Best order for Cisco UCS code updates

Best order for Cisco UCS code updates.

CIMC’s can by updated without interupting blades. I preffer updating CIMC’s first, and have mixed 2.0 and 1.4 Bios and Mez card without any trouble a few times. Best to control CIMC, Bios, and Mez card code level with Firmware policies.

The 2.0 code has new OS drivers so be sure and check that out. Have mixed 2.0 and 1.4 a few times both ways and never made a difference. Due to a lazy SCCM admin ran 2.0 OS drivers on 1.4 blade firmware for a few months. Didn’t make a difference. This is all with Windows 2008R2.

Over time have found that this is the best order for updating code levels on Cisco UCS. This way the UCSM keeps communication between itself down to the CIMC through the update process. Note that the IOM’s wait until their FI reboots to reboot and update code level.

This is considered the “Bottom Up” method.  Some prefer the “Top Down” method but I have found it much less smooth and harder to recover from if something goes wrong.

Always backup configuration before upgrading code levels.

Should go

1)      CIMC

2)      IOM (which will wait until the FI’s update)

3)      UCSM

4)      FI X (Which ever is the current passive FI)

5)      FI X (Second FI)

 

Note there is an automated UCS Code Update now. Cisco UCS Firmware Auto Install, Yes it Really Works! https://realworlducs.com/cisco-ucs-firmware-auto-install-works/