HP Smart Update Best Practices Planning Guide

DescriptionItem
Remote servers5
Two remote servers, one remote storage6
The following list contains items to consider when creating your update strategy:
• Review the released critical updates and hot fixes for your server. For more information, see
“Hot Fixes” (page 13).
• Do you want to create a custom ISO? For more information on creating a custom ISO, see
“Creating a custom ISO” (page 24).
• What server updates do you need for your targets? Use HP SUM reporting capabilities to
determine the recommended updates.
NOTE: The SPP and HP Integrity bundles include a copy of HP SUM. You can download
the latest version of HP SUM from the HP SUM website at http://www.hp.com/go/hpsum.
• Do you want to defer updates or apply them immediately? Determine if the software updates
or new features are items you need now, or if you can wait for regularly scheduled maintenance
to apply them.
• How are you distributing the HP SPP or HP Integrity bundle?
Burn DVDs or create USB keys, and then send the physical media to each remote server.◦
◦ Copy the files to remote servers.
◦ Put the ISO contents on a central server and connect to it through network connections
(network share in Windows or NFS mount in Linux).
• How will you perform the updates?
Install on each target individually.◦
◦ Use PXE boot or iLO Virtual Media to install the HP SPP or Integrity bundle on servers
over the network.
◦ Copy the HP SPP ISO or Integrity bundle to one computer, and then write a script to install
it on the other local servers using HP SUM or iLO Virtual Media.
• How do you minimize business impact from updates? Schedule any outages. It might be
necessary to perform partial updates to enclosures if all servers cannot be taken out of service
at once. Even when partial updates are required, the installation order should be maintained
as noted in the best practices section of this document. For more information, see “Best practices
quick review” (page 6).
• Do you want to update an existing server automatically?
• Do you have a lab environment set up? If you are creating your own ISO, be sure that you
validate the solution before applying it to targets.
• Do you have a backup of the server and the configuration of other targets?
• Do you have the ports open to allow remote support for HP SUM?
• If the remote servers are server blades, follow the best practices installation order. For more
information, see “Best practices quick review” (page 6).
• In some instances, it might help decrease the time for the updates to complete if the iLO
firmware is updated independently of the other updates.
• How old are the servers and the possible need to install intermediate updates prior to updating
to the latest versions? For more information, see “Required intermediate updates” (page 14).
18 Server environment scenarios