Upgrade Dell PowerFlex to v3.6.x

Update the hardware using remote RACADM

You can install and execute the Dell RACADM tool from any management system with access to the iDRAC network. The remote RACADM command set is useful in this situation to mount and execute the Hardware ISO to a large number of VxFlex Ready Node servers. This prevents the need for multiple web browser windows and manual keyboard and mouse clicks for each server.

1. Configure a laptop or server with access to the iDRAC network.
2. Install the Dell DRAC tools, including RACADM:
   1. In any Internet browser, go to the RACADM Command Line Interface for DRAC page in the Dell Systems Management wiki.
   2. Follow the instructions for downloading and installing Remote RACADM for your operating system.
3. Download the VxFlex Ready Node Hardware Update Bootable ISO from the https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/scaleio-ready-node-poweredge-13g/drivers https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/scaleio-ready-node--poweredge-14g/drivers and make it accessible on the network share folder.
4. Create a CIFS or NFS network share that includes the Hardware ISO. The share will need to be accessible to the iDRAC network.
   Refer to operating system vendor guidelines for instructions on how to create CIFS (Windows) or NFS (Linux) shares.
5. Open a terminal/command prompt with superuser/administrator accessibility. This prompt should allow execution of the RACADM utility.
6. Mount the Hardware ISO to the iDRAC from the remote share, where the following command is all on one line:

   racadm -r <dracIP> -u root -p <password> remoteimage -c -u <myuser> -p <mypass> -l //<myip>/SIORN/<file_name>.iso

   Where:

   • <dracIP> is the iDRAC IP address
   • <password> is the password for the server
   • <myuser> is the NFS/CIFS share username
   • <mypass> is the NFS/CIFS share password
   • <myip> is the NFS/CIFS server IP

   For example:

   racadm -r <dracIP> -u root -p <password> remoteimage -c -u <myuser> -p <mypass> -l //<myip>/SIORN/ScaleIO-Ready-Node-Hardware-Update-for-Dell_13G_2019_June_A00.iso

   racadm -r <dracIP> -u root -p <password> remoteimage -c -u <myuser> -p <mypass> -l //<myip>/SIORN/VxFlex-Ready-Node-Hardware-Update-for-Dell_14G_2018_May_A00.iso 

   NOTE:The default password is calvin for R630/R730xd nodes and Scaleio123 for R640/R740xd/R840 nodes.
7. Enable the iDRAC VirtualCD to boot once using these Remote RACADM commands:

   racadm -r <dracIP> -u root -p <password> set iDRAC.ServerBoot.BootOnce Enabled
   racadm -r <dracIP> -u root -p <password> set iDRAC.ServerBoot.FirstBootDevice VCD-DVD

8. Verify that the server is in a state in which it can be power-cycled. (The operating system should be in maintenance mode, as needed).
9. Power-cycle the VxFlex Ready Node server:

   racadm -r <dracIP> -u root -p <password> serveraction graceshutdown

10. Repeat steps 6 - 9 for each VxFlex Ready Node server needing the BIOS and firmware updates and configuration. All servers can be updated in parallel.
11. Wait for the configuration and firmware updates to complete. The server console screen will indicate when the script is complete.
    WARNING:Do not reboot the VxFlex Ready Node server while the update process is being performed!

    The iDRAC will be reset several times during the update process. This causes the iDRAC virtual console viewer to close, virtual media to disconnect, and the iDRAC browser window to be unavailable for several minutes during each reset. The hardware update scripts will continue to run from RAM on the server.

    The update script will generate a log indicating whether each configuration and firmware flash is successful.

12. (Optional) Check each VxFlex Ready Node server's log for successful competition:
    1. Connect to the iDRAC KVM console screen.
    2. After the update script completes, press Alt+F2 to access a user console, and then Enter to log in.
    3. Check the log contents for errors:

       less /bundleapplicationlogs/apply_components.log

       For more information, see Troubleshooting the Hardware ISO .

    4. Press q to exit the log viewer, and then Alt+F1 to access the original console screen.
13. Reboot the servers and allow the update and configuration jobs to complete. You can do this remotely using RACADM (see Step 9) or locally from the server console screen.
14. For each server, check the iDRAC job queue to verify that the iDRAC jobs created by the bootable ISO have completed successfully:

    racadm -r <dracIP> -u root -p <password> jobqueue view

    Any job failures may require running the bootable ISO again, or further troubleshooting.

15. For each server, after the hardware updates are finalized, clean up the iDRAC job queue:

    racadm -r <dracIP> -u root -p <password> jobqueue delete --all

16. Continue with operating system installation and configuration, PowerFlex deployment, and other required tasks.