Using HP Smart Update Manager with HP Integrity Servers: Capabilities, Best Practices, and Troubleshooting

Activating Firmware Updates
Some updates take effect immediately, some require an OS reset to activate and some require a server
power cycle to activate. HP SUM understands the requirements of each update and can include the
appropriate commands in the update sequence if enabled. Enabling HP SUM to perform the necessary
commands will result in them being sequenced as close as possible to the updates, reducing overall
downtime. Therefore, it is recommended that when performing an update, you schedule the system to
expect a reboot at the end of the firmware update process. In some cases, leaving a system with non-
activated firmware can lead to the inability to reboot until the firmware is activated.
Firmware Type
Activation Required
Notes
Integrated Lights Out
(iLO)
None – effective
immediately
iLO automatically resets itself at the end of
the update without affecting server
operation.
System FW (SFW)
Power cycle (DC)
Firmware is staged in iLO memory as
‘Pending’ until system power is turned off.
Then programming occurs and takes
approximately 6 minutes, during which time
power cannot be turned back on. Leaving
SFW in Pending might prevent system reset
or boot, so it’s recommended to activate as
soon as possible.
Onboard Administrator
(OA)
None – effective
immediately
In redundant OA configurations, the standby
OA is programmed and reset, and then it
takes over as Active. Then the other OA is
programmed and reset, and resumes the
Active roll. In single OA configurations, the
OA is programmed and resets. These updates
do not affect server operations.
Virtual Connect (VC)
None – effective
immediately
Virtual connect firmware is downloaded to
all interconnect modules at once and then
each module is reset in sequence.
Superdome 2 Complex FW
None –effective
immediately
Complex FW, which includes OA FW, is
programmed and the affected devices reset
to activate if needed without affecting server
operation.
Superdome 2 nPartition
FW
OS reboot
nPartition FW is programmed during the
update process, but the new version is not
read and used by the OS until the next OS
reboot.
I/O card FW
Varies per vendor/card
OS reboot
None – effective
immediately
Some I/O cards support immediate
activation of new firmware; some cards
program the new firmware, but do not read
and use it until the next OS reboot; and some
cards actually have firmware programmed
during the next reboot.
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