Firmware Update Using Dell Lifecycle Integration

Version 2.0.1

This white paper explains the firmware update of server(s) using Dell
Lifecycle controller Integration version 2.0.1.

Author(s)
Naman Goel

Enterprise Server Group

1. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

Contents
Firmware Update Using Dell Lifecycle Integration Version 2.0.1 ............................................... 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 3
Why Do We Need To Update Firmware? ....................................................................... 3
Types of Server(S) Supported By Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration Version 2.0.1 .................. 3
How to Check For New Updates ................................................................................ 3
Check firmware inventory using Dell Lifecycle controller Integration and compare it with latest firmware
available on ftp.dell.com refer to (Firmware update from ftp.dell.com). .................................... 3
Advantages of Updating Firmware Using Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration .......................... 4
Methods for Updating Firmware Using Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration Version 2.0.1 Dell Lifecycle
controller Integration version 2.0.1 enables user to update firmware. .................................. 4
Firmware Update From ftp.dell.com................................................................................ 4
Firmware Update From Local Dell Repository ..................................................................... 9
Note: After submission of task to Task Viewer, task viewer send WSMAN request to Dell Lifecycle Controller
(LC) for software update, the LC method used for software update is InstallFromURI. Comparing Firmware
Inventory with Local Firmware Inventory Profile: .......................................................... 10
Precautions Before Installing Firmware Update .................................................................. 13
Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 14

2. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

 Introduction
Dell Lifecycle controller Integration for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (DLCI for
Configuration Manager) enables the administrators to update firmware of one or more than one Dell
server(s). This feature also enables user to schedule firmware update at a specified time.

Why Do We Need To Update Firmware?

Firmware update is required to run hardware components optimally, you must run this update as part of
the regular hardware maintenance schedule, and this is required for following reasons:

To provide critical problem fixes that ensure system stability, such as upgrades that may
prevent server unresponsiveness and other issues that could put the system at risk.
To get latest fixes issued for specific firmware(s).
To improve system performance or make the system more serviceable.

Types of Server(S) Supported By Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration

Version 2.0.1
Dell Lifecycle controller Integration supports the following servers:

Dell PowerEdge 11G

Dell PowerEdge 12G

How to Check For New Updates

To check for new system firmware, do any of the following:

Download latest Dell systems build and update utility from ISO, and use that to compare it
with system firmware(s).
Check firmware inventory using Dell Lifecycle controller Integration and compare it with
latest firmware available on ftp.dell.com refer to (Firmware update from ftp.dell.com).
Using Dell Repository manager(for more information refer to :
http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/extras/m/white_papers/20077082.aspx)

3. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

Advantages of Updating Firmware Using Dell Lifecycle Controller
Integration
Offline firmware update of more than one system: Even if the system from where you want
to update firmware is not having internet connection, you can use Dell lifecycle controller
integration, and Dell repository for updating firmware(s).

Direct update from ftp.dell.com: using Dell lifecycle controller integration you can
download the required software bundles for ftp.dell.com and update system(s) firmware to
the latest version.

Update firmware without creating a repository xml: It is not required to create repository
XML manually, Dell lifecycle controller integration automatically creates a repository xml
that you can use for firmware updates.

It is not required to power off: Dell lifecycle controller integration can update firmware
directly; there is no need to take the server offline.

Schedule firmware update: Using Dell lifecycle controller integration you can schedule
firmware update at later point of time or on next reboot.

Methods for Updating Firmware Using Dell Lifecycle Controller

Integration Version 2.0.1
Dell Lifecycle controller Integration version 2.0.1 enables user to update firmware.
Updating firmware using Dell PDK

Dell Lifecycle controller Integration enables user to update firmware with Dell PDK created
using Dell Repository manager.

Updating firmware using ftp.dell.com

Dell Lifecycle controller Integration enables user to update firmware by downloading the
required bundle directly from ftp.dell.com.

Firmware Update From ftp.dell.com

The Dell Lifecycle controller integration has the feature to download the required bundle for server(s)
discovered in Configuration Manger. Do the following to update firmware for a particular server or all
servers from the selected Configuration Manager Systems collection.

1. Open Configuration Manager.

2. Launch System viewer (for updating firmware for 1 server)/Launch Dell Configuration Utility
(for updating firmware for systems in a collection).

4. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

 [Figure 1: Launch point for System Viewer]

[Figure 2: Launch Point for Config Utility]

3. Go to the Firmware Inventory, Compare and Update Page.

A report with all firmware details for system(s) is displayed.

5. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

 [Figure 3: Firmware Inventory report in system viewer]

[Figure 4: Firmware inventory report in Config Utility]

4. Click Next and select ftp.dell.com.

6. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

 [Figure 5: Baseline Selection Page]

Note: DLCI will try to connect to http://ftp.dell.com/, so please make sure that you can
browse to http://ftp.dell.com/ from Internet explorer (Please configure proxy settings as
applicable).

5. Click Next.
A comparison report is shown with the comparing versions of all the firmware versions of all the
components of system(s), also comparison report after comparing current firmware inventory of
system with baseline from selected PDK is shown.

