Not so long ago I had to flash firmware on SunFire T2000. It’s not a complicated thing.

I need to do something with Service Controller and in the process I found out that there is no scadm utility on T2000. Why? I am not completely sure. Maybe someone can chime in. It’s probably because T2000 runs ALOM CMT which is not the same as ALOM.

Anyway, there are two methods of doing all this. You can use SC’s flashupdate command to grab firmware off an FTP server. Unfortunately I did not have Net management port hooked up, only serial. Long story…

I had to transfer the firmware archive to the server and then, using included utility upload it to System Controller and perform firmware flashing.

Before starting note your current firmware version by logging into System Controller:

sc> showhost
Sun-Fire-T2000 System Firmware 6.3.9  2007/08/16 23:53
Host flash versions:
   Hypervisor 1.3.4 2007/03/28 06:03
   OBP 4.25.8 2007/08/16 10:59
   POST 4.25.8 2007/08/16 11:26

Start by transferring the firmware archive to the server and unzipping it:

bash-3.00# ls
139434-09
bash-3.00# cd 139434-09
bash-3.00# ls
139434-09.html
Install.info
LEGAL_LICENSE.TXT
Legal
README.139434-09
Sun_Fire_T2000_metadata.xml
Sun_System_Firmware-6_7_12-SPARC_Enterprise_T2000.bin
Sun_System_Firmware-6_7_12-Sun_Fire_T2000.bin
copyright
sysfwdownload
sysfwdownload.README

Using included sysfwdownload utility upload the firmware to System Controller. This takes roughly 15-20 minutes.

bash-3.00# ./sysfwdownload Sun_System_Firmware-6_7_12-Sun_Fire_T2000.bin

.......... (9%).......... (18%).......... (27%).......... (37%).......... (46%).......... (55%).......... (64%).......... (74%).......... (83%).......... (92%)......... (100%)

Download completed successfully.
bash-3.00#

At this point firmware is on System Controller. Now you need to shut down the system.

bash-3.00# shutdown -g0 -y -i0

Power down the system from SC console and proceed with firmware flashing.

{8} ok sc> poweroff
Are you sure you want to power off the system [y/n]?  y
sc>
SC Alert: SC Request to Power Off Host.

SC Alert: Host system has shut down.

Next, make sure keyswitch is set to NORMAL. If it is set to LOCKED you will not be able to flash the firmware or send STOP-A to the system. If keyswitch is set to NORMAL start actual flashing process using flashupdate command:

sc> showkeyswitch
Keyswitch is in the NORMAL position.
sc> flashupdate -s 127.0.0.1

SC Alert: System poweron is disabled.
.............................................................
.............................................................
............................................................

Update complete. Reset device to use new software.

SC Alert: SC firmware was reloaded

At this point firmware is flashed. You still have to reset SC so it loads the new firmware:

sc> resetsc
Are you sure you want to reset the SC [y/n]?  y
User Requested SC Shutdown

ALOM BOOTMON v1.7.11
ALOM Build Release: 001
Reset register: 00000000

ALOM POST 1.0


Dual Port Memory Test, PASSED.

TTY External - Internal Loopback Test
TTY External - Internal Loopback Test, PASSED.

TTYC - Internal Loopback Test
TTYC - Internal Loopback Test, PASSED.

TTYD - Internal Loopback Test
TTYD - Internal Loopback Test, PASSED.

Memory Data Lines Test
Memory Data Lines Test, PASSED.

Memory Address Lines Test
  Slide address bits to test open address lines
  Test for shorted address lines
Memory Address Lines Test, PASSED.

Boot Sector FLASH CRC Test
Boot Sector FLASH CRC Test, PASSED.



Return to Boot Monitor for Handshake
ALOM POST 1.0
   Status = 00007fff

Returned from Boot Monitor and Handshake



Loading the runtime image... VxWorks running.

Starting Advanced Lights Out Manager CMT v1.7.11

Copyright (c) 2010, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Current mode: NORMAL
Attaching network interface lo0... done.
Attaching network interface motfec0.... done.
Booting from Segment 0


Oracle Advanced Lights Out Manager CMT v1.7.11


SC Alert: SC System booted.


Full VxDiag Tests

BASIC TOD TEST
  Read the TOD Clock:        TUE NOV 22 22:04:15 2011
  Wait, 1 - 3 seconds
  Read the TOD Clock:        TUE NOV 22 22:04:17 2011
BASIC TOD TEST, PASSED

ETHERNET CPU LOOPBACK TEST
  50 BYTE PACKET   - a 0 in field of 1's.
  50 BYTE PACKET   - a 1 in field of 0's.
  900 BYTE PACKET  - pseudo-random data.
ETHERNET CPU LOOPBACK TEST, PASSED

Full VxDiag Tests - PASSED



    Status summary  -  Status = 7FFF

       VxDiag    -          -  PASSED
       POST      -          -  PASSED
       LOOPBACK  -          -  PASSED

       I2C       -          -  PASSED
       EPROM     -          -  PASSED
       FRU PROM  -          -  PASSED

       ETHERNET  -          -  PASSED
       MAIN CRC  -          -  PASSED
       BOOT CRC  -          -  PASSED

       TTYD      -          -  PASSED
       TTYC      -          -  PASSED
       MEMORY    -          -  PASSED
       MPC885    -          -  PASSED


Please login:

After logging in make sure SC is running new version of firmware:

sc> showhost
Sun-Fire-T2000 System Firmware 6.7.12  2011/07/06 20:03

Host flash versions:
   OBP 4.30.4.d 2011/07/06 14:29
   Hypervisor 1.7.3.c 2010/07/09 15:14
   POST 4.30.4.b 2010/07/09 14:24

That’s it, now you can poweron the system.