How to update HP Integrated Lights-Out firmware

Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) is an integrated hardware component installed on all HP Proliant and Blade Servers. iLO facilitates  remote management of the server. Latest HP Proliant G7 Servers are installed with Integrated Lights-Out 3 (iLO3). Compared to older versions of iLO and iLO2, iLO3 is much faster and gives more advanced features. Today, we will  discuss about firmware updation of iLO3.

HP released frequent iLO firmware updates and most of the iLO3 firmware upgrade contains new features and enhanced functionality. There are different methods to update the iLO firmware. You can use iLO Online updates for Windows and linux (.exe or .scexe files); you can use HP Smart Update Firmware DVD of the server to update the iLO firmware OR you can use iLO browser based option to update the iLO firmware. Today we will be discussing about updating iLO 3 firmware using the browser based option.

Since web based firmware update supports only the firmware image file (.BIN file); we need to extract the .BIN file from one of the online firmware package available on HP driver download page. The .BIN firmware update file is not available as a direct download option at HP.com, instead you need to extract the .BIN file from the online firmware update files (.exe files)

Today, I am updating one of the HP Proliant DL360 G7 Server hence I am updating iLO3 firmware. Similar steps are applied for iLO2 as well (HP G6 series and older servers).

Steps we need to follow:

1. Download iLO online firmware update file to your computer. Then extract the .BIN file from it.
2. Login to iLO web interface and update the firmware by uploading the .BIN file.

Step 1: Download online Firmware update file  and extract the .BIN file

1. Go to HP Driver download page of your Server
2. Select one of the Windows OS from the list and download the online iLO Firmware

3. Once you download the file, just execute it (Example file name: cp015457.exe)
4. Online ROM Flash installation window will be open in your computer (as shown below)
5. Click on the Extract button and extract the files to a folder on your computer

6. Open the folder in which you have extracted the files ( Here my folder name: iLO3 Firmware)

7. You could find the .BIN file listed in the folder (File name: ilo3_126.bin)

Step 2: Login to iLO browser window and update the firmware (using the .BIN file)

1. Enter the IP address of iLO in your browser window, it will open iLO web interface
2. Enter the iLO User name and Password and login to the iLO3. Click on Administration and iLO 3 Firmware. The iLO 3 Firmware page will appear.

4. At iLO 3 Firmware page, click Browse button and select the .BIN file we have extracted

5. Now, we need to click the Upload button.

6. You will receive a Warning about iLO firmware update process, Click on OK!

7. Now iLO Firmware image file (.BIN file) will be uploaded (shown below)

8. Later you will find  a screen saying Receive image (Shown below)

9. Now iLO firmware will be flashed (Shown below)

9. Congrats, now the iLO3 firmware is updated. You will be logged out of iLO session and needs to log-in back.

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ILO firmware update does not need any Server restart for the changes to take affect. You may clear the browser cache and re-login to the iLO web interface once the firmwareupdate is completed. Here, we have updated iLO3 firmware to version 1.26