Maintaining and Managing Storage Configurations : Upgrading the Firmware

Upgrading the Firmware

The MegaRAID Storage Manager software enables you to easily upgrade the controller firmware. To avoid data loss because of dirty cache on the controller, the utility forces the virtual disks into Write through mode after a firmware upgrade. It is in this mode until the server reboots. In the Write through mode, the controller sends a data transfer completion signal to the host when the disk subsystem has received all the data in a transaction. This way, in case of a power outage, the controller does not discard the dirty cache.

Follow these steps to upgrade the controller firmware:

1.

In the left panel of the MegaRAID Storage Manager main menu window, click on the icon of the controller you need to upgrade.

2.

On the main menu screen, select Go To>>Controller>>Update Controller Firmware.

3.

Click Browse for the .rom flash update file, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 75 Locate the Controller Firmware File

 

4.

After you locate the file, click OK.

The MegaRAID Storage Manager software displays the version of the existing firmware.

5.

When you are prompted to indicate whether you want to upgrade the firmware or not, click Yes.

A progress bar appears along with messages indicating when an image opens and when an image downloads.

6.

After an image has been downloaded, and if online firmware update is supported on the controller, a confirmation message box appears asking for your confirmation.

* 

NOTE If online firmware update is not supported on the controller, the confirmation message box does not appear. Instead, once an image is downloaded, a message indicating that an image is being flashed appears. The controller is updated with the new firmware code contained in the .rom file. Reboot the system after the new firmware is flashed. The new firmware does not take effect until reboot.

If you click Yes in the confirmation message box, the progress bar continues with a message indicating the flashing of an image.

After the progress bar disappears, either of the two messages appear in a message box.

New Firmware Version is flashed successfully. Online Firmware Update is not possible in this case. System reboot is required for the new firmware <version number> to take effect.

New Firmware Version is flashed successfully. Controller Reset will start now.

If the first message appears, you need to reboot your system.

If the second message appears, you are taken back to the MegaRAID Storage Manager main menu window. An event "Restart Started" appears in the log (at the bottom of the MegaRAID Storage Manager main menu window) and a progress bar appears stating "Controller reset is in progress".

Once the controller reset process is completed, the controller is updated with the new firmware code contained in the .rom file.