How to Update Dell iDRAC Firmware

Updating the iDRAC firmware is essential for maintaining the health and performance of your Dell servers.
This guide will walk you through the process of updating the firmware using both the iDRAC web interface and the CLI tool “racadm”.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure that you have:

  • the latest firmware file for your Unitrends appliance model, downloaded from the Dell support website.
  • administrative access to the iDRAC interface.
  • a stable network connection.

Mapping Unitrends appliances to Dell models

IMPORTANT  Do not use your Dell service tag to identify your model in the Dell support portal.
This will point you to the OEMR versions of the models which do not contain the latest downloads available.
Use the equivalent Dell models listed below.

Unitrends Appliance Model

Equivalent Dell Models

Dell Generation

9002/9004/9006/9008/9010/9012

PowerEdge R240

14G

9016S/9020S/9024S

PowerEdge R6515

14G

9032S/9040S/9060S/9080S/9100S/9120S

PowerEdge R740xd

14G

10002

OptiPlex 7000 XE Micro

Not applicable

10004/10006/10008/10010/10012

PowerEdge R250

15G

10016/10020/10024

PowerEdge R450

15G

10032/10040/10060/10080/10100/10120

PowerEdge R750xs

15G

Updating iDRAC firmware using the iDRAC web interface [Recommended]

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure that:

  • iDRAC is enabled.
  • iDRAC has a valid IP address.
  • you have administrative access to the iDRAC interface.
  • there is a stable Network connection.
  • [Optional] if you are using Location Type [HTTPS] to download directly from Dell’s support website, the appliance must allow traffic to downloads.dell.com.

Step-by-step instructions

To update your Dell iDRAC firmware:

If you are using the direct download method, i.e. Location Type [HTTPS], start with step 2.

  1. Download the Firmware File
    1. Search for the latest iDRAC firmware on the Dell support website for your model appliance. See Mapping Unitrends appliances to Dell models above.
    2. Download the WIN64.EXE file for your iDRAC firmware.
  2. Log in to iDRAC
    1. Open a web browser.
    2. Navigate to your iDRAC IP address.
    3. Log in with your administrative credentials.
  3. Navigate to Firmware Update
    Go to Maintenance > System Update.
  4. Upload the Firmware file
    Choose the appropriate Location Type for where you downloaded the firmware file.
    • Method 1: Click on Choose File, select the firmware file you downloaded, and click Upload.
    • Method 2:
      1. Choose Location Type [HTTPS].
      2. Enter the HTTPS address [downloads.dell.com].
      3. Click Check for Update.
      4. Under Update Details, select the appropriate iDRAC firmware only.
  5. Install the Firmware
    Once the file is uploaded, select it and click Install.
    If a reboot is required, choose Install and Reboot.

IMPORTANT  Do not power off or restart the system during this time.

  1. Monitor the Update
    1. Monitor the update process in the Job Queue.
    2. Once the update is complete, the iDRAC will reboot automatically.
      The update process will take a few minutes.
  1. Confirm the Firmware Update
    1. After the iDRAC reboots, log back into the web interface.
    2. Navigate to the System > Details section to confirm the firmware version has been updated.

Updating the iDRAC firmware BIN file from console

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure that:

  • iDRAC is enabled.
  • iDRAC has a valid IP.
  • you have direct console access (preferred) or SSH access to the Unitrends Appliance.
  • there is a stable network connection.

WARNING!  Do not stop this process or install other products while the update is in progress.
These actions may cause your system to become unstable.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Download the Firmware File
    Download the appropriate firmware BIN file from the Dell Support website. See Mapping Unitrends appliances to Dell models, above.
  2. Upload to Unitrends Appliance
    Upload the file to your Unitrends Appliance.
  3. Open Command Line Interface
    Open your terminal or command prompt.
  4. Use the following command to allow the .BIN file to be executed:

    chmod +x <path_to_firmware_file>

    Replace <path_to_firmware_file> with your specific details.

  5. Prepare to run the update
    If you are using SSH to connect to your Unitrends appliance, run the screen command first to account for unplanned disconnections.
    Follow the instructions displayed on screen to proceed with the update.

NOTE  If you get disconnected from your SSH session, re-establish the connection and type screen -r to reconnect to the previous screen.

  1. Start the Update

    <path_to_firmware_file>/<firmware_file>.BIN

  2. Verify the Update

    After the update completes, verify the firmware version using:

    racadm getversion

Examples

Running directly on console:

chmod +x /tmp/iDRAC-with-Lifecycle-Controller_Firmware_3NNH8_LN64_7.00.00.172_A00.BIN

/tmp/iDRAC-with-Lifecycle-Controller_Firmware_3NNH8_LN64_7.00.00.172_A00.BIN

racadm getversion

Running from SSH session:

chmod +x /tmp/iDRAC-with-Lifecycle-Controller_Firmware_3NNH8_LN64_7.00.00.172_A00.BIN

/tmp/iDRAC-with-Lifecycle-Controller_Firmware_3NNH8_LN64_7.00.00.172_A00.BIN

racadm getversion

exit

By following these steps, you can ensure your iDRAC firmware is up to date, enhancing the performance and security of your Dell servers.

If you encounter any issues, please contact Unitrends support for further assistance.