Users Guide

NOTE: The Single Click all blade update method has the following benefits:
● Enables you to update all the components on all the blade servers with minimal clicks.
● All the updates are packaged in a directory. This avoids individual upload of each component’s firmware.
● Faster and consistent method of updating the server components.
● Enables you to maintain a standard image with the required updates versions of the server components that can be used
to update multiple servers in a single operation.
● You can copy the directories of updates from the Dell Server Update Utility (SUU) download DVD or create and
customize the required update versions in the Dell Repository Manager (DRM). You do not need the latest version
of the Dell Repository Manager to create this directory. However, Dell Repository Manager version 1.8 provides an
option to create a repository (directory of updates) based on the inventory that was exported from the servers in the
chassis. For information on creating a repository using the Dell Repository Manger see the Dell Repository Manager
Data Center Version 1.8 User’s Guide and the Dell Repository Manager Business Client Version 1.8 User’s Guide available
at dell.com/support/manuals.
It is recommended to update the CMC firmware before updating the server component firmware modules. After updating the
CMC firmware, in the CMC Web interface, you can update the server component firmware on the Chassis Overview > Server
Overview > Update > Server Component Update page. It is also recommended to select all the component modules of
a server to be updated together. This enables Lifecycle Controller to use its optimized algorithms to update the firmware,
reducing the number of reboots.
To update the server component firmware, using the CMC Web interface, click Chassis Overview > Server Overview >
Update > Server Component Update.
If the server does not support the Lifecycle Controller service, the Component/Device Firmware Inventory section displays
Not Supported. For the latest generation servers, install the Lifecycle Controller firmware and update the iDRAC firmware to
enable the Lifecycle Controller service on the server. For earlier generation servers, this upgrade is not possible.
Normally, the Lifecycle Controller firmware is installed using an appropriate installation package that is executed on the server
operating system. For supported servers, a special repair or installation package with an .usc file extension is available. This
file enables you to install the Lifecycle Controller firmware through the firmware update facility available on the native iDRAC
Web browser interface.
You can also install Lifecycle Controller firmware through an appropriate installation package executed on the server OS. For
more information, see the Dell Lifecycle Controller User’s Guide.
If Lifecycle Controller service is disabled on the server, the Component/Device Firmware Inventory section displays:
Lifecycle Controller may not be enabled.
Server component update sequence
In case of individual component updates, you must update the firmware versions for the server components in the following
sequence:
● iDRAC
● Lifecycle Controller
● BIOS
● Diagnostics (optional)
● OS Driver Pack (optional)
● RAID
● NIC
● CPLD
● Other Components
Updating firmware
43