Updating only iDRAC+BIOS (R720 for example), or all firmware? reddit / selfhosted ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BloodyIron · 2023-11-16 02:34 I've really only been paying attention to updating iDRAC and BIOS firmwares when I get a new server. But in the example case of like a Dell R720, is there any tangible reason to care about updating the firmware of other components? And if so, which, and why? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- bklyngaucho · 2023-11-16 02:58 Read the release notes for said firmware. Fixes are listed there. You can decide if those have tangible benefits for you. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- iavael · 2023-11-16 04:49 Sometimes BIOS requires SPS to be updated to specific version. Usually it's better to update all of motherboard firmware together. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BloodyIron · 2023-11-16 06:10 What is SPS? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- carl2187 · 2023-11-16 06:15 DONT DO IT! Most r720's have a bad flash chip so the idrac update will fail, and you'll have 100% fan speed and a nice idrac init failure that requires keyboard intervention at every boot up. Mobo replacement is the only fix once your there. Skip bios, and idrac updates at all cost! Raid controller and NICs can be safely updated though. T620 - died during idrac update. R720 - died during idrac update. Customer R720 - died during idrac update. A few times it happened under warranty and the mobo was swapped out, but r720 is no longer warranty eligible. Not worth the risk, basically 0 benefit too if the system is working today. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- carl2187 · 2023-11-16 06:20 For most dell systems, idrac, bios, CPLD, raid controller, nics, all have firmware updates that should be applied. Power supply sometimes, not usually necessary. But R720, don't do it. T620 don't do it. R620, don't do it. I haven't had any issues before or after that cursed xx20 generation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BloodyIron · 2023-11-16 06:25 > DONT DO IT! > > Most r720's have a bad flash chip so the idrac update will fail, and you'll have 100% fan speed and a nice idrac init failure that requires keyboard intervention at every boot up. Mobo replacement is the only fix once your there. > > Skip bios, and idrac updates at all cost! Well all my R720's already have their iDRACs and BIOS' fully updated, so unsure what exactly all that's about... they appear to be fully operational too. And I'm currently sitting on 5x of them, all updated. Also, this doesn't actually answer the original question of _why_ I might want to update the other firmwares. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BloodyIron · 2023-11-16 06:26 It's called a sanity check, and there's plenty of times release notes for firmwares give zero insight on what was changed. I already KNOW I can go read them, that's not what I'm asking. I'm asking for EXPERIENCE in the field, like _why_ anyone who does it with any regularity does so (in this particular regard). Not a generalisation, but specifics, details. This is a technical forum after all. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BloodyIron · 2023-11-16 06:27 Well I've already updated the iDRAC and BIOS' on my 5x R720's to max version. As for the other components, you recommend against updating their firmware? Am I understanding that correctly? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- iavael · 2023-11-16 06:33 Intel Server Platform Services ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BloodyIron · 2023-11-16 06:36 Thanks :) Oh, also, uhhh what does that DO? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- iavael · 2023-11-16 06:42 It’s a chipset firmware similar to Intel ME in desktop/laptop systems, but for servers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- bklyngaucho · 2023-11-16 11:22 I was being a bit curt earlier, apologies. Myself, I do it with regularity and here’s why: In my experience, the firmware updates for other items have some bug fix or CVE addressed that is now fixed, so I apply. Would I have experienced said bug or flaw? Who knows. But now I don’t worry about it, because I applied the firmware patch. Here’s an [example](https://www.dell.com/support/home/en- us/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=wp87w). Here’s [another.](https://www.dell.com/support/home/en- us/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=640kw) In general, when Im talking about my homelab, I trust that some team of people smarter than me both found and fixed/improved something and that’s why we have the update available to apply. So I apply. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BloodyIron · 2023-11-16 17:33 Does it have any impact on iDRAC/IPMI capabilities? Or is it, just like ME, generally completely inaccessible? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BloodyIron · 2023-11-16 17:40 Oh generally I agree with you about reading release notes for pretty much anything! Especially when it comes to CVE stuff. However, in this particular case, I more wanted to hear about longer- term experiences with tangible needs for/against updating the "other firmwares" (not iDRAC+BIOS) and also again in this case for R720's (as that is my case, but I'm open to hearing rationale for others too). Such that maybe there's more to the picture than what the release notes cover, or maybe even good reasons for/against that are not outlined in any release notes. You know, the knowledge and wisdom of the sysadmin masses, so to say. :P Myself, operating under the possibility that I am not considering an angle that I might agree with. As a not-real example maybe there's bugs with the PSUs and their fans if they don't get X firmware version. Oh the fans go berserk or something at this time of day and then start going in reverse! Something obscure like that. Since as you say you update firmwares of that nature regularly, you and other people in similar situations, might notice things as a result of that frequency that I may not encounter due to my lower frequency (I have "only" 5x R720's). Anyways, that's some clarification there. And I appreciate the apology :) So yeah! Since this thread isn't seemingly kicking up any specific responses I may just end up going and reading the release notes at some point anyways. We'll see if any more information boils to the surface ;) Have a nice day! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- iavael · 2023-11-16 17:44 SPS more tied to BIOS (and their components are updated in one IPU pack by Intel). As for relation to BMC (iDRAC/IPMI) firmware, it varies. Usually it's not tied too hard, but during my career I saw issues when BMC firmware lagged behind BIOS (or vice versa, I don't remember this well). BMC gets data (like sensor data and hardware inventory) and makes changes (bios settings, firmware updates) via chipset and BIOS, so if communication API changes in one update and another part is not updated for too long to fall out of migration window, then there gonna be issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BloodyIron · 2023-11-16 20:09 Hmm duly noted, thanks! And as for the ME inaccessible part, I more mean the parts that intel won't even let you disable (like the ring0 stuff). For an R720 though, with iDRAC/IPMI, how does ME provide functional value to $sysAdmin? It seems... redundant? I for one prefer the iDRAC/IPMI interfacing over ME, at least on-paper, as I don't really need fleet-provisioning kind of stuff. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- iavael · 2023-11-17 07:24 SPS and ME control motherboard hardware and boot process. BMC doesn't do this, it's an OOB management controller that is external to motherboard. Your server can work without BMC, but cannot without SPS. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- kmisterk · 2023-11-17 18:04 ## Post Removed Hey, BloodyIron! Thanks for your submission on selfhosted. Your post has been removed due to a violation of the purpose of the subreddit: **Self Hosting** ## Not Self-Hosted When it comes to posts regarding applications in this subreddit, they must feature a self-hosted tool, or a tool that *can be* self-hosted, or some kind of related information, help request, or otherwise related to a tool that is something that one can self-host. If you believe this post *is in fact* relevant to /r/selfhosted, feel free to [message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to= /r/selfhosted&subject=Removed For Not Being Self- Hosted&message=[Removed Post](https://www.reddit.com/r/selfhosted/comments/17wbnem/-/\)) with your concerns.