VMware and BIOS/DRAC/SCSI Firmware Update on 2950 w/o floppy

[Knackster]

I need a bit of help to keep me out of a possible jam in the future.

I am prepping a beefy 2950 to be used as a ESX server. Currently there is no OS and no floppy drive.

How are you guys doing firmware updates to the various cards? I am hoping that there is a bootable cd solution, or can this be done with the windows executables and just launch it in a vm session?

Thanks.

Chris
IT Manager
Houston, Texas

 

[LawnBoy]

I use a USB floppy. Cheap and simple.


"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[NickFerrar]

Unless you're at a particularly buggy 2950 BIOS revision I'd just build it and update once you have ESX installed (that's what I did anyhow on my 2950's). If you do have access to a USB floppy though I guess that gives you a bit more peace of mind.

 

[Knackster]

i'll try the usb drive.

I'd prefer to have all of my firmware up to date before the ESX server gets populated with VM's as this will be my first host.

Thanks guys.

Chris
IT Manager
Houston, Texas

 

[NickFerrar]

I hope you have at least two ESX servers up and running before hosting production VMs on them

 

[Knackster]

lol Nick,

Funny guy. Yes I will have 2 ESX servers in my environment and both are actually more than enough to run all of the VM's in case one does goes down.

Well I did bite the bullet and called dell tech support. They actually have this information documented for vmware users. They suggest using the rh linux files to update all of the firmware. It seems to be officially supported.

That's great news but I'm still going to test it in the next few days.

Chris
IT Manager
Houston, Texas