[Figure 6: Firmware Comparison report in Config Utility]

6. Click Next.
7. In Firmware Inventory, Compare, and Update, enter the share information (UNC Share), and
credentials to access the share. This share is used to download the required bundles for
system(s).

7. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

 [Figure 7: Share details Page]

8. Click Next.
The process is started.

[Figure 8: Download progress page]

9. After the download is complete, click next.

The options for when to update the firmware are displayed.

Start now: Will start firmware update immediately.

Start on next reboot: Will download all bundles to system and will start update on next
reboot of system.
Schedule Update: Will schedule the update at specified time.

8. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

 [Figure 9: Update Selection Page]

10. Click the Update button to start updating the firmware.

The Firmware update task is submitted to Dell Lifecycle Controller Task Viewer, and here it will
show the status of firmware update for system(s).

[Figure 10: Task Viewer window]

Firmware Update From Local Dell Repository

User can use Local repository created by using Dell Repository Manger or Dell Server Updates DVD
to update firmware of system(s) discovered in configuration Manager.

For more details on creating a custom local repository, see Dell Repository Manager User Guide at
dell.com/support.

1. Open Configuration Manager.

o Launch System viewer (for updating firmware for 1 server).
o Launch Dell Configuration Utility (for updating firmware for all system in a collection).
Refer to Figure 1, 2

9. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

 2. Go to the Firmware Inventory, Compare and Update Page.
A report with all firmware details for system(s) is displayed.
Refer to Figure 3, 4

3. Click Next Dell PDK Catalog (Enter PDK (Catalog.xml) file location in UNC format)
4. Enter the credentials to access the PDK location.
Refer to Figure 5

5. Click Next a comparison report will be shown with comparing version of all the firmware
version of all the components of system(s), This will also show comparison report after
comparing current firmware inventory of system with baseline from selected PDK.
Refer to Figure 6

6. Click Next This will show Firmware Update options

Start now will start firmware update immediately

Start on next reboot will download all bundles to system and will start update on next reboot
of system
Schedule Update: Using this option user can schedule the update at specified time.

Refer to Figure 9

7. Click on Update button to start updating the firmware. This will submit Firmware update task
to Dell Lifecycle Controller Task Viewer, and here it will show the status of firmware update
for system(s).

Refer to Figure 10

Note: After submission of task to Task Viewer, task viewer send WSMAN request to Dell Lifecycle
Controller (LC) for software update, the LC method used for software update is InstallFromURI.

Comparing Firmware Inventory with Local Firmware Inventory Profile:

Dell Lifecycle Controller provides facility to compare firmware inventory of system(s) with local
profile exported from System Inventory.

Follow these steps to compare firmware inventory with local firmware inventory file:

1. Launch Config Utility or System Viewer.

2. Go to the Firmware Inventory Compare and Update page.

3. Click next and select the Firmware Inventory Profile option.

10. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

 4. Click Next.

A report with comparison system(s) inventory with local firmware inventory information is
displayed.

Scheduling Firmware Update

Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration v2.0.1 allows user to schedule firmware update at specified time.
This will send request to windows scheduler.

11. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

Select Date and Time for schedule and Click on Update this will show Information message
after submission of task in Windows scheduler.

And window scheduler will start firmware update at specified time. User will able to see task
submission at specified time Dell Lifecycle Controller Task Viewer.

Using windows scheduler user can do following task:

Run firmware update at any time by changing time from windows scheduler.

Delete the firmware update schedule if dont want run it.

Note: The schedule task will be sent to Windows scheduler, so user can manage that task by using
windows task scheduler interface.

12. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

 Precautions Before Installing Firmware Update
Take backup of system using Dell Lifecycle controller Integration Platform Backup and
Restore feature, for more information on how to take backup of please refer to Dell
lifecycle controller user guide.

Make sure that there is not a risk of power failure or interruption during the firmware
update as this can cause your unit to be UNUSABLE.

The network connection between target system and site server should be proper.

Troubleshooting

Go to Dell lifecycle controller Integration Install location (for example: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft
Configuration Manager\AdminConsole\XmlStorage\Extensions\DLCPlugin)

Open DLCTaskManager.log

Search for service tag for which firmware update is running.

Here it will show proper error and information, for example: in above screen it is showing This
client cannot connect to the destination specified in the request, so this was some network
failure between target system and server.

13. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1

Conclusion
Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (DLCI for
ConfigMgr) enables the administrators to use the ConfigMgr console to leverage the remote
enablement capabilities of Dell Lifecycle Controllers (DLC), available as part of the integrated Dell
Remote Access Controller (iDRAC).

Using DLCI system administrators can update firmware for one or more system discovered in
Configuration Manager, DLCI also gives functionality to compare software inventory of system with
other system as well as with local repository.

Learn more

Visit Dell.com/SystemCenter for more information on Dell OpenManage integrations with Microsoft
System Center products.

2012 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Dell and its affiliates cannot be responsible for errors or omissions in typography or
photography. Dell and the Dell logo are trademarks of Dell Inc. Microsoft, Windows, and the Windows logo are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Intel and Xeon are registered
trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this
document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell disclaims proprietary interest in
the marks and names of others.

November 2012 | Rev 1.0

14. Firmware update using Dell Lifecycle Integration v2.0.1