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Ibm System X Update Tools Transition 2011-10-10
Ibm System X Update Tools Transition 2011-10-10
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Overview................................................................................................................................................................ 3 What Is changing? .............................................................................................................................................. 3 Why is it changing? ............................................................................................................................................. 3 When will the change occur? .............................................................................................................................. 4 What systems will be affected?........................................................................................................................... 4 Is BladeCenter affected? ..................................................................................................................................... 4 What is the replacement for updating with individual online updates (IFLASH packages)? ................................... 4 What is the replacement for updating through the IMM (out of band)? .............................................................. 4 Overview of the Tools............................................................................................................................................. 5 What is UXSPI? ................................................................................................................................................... 5 What is BoMC? ................................................................................................................................................... 5 What is Systems Director update manager? ........................................................................................................ 6 Using UXSPI and BoMC ........................................................................................................................................... 7 Using UXSPI ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 Updating a local machine from a local directory .............................................................................................. 7 Updating a local machine from the IBM Web site using the UXSPI GUI ............................................................ 8 Updating a Remote system from a local folder ................................................................................................ 9 Updating only the firmware on a system ....................................................................................................... 10 Creating a repository of updates ................................................................................................................... 10 Using BoMC...................................................................................................................................................... 12 Creating bootable media............................................................................................................................... 12 Migrating tools and cli parameters ....................................................................................................................... 16 Overview .......................................................................................................................................................... 16 Migrating from IMM CLI to UXSPI ..................................................................................................................... 16
OVERVIEW
IBM is changing the supported methods to deploy firmware updates to new IBM System x and BladeCenter servers starting in 2011. This document details the changes being made, the tools used for firmware updates, and how to transition to a different firmware update method if the method currently in use will no longer be supported.
WHAT IS CHANGING?
New System x systems starting in 2011 will require firmware updates be performed with one of the following tools: IBM ToolsCenter UpdateXpress System Pack Installer (UXSPI), IBM ToolsCenter Bootable Media Creator (BoMC), or Systems Director Update Manager. Updating by running individual flash packages (e.g. iFlash packages) will not be supported. Updating via the IMMs CLI or SNMP will also not be supported. Updating via the IMM web interface will be supported only for emergency recovery purposes. In addition, the UEFI, IMM, and DSA Preboot firmware are being packaged in a new OS-agnostic file format (UXZ file). By packaging the firmware updates as OS-Agnostic UXZ files, it allows the same version of the firmware update to be installed on any operating system. This reduces the space and bandwidth needed to store and retrieve the firmware files.
WHY IS IT CHANGING?
Updating firmware can be a complex process requiring knowledge of ordering dependencies between the firmware of different components, resetting IMM at the proper time, time delays between different updates, multi-node considerations, not to mention acquiring the correct firmware in the first place. UXSPI, BoMC, and Update Manager offer a number of features that simplify and manage the process of firmware and driver updates on modern servers: Feature Download firmware and drivers automatically from ibm.com Benefit Handle prereq and coreq information for the updates Ability to update all of the firmware and drivers on a system Makes it easy to ensure a matched set of firmware and drivers is downloaded Ensures a matched set of firmware and drivers is installed Ensures firmware and drivers are installed in the correct sequence Simplifies scripted deployment of updates Ensures a matched set of firmware and drivers is installed Ensures firmware and drivers are installed in the correct sequence Simplifies scripted deployment of updates Updates to the flashing software dont result in a new firmware package being posted to ibm.com Simplifies scripted deployment of updates
All firmware flashing code is embedded in the Tools Addresses device-specific flashing requirements
WHAT IS THE REPLACEM ENT FOR UPDATING WITH INDIVIDUAL ONLINE UPDATES (IFLASH PACKAGES)?
The replacement is to use UXSPI in command line mode to install updates.
WHAT IS THE REPLACEM ENT FOR UPDATING THROUGH THE IMM (OUT OF BAND)?
The replacement is to use UXSPI or BoMC in command line mode to install firmware updates.
WHAT IS UXSPI?
