HP Smart Update Best Practices Planning Guide

enclosures that include ProLiant G6 and G7 server blades should not include ProLiant G1
server blades in them. There are three main reasons for this:
◦ New generations of blades usually have more updates than older blade generations so
updating the enclosures where these older blade generations coexist can lead to extra
downtime for these older server blades when the infrastructure is updated.
◦ As servers age and the number of updates released are reduced, it is best to create a
baseline for the servers at a given level of firmware and software and not update them
unless there is a need to reprovision them. This reduces the number of servers that need
to be updated when a new baseline is introduced to the environment.
◦ It helps minimize dependencies between different generations of servers that might affect
the success of the firmware update process.
• When do you update your servers? Do you update them only when there is a problem, when
you are repurposing the servers, or do you update them more frequently? If you do not update
your servers at least once a year, see "“Required intermediate updates” (page 14)."
• How do you deploy your updates?
Verify that updates apply to your servers and targets.◦
◦ The number of updates that support a server decreases over time. Check the update
information to be sure that the firmware and software updates apply to your server
generations. Most updates affect the latest generation.
• Do you have third-party vendor equipment in your environment? If so, you will need to make
sure that updates you apply are supported by HP and your third-party vendor.
• Do you have ProLiant ML/DL servers in your environment?
• How do you minimize business impact from updates? Schedule any outages. It might also be
necessary to perform partial updates to enclosures if you cannot update all at once. Even
when partial updates are required, follow the installation order. For more information, see
“Best practices tips and minimizing downtime” (page 6).
CloudSystem Matrix
HP CloudSystem Matrix, built on HP BladeSystem architecture, is a converged infrastructure platform
for shared services. HP CloudSystem Matrix delivers one virtualized pool of network, storage, and
computer resources, that enables you to adjust to dynamic business demands by provisioning and
modifying a complex infrastructure in minutes rather than days, weeks, or even months.
HP CloudSystem Matrix combines automated design and provisioning through a self-service portal
with capacity planning and disaster recovery into a command center that unites your physical and
virtual worlds.
To assist you in setup, HP Services provides a three-step service to achieve full conversion:
1. Initial assessment.
2. Site-specific preparation.
3. Conversion to HP CloudSystem Matrix.
For more information, see the HP CloudSystem Matrix website at http://www.hp.com/go/matrix.
HP Firmware Management Services overview
HP firmware management tools and the HP CloudSystem Matrix Compatibility Chart enable you
to apply updates with minimal research or interaction.
In many environments it is prudent to have an update strategy that considers the significance of
the systems and applications, the company's preference for stability versus innovation, and sensitivity
20 Server environment scenarios