How to update the ThinkSystem DM Series Storage controller firmware using the Lenovo ThinkSystem Storage Manager GUI (Classic Version)

Description

This article introduces the procedure used to perform an automatic nondisruptive upgrade of the ThinkSystem DM Series Storage controller firmware using the Lenovo ThinkSystem Storage Manager GUI (Classic version). You should regularly upgrade the controller firmware to make sure you have all the latest features and bug fixes. Before proceeding, ensure that all the data has been backed up properly, that the storage array and all drives have an Optimal status, and that no configuration changes are running on the storage array. Upgrading or downgrading a cluster to the current ONTAP release requires planning, preparation, the upgrade or downgrade itself, and several post-upgrade or downgrade procedures. You can use the GUI to verify that the cluster can be upgraded nondisruptively, install the target ONTAP image on each node, and then execute an upgrade in the background.

Applicable Systems

ThinkSystem DM Series Storage Arrays on Ontap 9.7 and below using Classic Mode

Before you begin

You must have met the upgrade preparation requirements.
For each HA pair, each node should have one or more ports on the same broadcast domain.
When a set of nodes is upgraded during a batch upgrade, the LIFs are migrated to the HA partner nodes. If the partners do not have any ports in the same broadcast domain, then the LIF migration will fail.

The software update process includes the following phases:

Planning for the update
Preparing for the update
Performing the update
Completing post-update tasks

For more detailed information, refer to the following page: Updating software on ONTAP clusters.

Because upgrading ONTAP includes an upgrade of your firmware, you do not need to update firmware manually. When you perform an ONTAP upgrade, the firmware for your cluster included with the ONTAP upgrade package is copied to each node's boot device, and the new firmware is installed automatically. Firmware for the following components is updated automatically if the version in your cluster is older than the firmware that is bundled with the ONTAP upgrade package:

BIOS
Flash Cache
Service Processor (SP)
Disk
Disk shelf

If desired, you can also update firmware manually in between ONTAP upgrades.

Solution

Download the firmware update file from the Lenovo DCG Support Web site.
- Navigate to datacentersupport.lenovo.com.
- Enter a valid DM Series machine type in the search box, and select the page for the machine type.
- Select the Drivers & Software tab.
- In the Warranty check area in the top right corner, enter a valid DM Series serial number.
- Expand the Product Firmware option.
- Download the desired controller firmware update bundle. You can save and extract the bundle to a folder on the local hard drive, or save the file to an http, https, sftp, or ftp server. Refer to Obtaining ONTAP software images for more detailed information.
- The ftp server must be configured with no authentication. The http server must use port 80 for file downloads.
Log in to the Storage Manager GUI using the admin account and password.

Select Configuration.

Expand the Cluster drop-down menu.

From the drop-down menu select Update.

In the Available Software Images box, select Add from Local Client or Add from Server depending on where the file is located, or select an available image if it was previously uploaded.
Local Client
- Browse to the location where you saved and extracted the software image, select the image, and then click Open.
- The software image will upload after you click Open.
From Server
- In the Add a New Software Image dialog box, enter the URL of the HTTP server or FTP server on which you have saved the image that was downloaded from the Lenovo Support Site.
- For an anonymous FTP, you must specify the URL in the ftp://anonymous@ftpserver format.
- Click Add.
- Add from Local Client will add a new software image from the local client. Select "Local Client."
- Add from Server will add a new software image from an http, https, sftp, or ftp server server on your network. Select "From Server".

This will begin uploading the image file to the system.

When the upload is complete select the new image to update, and then click Next.

Select Validate.

Note: Before the update, ONTAP checks the cluster components to validate that the upgrade can be completed nondisruptively. The system will perform validation and return warning messages for any issues discovered. It also displays any required remedial actions that you must perform before updating the software. When complete, you might receive a warning about manual checks that need to be performed.

Important: You must perform all of the required remedial actions for the errors before proceeding with the update. Although you can ignore the remedial actions for the warnings, the best practice is to perform all of the remedial actions before proceeding with the update.
When these checks have been performed and the required remedial actions have been taken, click Next.

Select Update.

.

ONTAP will perform the same validation checks again. Select Continue to proceed with the update.

Note: This operation updates the selected ONTAP image on the cluster. The cluster remains online and continues to serve data during the upgrade.

Note: During the update, each of the controllers will be updated one at a time.
- If the cluster consists of two to six nodes, a rolling upgrade will be performed. If the cluster consists of eight or more nodes, a batch upgrade will be performed by default.
- After completing each takeover and each giveback, the upgrade will wait for eight minutes to enable client applications to recover from the pause in I/O that occurs during the takeover and giveback.
After the first controller is updated, you will lose connectivity and will have to reconnect to the GUI again to view the final process of updating the second controller.