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Technical overview

Lenovo XClarity Essentials UpdateXpress (hereafter referred to as the UpdateXpress application) can be used to acquire and apply UpdateXpress System Packs (UXSP) and individual updates to the local or remote system. The UpdateXpress application acquires and deploys UpdateXpress System Pack (UXSP) update packages and individual updates. UXSPs contain firmware and device driver updates.

The following section briefly introduces the four main functions of the UpdateXpress application. For more information, see Using the UpdateXpress application.
Updating the local server
Update the local machine currently running the UpdateXpress application. The machine type is detected and updates are acquired and automatically applied.
Updating a remote server
Update the remote machine by the Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) running on the machine. Users need a Simple File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) server to transfer the updates to the target remote machine.
Downloading packages from Lenovo support website
Choose one or more machine types for which updates are acquired from the Lenovo Support website. Updates are downloaded to the folder specified, but no updates are applied. Users can later use the UpdateXpress application to apply those updates by indicating that updates should be obtained from the folder specified rather than from the Lenovo Support website.
Initializing a new repository
This function creates a new repository. While its core purpose is similar to the Download packages from Lenovo support website function, a key difference is that the repository location can be either a local directory or a remote directory on an HTTPS/SFTP server. And the specified directory must be empty.
Connecting to an existing repository
This function enables the management of a repository that was previously created using the Initialize a new repository function. Within an existing repository, software packages can be added or removed.
Remote RAID Configuration
Configure RAID array using BMC service.
  • UpdateXpress System Pack (UXSP)
    A UXSP is an integration-tested bundle of online firmware and driver updates for System x and ThinkSystem servers. UXSPs are released semiannually for the first three years and annually for the final three years of support.
  • Applying UXSPs updates with the UpdateXpress application
  • Handling a UXSP as a bundle
    The UpdateXpress application is designed to download and apply UXSPs. The UXSP is a collection of individual updates as specified by the UXSP XML file.
  • Handling update requisites
    This topic describes how the update requisites are acquired and applied.
  • Operating system independent updates
    Some individual updates apply to a specific machine type regardless of the operating system being used. These individual updates are treated as operating system independent updates. Users can select operating system independent updates the same way of selecting operating system specific updates.
  • Missing or incomplete inventory data
    Sometimes an update package applies to a component for which the UpdateXpress application cannot determine the firmware or driver version. In this case, the UpdateXpress application displays the version of the update package instead of the component version. If an installed component version is not detected, the update is not selected by default. In this case, select the package as a recommended update manually.
  • Installing required drivers
    The UpdateXpress application installs required device drivers.