Updating SIRIS 5 and ALTO 4 Firmware

Topic

This article explains how to update the firmware on an ALTO 4, or Datto SIRIS 5 BCDR device. When Datto posts a firmware upgrade, follow the instructions in this article to manually update your device.

Environment

  • Datto ALTO 4
  • Datto SIRIS 5

Description

The hardware component of Datto’s ALTO and SIRIS solutions are manufactured by third-parties, such as Dell. From time to time, such manufacturers issue firmware updates. The updates must be installed manually and are in addition to the Datto IRIS system updates that Datto typically pushes to Datto ALTO and SIRIS devices automatically.

Approximately every six (6) months, Datto expects to test the firmware updates released by the third-party manufacturers of ALTO 4 and SIRIS 5 devices to confirm compatibility with the Datto IRIS operating system. Datto will recommend the updates that successfully pass such tests and will make the updates available through Datto’s website. From time to time, when Datto believes it is important to do so, Datto may test, or even recommend without testing, third-party firmware updates outside of the 6-month cadence (for example, when the update includes an important security fix).

Important Notes

Where Datto has not tested a firmware update for compatibility with the Datto IRIS operating system, Datto cannot confirm if the firmware will work properly with the Datto Solution. For this reason, Datto strongly recommends that you only update your ALTO or SIRIS device with firmware versions recommended by Datto and that are downloaded directly from Datto at download.datto.com. Downloads that are not recommended by Datto may not be compatible with the Datto solution and may cause it to malfunction or become inoperable.

  • Datto’s testing is limited to reviewing compatibility with Datto’s IRIS operating system, and whether the update is likely to cause a Datto Alto 4 or Siris 5 solution to malfunction. Datto does NOT test the third-party updates for any other purposes, such as the efficacy of the update itself.
  • Datto always recommends your being on-site with the ALTO or SIRIS device when performing firmware updates.
  • When multiple updates are being installed, BIOS updates should be completed first.

Notifications for new firmware releases

Datto will display a banner in the Datto Partner Portal(login required) to alert partners whenever any recommended third-party firmware updates becomes available. Datto will also outline any firmware updates in our SIRIS 5 and ALTO 4 Firmware release notes article found on help.datto.com. Partners should visit these sites regularly to ensure they are aware of recommended updates. We'll continue to update partners as new methods of communicating firmware updates become available.

Update Procedure

Follow the steps in the "Do this first" section, then jump to the section for your device model.

Index

For all firmware updates. Do this first:

Ensure your device is in an upgradable state

  • Check to make sure no backups are running
  • Make sure all local backups on the device are replicated offsite
  • Follow the steps below to complete the rest of the check

Determine your motherboard model by performing the following:

  1. SSH into your Datto device and run:

    dmidecode -s baseboard-product-name

    Example output: 0KHVV7

  2. Lookup the return value in the Product Mapping table below:

Product Mapping

DMI Product Name Datto Product Name Dell Hardware Profile
0M3F6C ALTO 4 OptiPlex 3080
0KHVV7 S5X OptiPlex 7080
0NJFK3 S5-2, 3 and 4 Precision 3930XL
0X45NX S5-6, 8 and 12 PowerEdge R640 1xCPU
0X45NX S5-18,24 and 36 PowerEdge R640 2xCPU
0WRPXK S5-48 and 60 PowerEdge R740xd

  1. While still in your device’s SSH session, enter root privilege, then download the appropriate binary to your Datto appliance from download.datto.com using the below commands:

    sudo -i

    wget https://dl2.dattobackup.com/siris-fw/<firmware version>

    Take note of the current BIOS information so you can confirm an update took place later by running these commands:

    chmod +x <filepath of BIOS firmware update file>

    dmidecode -s bios-version

    dmidecode -s bios-release-date

    Example output: 1.6.0 & 09/29/2021

Follow your target device’s specialized instructions below to complete the firmware update.

Firmware update procedures by model

  • ALTO 4, S5X-2, S5-2, 3 and 4 (DELL OptiPlex and Precision) - Remote upgrade

The following instructions can update a device’s BIOS from the command line without needing physical access to the machine.

