPM
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
NOTE TPM is supported from 5.00.00.00 release onwards and the action is staged. Only firmware update is supported. Downgrading and reinstalling the same firmware is not supported.
NOTE For details of supported components for MX platform, see Table 13.
Table 3. Firmware update — supported components for MX platforms
NOTE This section is applicable only for MX platforms.
Component Name
Firmware Rollback Supported? (Yes or No)
Out-of-band — System Restart Required?
In-band — System Restart Required?
Lifecycle Controller GUI — Restart Required?
Diagnostics
No
No
No
No
OS Driver Pack
No
No
No
No
iDRAC
Yes
No
No*
Yes
BIOS
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
RAID Controller
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
BOSS
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
NVDIMM
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Backplanes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Enclosures
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
NIC
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Power Supply Unit
No
No
No
No
CPLD
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
FC Cards
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
NVMe PCIe SSD drives
Yes
No
No
No
SAS/SATA hard drives
No
Yes
Yes
No
OS Collector
No
No
No
No
* 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 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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