Updating Disk Firmware on NetApp Filers

Updating the firmware on a NetApp filer is fairly easy and can run in the background if your aggregates are setup as dual parity (also verify spares are available). First step is to determine the model of disks you have in your system by running the following command.

FilerName> storage show disk

DISK SHELF BAY SERIAL                   VENDOR MODEL             REV
———————————————————————————
0a.00.0 0          0   xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx NETAPP X306_WMANT NA04

Now that you have the model and firmware revision go the the Now site at the link below and do a page search for the model (X306_WMANT)

http://support.netapp.com/NOW/download/tools/diskfw/

When you locate your model disk  firmware there will be a link under the Firmware Rev. column. Click on the link and at the bottom locate the download.zip file. Unzip the files into the /etc/disk_fw directory on your filer.

Back at the filer console you can run the following command to initiate the firmware as follows:

Run the command below.

FilerName> option raid.background_disk_fw_update.enable

If this option is set to off you can enable it by running the following command. This option will set the filer to recognize that there is a new firmware file in /etc/disk_fw and run the upgrades in the background.

FilerName> option raid.background_disk_fw_update.enable on

Or if you want to run it manually run the following command to turn off background updates.

FilerName> option raid.background_disk_fw_update.enable off

Then run the command below to manually kick off firmware updates on all necessary drives

FilerName>disk_fw_update

Verify your system is setup properly in regards to RAID levels and spare disks. This process is non disruptive if all options are correct. If not you can take volumes offline

One Response to Updating Disk Firmware on NetApp Filers

  1. Paris says:

    Really useful , one thing I had to check , to get the files into : /etc/disk_fw

    Open them in : \\filername\c$\etc\disk_fw

    Copy them in , as you said check what this is :

    option raid.background_disk_fw_update.enable

    As it will start upgrading straight away!

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