[Review]: HPE Smart Update Tools for VMware ESXi
What’s HPE Smart Update Tools?
The Smart Update Tools (SUT) are a SUM extension that enables HPE OneView and servers HPE iLO Amplifier Pack to stage, schedule and apply updates automatically to reduce IT operations.
SUT is an operating system (OS) utility that provides the ability to perform online firmware and/or driver updates via the servers HPE iLO management network without the need for OS credentials.
SUT supports Windows, Linux (Red Hat and SUSE), and VMware ESXi.
HPE Smart Update Tools (HPE SUT) provide the ability to perform both firmware and OS driver updates online without the need to have credentials in HPE OneView and without any degradation to production network speed. Combining firmware and driver updates allows changes that require a server reboot to be managed within a normal maintenance window, resulting in less downtime during a scheduled maintenance window.
HPE SUT contains varying levels of control:
- Fully Automatic: Stage firmware and drivers, install firmware, and reboot for activation.
- Semi-automatic: Staging is automatic or staging and installation are automatic.
- OnDemand or manual updates: Manual control through HPE SUT CLI commands.
HPE Smart Update Tools Features
Ease of Management
Smart Update Tools (SUT) enables HPE OneView and iLO Amplifier Pack to stage and apply updates automatically to reduce IT operations.
Supports dependency and sequencing management between drivers and firmware.
Updates using SUT are performed via the HPE iLO management network without the needs for OS credentials.
Reduces Downtime
Smart Update Tools (SUT) limits the number of reboots required for activation.
Online updates are available to speed installation and updating.
SUT Operating Modes
OnDemand mode (default): OnDemand mode enables the administrator to write commands in the CLI window that:
- Stages updates
- Deploys updates
- Reboots servers
Auto mode: SUT runs in the following Auto modes:
- AutoStage:
- Stages available components to the host server through iLO Virtual Media.
- Uses SUM to inventory the server.
- Copies needed components to the server for deployment.
- AutoDeploy
- Performs all the tasks in AutoStage mode.
- Deploys available components on the host server.
- AutoDeployReboot
- Performs all the tasks in AutoDeploy mode.
- If required, reboots the host server.
Instaling for ESXi
In the VMware ESXi configuration, HP SUT does not run on the host directly. Instead, it runs remotely on a separate VM or server so that it can be configured to talk to HPE OneView and to all of the ESXi hosts. Only a single instance of HPE SUT for VMware ESXi can be associated with a single vCenter Server and asingle HPE OneView instance.If you have the same vCenter Server host associated with another HPE OneView, you must run and install another HPE SUT for VMware ESXi instance to handle the same vCenter Server and the additional HPE OneView you are managing in your environment.
HPE SUT for VMwareESXi inventories, stages, installs, and activates drivers and firmware updates to support VMware vSphere operating systems. HPE SUT for VMware for ESXi is available for the HPE OneView product as a 64–bit Linux RPM. As a best practice, Hewlett Packard Enterprise recommends not running HPE SUT for VMware ESXi in a HPE OneView managed server. If HPE SUT does run in this manner and firmware updates are performed, HPE SUT will stop.
HPE SUT for VMware ESXi from The Command-line
HPE SUT for VMware ESXi is currently supported in two modes: AutoDeploy, which is a fully automatic mode, and AutoDeployReboot, which requires user intervention to manually perform the reboot. The general command-line syntax for HPE SUT for VMware ESXi is as follows:
hpsutesxi [/status]
NOTE: Use a slash or hyphen before each argument. For example:
hpsutesxi /status
hpsutesxi -status
HPE SUT for VMware ESXi command-line arguments
| Option | Description |
| /help | Displays command line help information. Examples:
|
| /set | Allows you to set HPE OneView and VMware vCenter Server host address, username, and password. |
| /set mode | Changes the operating mode.
Examples:
|
| /start | Starts the HP SUT for VMware ESXi service.
Example:
|
| /status | Provides the status of the HP SUT for VMware ESXi engine for ESXi nodes for which a request was received.
This command gives a summary of all nodes so the output may span many pages. You can use the Linux > command or the >> command to redirect the output to a file to see all of the details. Examples:
|
| /stop | Stops the HP SUT for VMware ESXi service, if it is running.
Examples:
|
| /version | Displays the HP SUT for VMware ESXi version.
Examples:
|
