Introduction


This article describes how to upgrade the LSI SAS9305-16i Storage Controller firmware, installed on Syneto HYPER Series 3000 appliances. The storage controller is directly managed by the SynetoOS virtual machine and controls the data storage disks holding the actual data.


To upgrade the controller firmware you are required to boot the HYPER appliance from a virtual CD-ROM through IPMI, in order to run the upgrade software. 


Activity duration: 30 minutes

Complexity level: Easy



Safety Precautions


Before performing the upgrade please ensure that replication of all the data on the storage pool of the affected appliance has been performed to a secondary appliance.


No physical intervention on the appliance is required to perform the upgrade.



Required Tools and Resources


To perform the upgrade please ensure you have the following:

  • A Windows PC with JAVA JRE installed;
  • The IP address of the Syneto appliance IPMI interface;
  • Access to the Syneto appliance IPMI interface through the network;
  • IPMI user and password;
  • ISO file (SASFWUPG.ISO) with the firmware upgrade software
        Download link (MD5)

Make sure to save the ISO file on the Windows PC that will be used to perform the firmware upgrade.



Pre-requisites

  • Check that the Syneto appliance is a 3000 HYPER Series Model
    • Login to ESXi;
    • Select the Host page and lookup the Model on the Hardware box.




  • Check that the storage controller is a SAS3224 model
    • Login to ESXi;
    • Select the SynetoOS virtual machine;
    • On the right pane, check that at least one of the PCI device(s) is a SAS3224 model.


  • Check the firmware version of the SAS9305-16i controller in SynetoOS command line
    • Login via SSH to the SynetoOS console;

    • Exit the Config shell running the following command:
          un sh
    • Check the firmware version running the following command:
          prtconf -vd | grep -C 30 SAS9305-16i | grep -A1 firmware-version
    • If the output is like below, the firmware version is confirmed “16.00.01.00”.
          name='firmware-version' type=string items=1 dev=none
          value='16.0.1.0'


This appliance is confirmed in scope for upgrade.



Procedure

  1. Shutdown all virtual machines running on the Syneto appliance;

  2. Perform a replication of all datastores and shares to the secondary Syneto appliance;

  3. Connect through SSH to the SynetoOS server;

  4. Only if you are in [Config] shell, run the following command to exit the Config shell:
        un sh

  5. Run the following command to become root:
        sudo su -

  6. Run the following command to delete cache pools:
        rm -f /etc/zfs/zpool.cache

  7. Load the SASFWUPG.ISO through IPMI:

    - On the IPMI Console Redirection page (accessible from the Remote Control menu), click on the "Lunch Console" button to start the console and complete the following requests to add the ISO file for booting.


    - Load the ISO file in the virtual CD-ROM;

    - Select the value "ISO file" from "Logical Drive Type" (1);

    - Click the "Open Image" button (2);

    - Select the SASFWUPG.ISO file;

    - Click the "Plug in" button (3);

    - Click the "OK" button (4);



  8. Click on "Virtual Media" menu and then click on "Virtual Keyboard";



  9. Reboot the HYPER appliance;



  10. During appliance reboot, immediately press F11 key to load the Boot Menu options;

  11. Select "UEFI: ATEN Virtual CDROM YSOJ" and press Enter (the system will boot into MSDOS prompt);


  12. Run the following command to enter "Firmware" directory:
        cd firmware

  13. Run the following command to show all the controllers installed on the system:
        SAS3FLSH -listall

    The output will show 2 controllers: the second line refers to the storage controller (SAS3224), the one to be upgraded.



  14. Run the following command to erase the flash memory of the storage controller:
        SAS3FLSH -c 1 -o -e 6



  15. Run the following command to upgrade the storage controller firmware:
        SAS3FLSH -c 1 -o -f SAS9305.BIN -b MPTSAS3.ROM -b MPT3X64.ROM



  16. Run the following command to verify the storage controller firmware update:
        SAS3FLSH -listall

  17. Reboot the HYPER appliance;

  18. Login into SynetoOS;

  19. Import pool(s) from interface:

    - Click on "Settings" icon;

    - Click on "Pools";



    - Click on "Import existing" voice to import the existing pools into SynetoOS;



    - Check the Pools page to verify that all the pools are healthy;



  20. Run an Integrity Check at your earliest convenience (during non-working hours, to not impact on production);



Troubleshooting


For any unexpected situations encountered while executing the steps above, please contact Syneto Customer Support.



Appendices


The storage controller firmware interprets the software commands coming from the operating system, transforms those into binary signals for the chipset and dictates all of the hardware-level interaction abilities. It is designated with a particular revision number. Firmware upgrades fix performance, stability issues and can improve performance.