The HP BladeSystem Release Sets for ProLiant will not be updated past 2H 2012. Please transition to the HP Service Pack for ProLiant at your earliest convenience

Notes

• HP Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) is the replacement product for Insight Foundation (PSPs, Smart Update Firmware DVD, and other systems software) will be available at the following link:
  HP Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) product page

IT managers need to address changing business needs with tools that meet the challenges of managing complex Datacenters. HP provides management solutions that are designed to simplify installation, configuration and maintenance throughout the entire lifecycle. This provides the customer with higher levels of operational efficiency and highly reliable systems.

BladeSystem Release Sets were designed to meet the above needs and are a solutions-oriented collection of ProLiant BladeSystem firmware. The full collection is tested with HP software, drivers, and ProLiant Support Packs (PSP's) to drive standardization of components to HP customers. This product is being replaced and superseded by the HP Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP) and customers should start transitioning to that product at their earliest convenience since the release sets will not be updated after 2H 2012.

HP BladeSystem Release Sets are comprised of the following individual HP BladeSystem firmware components that have been tested and verified together in an integrated HP BladeSystem solution environment:

• Onboard Administrator
• Integrated Lights-Out (iLO)
• Virtual Connect
• Power Management Controller
• BladeSystem Server BIOS
• NICs
• Storage Firmware

The BladeSystem Release Set compatibility page only shows compatibility for Windows and Linux OSes in both online and offline mode. However, the other OSes (Citrix, Solaris, NetWare/OES, Oracle Linux and VMware) are supported via offline updates using the Smart Update Firmware DVD.

To view the full table, click here

Smart Update Firmware DVD version (contains)	9.10C		9.20b		9.30
HP BladeSystem c-Class Firmware Components	Release Set 2010.07		Release Set 2010.10		Release Set 2011.05
	Windows	Linux	Windows	Linux	Windows	Linux

NOTES:

• A release set can be customized to contain any valid interim point releases as shown in the release set compatibility table.
• HP BladeSystem c7000 enclosures properly configured with redundant Onboard Administrator and Virtual Connect modules can be updated online without disruption to production workloads. Firmware and PSP updates to blade components may require individual blades to be rebooted, which can be scheduled during an appropriate maintenance window for each server blade workload.
• Release Sets are contained in the FW DVD:
• Release Set 2011.05 is contained on FW DVD v9.30
• Release Set 2010.10 is contained on FW DVD v9.20
• Release Set 2010.07 is contained on FW DVD v.9.10 series
• Release Set 2010.03 is contained on FW DVD v9.0.

How the Smart Update Firmware DVD works:

• When booting from the Smart Update Firmware DVD ISO image, choose interactive mode or automatic mode:
• If you select the interactive mode during the 30 second period, the DVD prompts you to select individual firmware components to update. This provides the same functionality as the Firmware Maintenance CD.
• Or wait 30 seconds and the DVD l thenboots into automatic mode for automated firmware updates. This provides the same functionality as the Firmware Deployment Tool.
• If using the Smart Update Firmware DVD ISO in online mode, select BladeSystem bundles for the relevant OS.
• The Smart Update Firmware DVD is bootable by PXE and iLO Virtual Media

A USB Key Creator is available that allows the Smart Update DVD to be placed on a USB key along with SmartStart. This allows new components to be added by simply dropping them in the \hp\swpackages directory.

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Adopting a standard of regularly scheduled firmware Release Sets simplifies the firmware support model.

• Customers contacting HP call center support are asked to have the latest Firmware Release Set or one of the two previous Firmware Release Sets installed.
• Firmware Release Sets have been easy to identify as they are based on the date of release. For example, the initial January 2010 Firmware Release Set is identified as 2010.01 and subsequent ones by 2010.03 and 2010.07, etc.)
• As previously mentioned, the firmware Release Sets are not being updated past 2H 2012 and are being replaced by HP Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP), so please plan migration to the SPP.

BladeSystem Release Set Support

• BladeSystem for ProLiant firmware support is for the current Release Set and two previous Release Sets. Individual firmware component releases outside of a Release Set have been tested with the most current Release Set and incorporated into the subsequent Release Set.
• Customers have the option to customize release sets and create their own firmware baselines as long as these baselines use currently advertised Release Set components as found on the compatibility table below.

When requesting support on issues involving a custom baseline, customers may be asked to migrate to a currently supported release set if they are not on one.

NOTES:

• A release set can be customized to contain any valid, interim, point releases (up to 3) as shown in the compatibility table tab.
• The firmware Release Sets are not being updated past 2H 2012 and are being replaced by HP Service Pack for ProLiant (SPP), so please plan migration to the SPP.

To deploy HP Virtual Connect

• FlexFabric environments, download the "HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric Solution Recipe White Paper".
• HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 NICs, download the "HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 NICs Solution Recipe White Paper".

For updating VMWare environments

• In VMware ESX/ESXi environments the HP Firmware Release Set is applied through the use of the HP Smart Update Firmware DVD ISO. This is accomplished offline from the ESX/ESXi operating environment which means booting a DVD or USB key created from the ISO.
• HP Smart Update Manager (HP SUM) defaults into an automatic update mode and applies the necessary firmware updates or an interactive mode if any key is pressed during the initial startup screen.
• The HP Smart Update Firmware DVD contains the HP firmware Release Set and the versions correspond to the "for Linux" versions that are listed on the compatibility list.
• The ProLiant DL and ML server line can be firmware updated with this general procedure also.

For updating Oracle Solaris environments

• The HP ProLiant Firmware Maintenance Toolkit for Solaris 10 (x86) assists in performing firmware maintenance on HP ProLiant servers. Using the toolkit, firmware maintenance can be scripted, automated, and performed remotely. It is used in conjunction with the Smart Update Firmware DVD. To find it, go to Support and Drivers on hp.com.

NetWare is not supported on the Firmware DVD for ProLiant G7's and above.

To obtain PSPs, drivers, utilities, and agents for other OSes such as Citrix, Solaris, NetWare/OES, OEL or VMware:

Please visit the OS support matrices below. Details about OS support capabilities for each are provided at these links. OS Support & Certification Matrices

• Microsoft Windows
• Citrix
• NetWare/OES
• Oracle Linux
• RHEL
• SLES
• Solaris
• VMware

NetWare is not supported on the Firmware DVD for ProLiant G7's and above.

• Firmware Deployment Tool
• HP Firmware Maintenance CD
• HP BladeSystem Online Firmware Bundle for Windows v1.70
• HP BladeSystem Online Firmware Bundle for Linux v1.70

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