User's Manual

16 Using Dell Update Packages
Planned updates occur as a part of your regular cycle of maintaining your
systems with up-to-date BIOS, firmware, and drivers. Many IT organizations
establish a regular schedule for performing the updates, which are integrated
with the planned maintenance functions. The frequency of these updates
varies from company to company; however, it is not uncommon for
companies to adopt quarterly or semiannual update schedules. Irregular but
still planned updates may occur whenever a system is retasked with a new
application or the operating system is either upgraded or changed. Any time
that you have scheduled planned outage or downtime for your system may be
a good time to consider upgrading the system software components.
Unplanned updates typically occur as a result of applying a critical upgrade to
your system to avoid data loss, service interruption, or security threats.
You may, for example, be advised to apply an update in response to a call you
have placed to a Dell support professional. Although the urgency of applying
such an update is greater than a planned update, you know that you must apply
careful thought and consideration to ensure a successful update with minimal
disruption to your users. The key to success is always having a well-planned
strategy for all possible scenarios.
Acquiring DUPs
Dell provides a number of aids to help you determine whether or not your
system requires an update. You can locate the DUP for your system on the
Dell Support website at support.dell.com. For instructions, see "How to
Obtain DUPs from the Dell Support Website."
Update Packages Component and System Compatibility
After you locate your DUP, read the summary information to determine
whether or not you should download the update and apply it to your system.
You can run the DUP and read the summary information by using the
command line interface option --version. For more information on the
--version option, see "Command Line Interface Reference."
This information is provided to help you determine whether the update is
appropriate for your system and your specific environment.