best practice for disk firmware on ONTAP 8.0.2 P3 7-mode

[mdvillanueva]

Hello Experts,

We are preparing to upgrade to 8.1.1 7-mode. All of our SAS disks need disk firmware upgrade, so I downloaded X412_S15K7560A15.zip.

inside /etc/disk_fw I see X412_S15K7560A15.lod.

I know have to to turn this on "options raid.background_disk_fw_update.enable"

I can access \etc\disk_fw via CIFS.

Should I move the  X412_S15K7560A15.zip inside \etc/disk_fw and then unzip inside OR

unzip X412_S15K7560A15.zip in a Windows machine and then copy-paste inside \etc\disk_fw?

Both steps would overwrite the existing LOD file, correct?

Or am I approaching this all wrong?

Thanks,

Maico

[aborzenkov]

If you already has this firmware on disk, there is no need to download it again.

[mdvillanueva]

Let me correct myself. It us different file name and version. I thought it was exactly the same.

Sent from my iPhone

[scottgelb]

Just copy the lod files to /etc/disk_fw if already unzipped for those specific drives since few files... to make it easier, I usually just download the all.zip file with all disk firmware, then copy it to /etc/software then run 'software install all.zip' which extracts all files to /etc/disk_fw.

[mdvillanueva]

Hi Scott,

Do I need to copy the file on both /etc/disk_fw of both filers? The disks that need firmware upgrade are split between the two filers. I was advise by a Netapp dump the LOD file on both filers to make the upgrade quicker.

Also, what command do you use to check the status of the upgrade? I am thinking of sysconfig –v.

Do I need to delete the old version of the file after the upgrades are done?

Maico

[scottgelb]

I copy to both controllers.  Some things like shelf firmware can push from the partner controller, but I still keep copies the same on both controllers.... I agree with support to put the LOD files on both systems.  You can check sysconfig to see the firmware version and the messages will show each drive updating one at a time in the background.  You don't need to delete older files... they aren't large and they are versioned NA00 NA01 NA02, etc. so the highest version is always used... it would be ok to clean up the older files but for the space gained it doesn't give you much in return... some have deleted all files then extract only those they need but better to not make a mistake in my opinion and just update the new files as needed.  I prefer the all.zip to capture every drive type but some don't just a preference.

[mdvillanueva]

Hi Scott,

Do I need to stop any Snapmirror or Snapvault jobs while running the disk firmware upgrade?

Maico

[scottgelb]

No need to quiesce or stop… since one disk at a time upgrades there is no outage.

[aborzenkov]

Yes, each controller updates own disks only. So you need to install FW on both controllers.

There is really no direct way to check for background disk update progress. The only indirect way is to check for current disk firmware. Or watch /etc/messages; when no messages about disk FW update appears for 10 minutes, it is good indication that it is completed.

There is no need to remove old versions. They do not take much space and DOT always uses the latest one.

[SNETAPPUSER]

Scott is correct. Anyway, it is about the practice that you follow. I personally download what is only required.

[scottgelb]

I would really like a way for ontap (or oncommand tool) to compare current firmware for everything on a controller... Rlm/sp/bmc, bios/diags, disk, shelf/acp and build a firmware download. Then an upgrade advisor to run the software install steps. One software install command for the zip specific for the controller. Wish list item that would save time for upgrades separate from ontap.

Sent from my iPhone 4S

[admchtxpl]

While on it, please also include NVRAM and Battery Firmware...

[scottgelb]

Battery one is interesting. It is now in the sp firmware nondisruptive but we had a customer where support had us run the disruptive manual upgrade process since their battery fw was old and the new sp wasn't recommended for their ontap (8.0.1). So hard to tell sometimes when that sp update should or shouldn't be used.

Nvram and sas hba firmware I have only seen in the ontap downloads. Would be really cool to have a separate way to push those as well. Although would need a takeover/giveback or reboot to apply it.

I'd eve happy of we had a way to take any ontap upgrade and bundle the latest firmware to it.

[GC]

Hi, I am trying to copy the firmware files to /etc/disk_fw and I get an 'access denied' error.  Can you please tell me what you did to be able to write to that directory vis CIFS?

Thanks!

[SEIMTEXTER]

8 years later and I'm trying the same thing.  Not sure what to do