XCP 1040 (with which most systems have shipped) has another, undocumented command, called getflashimage(8M). XCP 1041 is now available, and upgrading using getflashimage and flashupdate is easy -- it takes just one minute to download the image with getflashimage, and 15 minutes to install the new version with flashupdate.
Since getflashimage didn't make the XSCF User's Manual, I thought I'd give you a brief overview.
getflashimage allows you to log on to the XSCF and download an XCP image to the XSCF. getflashimage works similar wget: you provide a URL and getflashimage downloads the file. getflashimage supports http, https and ftp protocols, and will even allow you to download the XCP image from a USB flash device (which is useful if your XSCF does not connect to the network where the XCP images are).
The synopsis for getflashimage is:
getflashimage [-v] [-q -{y|n}] [-u username] [-p proxy [-t proxy_type]] URL
getflashimage -l
getflashimage [-q -{y|n}] -d
getflashimage -h
XSCF> getflashaimge -u rjh https://imageserver/images/FFXCP1041.tar.gz
In hindsight, it probably would have made sense to do some integrity checking on the image file, maybe verifying its checksum during the download process. Maybe I'll add that to the next release.
The second synopsis line, 'getflashimage -l' (small L), allows you to list the image file that was downloaded, just in case you forgot whether you finished downloading. It will also display the image file size and download date.
The third synopsis line, 'getflashimage -d', lets you delete any and all image files previously downloaded. If you've done the download and flashupdate, you can delete the image at any time, but it doesn't hurt to leave the file around (the space is reserved and can't be used for anything else). On the other hand, if you downloaded an image file and decided you did not want to flashupdate it (perhaps you downloaded the wrong version), you might want to delete it immediately so you don't accidentally flashupdate it later.
getflashimage can be a real lifesaver if you have a slow connection to the XSCF. For example, when I connect from my home (in the Boston area) to Sun's lab in San Diego, using the Brower User Interface can be slow because I have to ftp the XCP image from San Diego to my home workstation, then upload it using Firefox back to the XSCF in San Diego -- a 6,000 mile journey. But with getflashimage, I can ssh to the XSCF, then use getflashimage to very quickly load an XCP image from a file server to the XSCF on the same subnet, without the bits needing to travel cross-country to me on the East Coast. I also tend to prefer command lines over GUIs.
Glossary:
- XSCF: The service processor (called a system controller on Sun Fire systems).
- XCP: The firmware that runs on the XSCF (similar to SMS or SCAPP on Sun Fire systems). XCP also includes POST and OBP.