  1. Download the latest cab file for the appropriate system from download.datto.com

  2. Run the following command, substituting the filename for the one you previously downloaded (e.g. s5-3930-bios-firmware.cab )

    fwupdmgr get-details <filename>.cab

    EXAMPLE  
    fwupdmgr get-details 35ca2e766775df1e3cada6b131aebc8a96fcac81c592398cd0a01799cbce9521-Signed_1152921505694177210.cab
    Decompressing… [***************************************]
    Siris 5 X
    │
    └─System Firmware:
    │ Device ID: 3ca2a72f2eae54ae293341cf498ad94e9fcd7f40
    │ Description:
    │ Updating the system firmware improves performance.
    │ Current version: 1.6.0
    │ GUID: 98fd31dc-3933-4b36-bd2d-28d890059388
    │ Device Flags: • Internal device
    │ • Updatable
    │ • System requires external power source
    │ • Supported on remote server
    │ • Needs a reboot after installation
    │ • Cryptographic hash verification is available
    │ • Device is usable for the duration of the update
    │
    └─OptiPlex 7080:
    New version: 1.6.0
    Remote ID: lvfs
    Summary: Firmware for the Dell OptiPlex 7080
    License: Proprietary
    Urgency: High
    Flags: trusted-payload|trusted-metadata
    Description:
    A012 candidate BIOS turn to A-Rev.
    Firmware updates to address security vulnerabilities.
    Firmware updates to address the Intel Security Advisory INTEL SA 00562 (CVE 2021 0157 and CVE 2021 0158).

  1. Verify this .cab file is intended for your model device:

    • Refer to the DMI Product Name from the initial information gathering and Product Mapping Table.
    • Double check the motherboard model this value maps to (e.g. 0KHVV7 > OptiPlex 7080) is the motherboard model called out in the output of the last command.
    • Ensure that the “New version” is greater than the “Current version” called out in the output last command.

IMPORTANT  CAUTION: Flashing the wrong firmware to a device may destroy the device.

  1. Install the new BIOS by running the following command:

    fwupdmgr install <firmware>.cab

  1. When prompted if you would like to reboot hit y and Enter. The device will reboot into the firmware update and reboot again back into the IRIS os when completed

IMPORTANT  Do not power off during the installation; this may destroy the target machine. The target machine will reboot when flashing is complete.

Alternate method using a USB stick (applies to Client Device Models only).

The following instructions assume you have physical access to the target device. See above for instructions on how to update the BIOS remotely.

  1. Copy the downloaded file to a USB drive. You do not need a bootable USB drive.

  2. Insert the USB drive into any USB port.

  3. Power on the system.

  4. At the Datto logo screen, press F12 to access the one-time boot menu.

  5. Select BIOS Flash Update in the Other Options section.

  6. Enter BIOS password

  7. Click the ... button to browse the USB drive to locate the downloaded file.

  8. Select the file and click Ok.

  9. Verify the existing system BIOS information and the BIOS update information.

  10. Click Begin Flash Update.

  11. Review the Warning message and click Yes to proceed with the update.

The system restarts and displays a Flash Progress bar at the Datto logo screen. The system restarts again when the Flash update is complete.

  • SIRIS 5 -6 through SIRIS 5-60 (DELL PowerEdge)

NOTE  This process is the same for all .BIN file firmware updates such as BIOS, Network card, etc. The model, type, and version are variable, so what you enter will be different depending on the particular update.

  1. Read over the release information.

  2. Install any necessary embedded systems management firmware prior to running this update.

  3. Make the .BIN file executable

    chmod +x <model>-<type>-firmware.BIN

  1. Run the update by executing the following command from the shell:

    ./<model>-<type>-firmware.BIN --version

    EXAMPLE   ./s5-r640-bios-firmware.bin --version

  1. Follow remaining prompts to perform the update.

For iDRAC system updates

Datto does not support using iDRAC to update your BIOS firmware at this point, however, you can update your iDRAC system software to the latest approved iDRAC version by following the instructions below.

  1. Log into the iDRAC9 web interface
  2. Go to Maintenance> System Update. The Manual Update page is displayed.
  3. On the Manual Update tab, select Local as the Location Type.
  1. Click Browse, select the firmware image file for the required component, and then click Upload.
  2. After the upload is complete, the Update Details section displays each firmware file that is uploaded to iDRAC and its status. If the firmware image file is valid and was successfully uploaded, the Contents column displays a (+) icon next to the firmware image file name. Expand the name to view the Device Name, Current, and Available firmware version information.
  3. Select the required firmware file, and do one of the following:
    • For firmware images that do not require a host system reboot, click Install. For example, iDRAC firmware file.
    • For firmware images that require a host system reboot, click Install and Reboot or Install Next Reboot.

To cancel the update, click Cancel.

When you click Install, Install and Reboot, or Install Next Reboot, the message Updating Job Queue is displayed.

To display the Job Queue page, click Job Queue. Use this page to view and manage your pending firmware updates. You can click OK to refresh the current page to view the status of your firmware update.

Verify your update

After completing the specialized instructions for your model as listed above, you should compare the output of the following commands with their previous values to verify the update:

dmidecode -s bios-version

dmidecode -s bios-release-date