Skip to main content

Prerequisites

Follow the instructions in this topic before starting the process of switch firmware update.

Before work can begin, confirm that you have the following items available:

  • Access credentials to the Azure Stack Hub Administrator Portal

  • Access credentials to XClarity Administrator on the HLH

  • In case a direct serial connection to a switch is needed for troubleshooting:

    • Lenovo-specific serial cable (Mini-USB-RJ45-Serial) supplied with switch

    • USB-to-serial cable

    • USB thumb drive containing:

      • Lenovo ThinkAgile SXM firmware update files for the appropriate Best Recipe

      • XClarity Administrator firmware update policy file for the appropriate Best Recipe

        Note

        The above files can be obtained from the ThinkAgile SXM repository located at the following URL:

        https://thinkagile.lenovo.com/SXM

  • This guide assumes that your ThinkAgile SXM Series solution is running Lenovo XClarity Administrator version 2.x on the HLH to perform firmware updates on the ThinkAgile SXM network switches. If XClarity Administrator version 2.x is running on the HLH, it is easily updated to any other version 2.x following the instructions in the topic Update XClarity Administrator.

  • The minimum switch NOS versions required to use XClarity Administrator to perform updates are CNOS v10.6.1.0 (on the TOR switches and NE0152T BMC switch) and ENOS v8.4.8.0 (on the G8052 BMC switch). If a switch is running an earlier version, you cannot use XClarity Administrator to update the NOS on the switch. In this situation, refer to Appendix B: Updating ThinkAgile SXM Series switches using the CLI (Lenovo switches only) for instructions on how to use the switch CLI method to update switch firmware.

  • Establish a solution maintenance window, during which the expectation is that the solution might not be available. Lenovo recommends allowing a minimum 2-hour maintenance window for all three switches.