IBM ToolsCenter UpdateXpress System Pack Installer (UXSPI) can help reduce the cost of computing by providing an effective and simple way to update device drivers, server firmware, and firmware of supported options contained within System x and BladeCenter products. UXSPI can apply individual updates to the system as well as UpdateXpress System Packs which are a group of drivers and firmware updates tested as a bundle to verify that they work together without issues. UXSPI provides both a GUI interface and a command line (CLI) interface to allow for both attended, easily customized updates and for scripted updates. It can acquire updates from a local path, a network shared folder, or directly from ibm.com. After acquiring the updates, UXSPI will use the metadata in each updates associated XML file to apply the updates in unattended mode, in the correct order, with any necessary delays included. UXSPI can apply acquired updates to the local system using the GUI or CLI interface. In addition, using the CLI interface UXSPI can apply updates to a system over a network. More information, including detailed command line parameters, for UXSPI can be found in the UXSPI Users Guide. A short overview video is available on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpwYXeE6jDE.
WHAT IS BOMC?
The IBM ToolsCenter Bootable Media Creator (BoMC) provides firmware updating capabilities on a bootable media such as a CD, DVD, USB key, or PXE files for a network boot. It leverages UXSPI to perform the update by bundling the UXSPI utility onto the bootable media. Since BoMC creates bootable media that runs independent of any OS installed on a system, it is able to update firmware on any server regardless of the installed operating system. Updates supporting multiple systems can be contained on a single bootable media image.
USING UXSPI
This section documents only specific UXSPI use cases. UXSPI has many additional parameters and use cases that are not documented here, but can be found in the UXSPI Users Guide.
UPDATING A LOCAL MACHINE FROM THE IBM WEB SITE USING THE UXSPI GUI
UXSPI can update a local machine with either UXSP(s) or individual updates acquired from an IBM Web site.
SCENARIO TASKS
1. 2. Launch the UpdateXpress System Pack Installer GUI by double-clicking uxspi440.exe. The initial panel describes the UpdateXpress System Pack Installer. Click Next. Tip: The machine type and operating system for the system running the UpdateXpress System Pack Installer is displayed near the top of the panel. The UpdateXpress System Pack Installer version is also displayed. 3. 4. On the Update Task panel, select Update the local machine. Click Next. On the Update Type panel, select the type of updates you would like to acquire. Possible updates are: UpdateXpress System Packs (UXSPs) Individual updates Click Next. 5. 6. On the Updates Location panel, select IBM web site. Click Next. On the Target Directory panel, specify the directory to which you want to download the updates or accept the default location. Click Next.
USAGE EXAMPLES
This example illustrates running UXSPI from a command line to compare the updates in the local folder x3800dir with the currently installed version of the firmware and drivers on a remote system. uxspi440.exe compare --local=x3800dir --remote=10.2.33.44 -remoteuser=administrator --remote-password=AdminPwd Parameter compare --local Description Tells UXSPI to perform a version comparison. Specifies the location of the updates on the current system, in this case C:\updates. Designates the IP address of the system to be updated, in this case the IP address is 10.2.33.44. Only a single IP address can be specified. If the desire is to perform the action for multiple systems, UXSPI may be scripted in a loop and launched multiple times, once for each remote system. Specifies the user name to use when authenticating with the remote systems operating system to perform the updates. Specifies the password to use when authenticating with the remote systems operating system using user name --remote-user.
--remote
--remote-user --remote-password
This example illustrates running UXSPI from a command line to update a remote system. uxspi440.exe update --local=C:\updates --remote=10.2.33.44 --remoteuser=administrator --remote-password=AdminPwd Parameter update Description Tells UXSPI to install and update drivers and firmware on a system.
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6.
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-m --local --os
USING BOMC
This section only documents specific BoMC use cases. BoMC has many additional parameters and use cases that are not documented here, but can be found in the Bootable Media Creator Installation and Users Guide.
3.
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--iso
--local
--autorun
After creating the ISO image, it can be burned to a CD or DVD with the CD/DVD burning software of your choice.
