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Should the field engineer inform the customer about BIOS and SP BMC version mismatches during a controller replacement?

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hw
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Applies to

  • ASA
  • AFF
  • FAS

Answer

Yes, when replacing a controller as part of an field support order, the field engineer should check and report if there is a mismatch between the BIOS and Service Processor (SP) / Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) versions on the new  controller and the defective controller. NetApp recommends enabling the auto-firmware update feature to handle updates automatically.

Key considerations:

  • BIOS Updates require a system reboot before ONTAP is loaded. For a controller replacement, the BIOS update will be automatic on the first boot when a new version is detected. However, this does not cover scenarios where a higher BIOS version is needed than what ONTAP provides. This can occur following a boot device replacement, where any higher BIOS version previously loaded would be lost post-replacement.
  • SP/BMC Updates can be loaded after ONTAP is booted.

Field engineers focus on hardware replacement during on-site interventions. Offering BIOS and SP/BMC updates by default would require staging the updates in advance and ensuring a preconfigured, accessible web server at the time of intervention. Many customers and partners either cannot or will not set up the required web server, making consistent updates challenging. Therefore, while field engineers report mismatches, actual updates depend on the customer's setup and preferences.

Additional Information

 

 

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