HP Smart Update Manager - Manual (Page 6)

1 Introduction
HP SUM overview
HP SUM is a technology included in many HP products for installing and updating firmware and
software components on HP ProLiant and HP Integrity servers, enclosures, and options.
HP SUM provides a GUI and a command-line scriptable interface for:
•
Deployment of firmware for single or one-to-many ProLiant and Integrity servers and
network-based targets such as iLOs, OAs, and VC Ethernet and Fibre Channel modules.
•
Deployment of software for single or one-to-many ProLiant servers (supported in Windows and
Linux environments) and Integrity servers.
HP SUM has an integrated hardware and software discovery engine that finds the installed hardware
and current versions of firmware and software in use on target servers. This capability prevents
extraneous network traffic by sending only the required components to a target host. HP SUM
installs updates in the correct order and ensures that all dependencies are met before deploying
an update. HP SUM prevents an installation if there are version-based dependencies that it cannot
resolve.
HP SUM does not require an agent for remote installations, because it copies a small, secure SOAP
server to the target for the duration of the installation. After the installation is complete, the SOAP
server and all remote files associated with the installation, except installation log files, are removed.
HP SUM copies the log files from the remote targets back to the system where HP SUM is executed.
Key features of HP SUM include:
•
Dependency checking, which ensures appropriate installation order and dependency checking
between components
•
Intelligent deployment of only required updates
•
Simultaneous firmware and software deployment for multiple remote targets in both GUI and
CLI modes
•
Improved deployment performance
•
Local or remote (one-to-many) online deployment of ProLiant and Integrity server and enclosures
•
Local offline firmware deployments with the earlier HP Smart Update Firmware DVD or HP
Support Pack for ProLiant deliverables
•
Remote offline deployment when used with the SmartStart Scripting Toolkit (G7 and earlier
servers), Scripting Toolkit (Gen8 and later), iLO Virtual Media, or PXE booted media
•
GUI or CLI scripts with extensive logging
•
Remote command-line deployment
•
Support for updating firmware on network-based targets such as the OA, iLO through the
Network Management Port, VC Ethernet and Fibre Channel modules, and 3Gb/6Gb SAS BL
Switch interconnects on ProLiant servers
•
Support for deploying firmware updates to supported Integrity servers and Superdome 2
enclosures
•
Support for updating VC modules on Integrity servers
NOTE: HP SUM does not support third-party controllers. This includes flashing hard drives
behind these controllers.
6 Introduction