CREATING A BOOTABLE USB KEY TO UPDATE FIRMWARE USING THE BOMC CLI
This example illustrates how to create a bootable USB flash drive for a system with machine type 8843 that includes UXSPI. In this example, the USB flash drive uses the F: drive. ibm_utl_bomc_2.20_windows_i386.exe --function=uxspi -m 8843 --usbkey=F: --local=c:\working_dir --autorun=uxspi Parameter --function -m --usbkey Description Specifies that this bootable media should include UXSPI on the bootable media, which is utilized by the BoMC tool to perform the firmware updates. Specifies the comma delimited list of machine type(s) the bootable media will be able to update. Specifies both that BoMC should produce output for a USB key, and the path to the USB key to make bootable and put the files on. Specifies the location to copy any downloaded updates to and the location to put the output into, in this case the location is C:\workingdir. If any update files already exist in the --local folder they will not be downloaded again. Specifies which tool should automatically run when the bootable media boots, in this case UXSPI will run automatically.
--local
--autorun
CREATING A BOOTABLE PXE IMAGE TO UPDATE FIRMWARE USING THE BOMC CLI
This example illustrates how to create bootable PXE files (including pxelinux.cfg/default, initrd.gz, vmlinux, pxelinux.0, tcrootfs and tc.zipin) in the c:\workingdir\pxedir directory for a system with machine type 8843 that includes UXSPI. The updates and files are acquired from the IBM Web site. UXSPI runs automatically when the bootable media boots.
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Note: This example requires you to change the Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) IP address of pxelinux.cfg/default. For more information, see Chapter 4, Using bootable media, of the Bootable Media Creator Installation and Users Guide.
CREATING A BOOTABLE ISO WITH A SINGLE UPDATE USING THE BOMC CLI
This example illustrates how to create a bootable ISO image named tc.iso for a system with machine type 8843 that includes UXSPI. UXSPI runs automatically when the bootable media boots. The tc.iso file is created in the workingdir directory. This example is similar to the example described in Creating a bootable CD to update firmware using the BoMC CLI except that only the update(s) in the --local folder will be contained on the bootable ISO. Only the differences between the example to create a bootable cd to update firmware and this scenario are documented here, refer to that section for documentation on the other parameters. ibm_utl_bomc_2.20_windows_i386.exe --function=uxspi -m 8843 --iso=tc.iso --local=c:\workingdir --autorun=uxspi --no-acquire Parameter Description Specifies that BoMC should not attempt to download updates from the IBM web site. The directory specified by the --local option must contain all of the files needed to create the bootable media, including the UpdateXpress System Packs, tools, and boot environment. BoMC will only copy the updates contained in the directory specified by the --local option to the ISO image. To update only a single firmware using this method, remove all other firmware updates from the directory, leaving only the desired firmware updates and the boot files.
--no-acquire
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In addition, this section details command line interface (CLI) parameters for UXSPI that are equivalent to the parameters used in the previous firmware installation method. In the tables showing equivalent parameters, where the parameter is No equivalent, a note is included after the table with more information. Where the parameter is N/A it means that the parameter is not applicable or there is no logical need for the parameter. More details on the UXSPI command line parameters can be found in the UXSPI Users Guide.
OVERVIEW
This table documents the tool to use when migrating from a use case that will no longer be supported to using UXSPI or BoMC to perform firmware updates. Prior use case IMM CLI (out of band OOB) IMM SNMP Scripting individual online update packages Use case to migrate to if a ServerProven OS is up and running UXSPI UXSPI UXSPI Use case to migrate to if a ServerProven OS is not running BoMC BoMC N/A [1]
Note 1: Scripting individual update packages implies that an OS is running on the system.
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Note 1: IMM at the start of the string indicates which update the option will apply to. Other allowable values that can be substituted for IMM are UEFI, DSA, and FPGA.
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REFERENCES
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. IBM System x Firmware Update Best Practices IBM ToolsCenter UpdateXpress System Pack Installer (UXSPI) UXSPI Users Guide IBM ToolsCenter Bootable Media Creator (BoMC) Bootable Media Creator Installation and Users Guide
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