HP Virtual Connect for c-Class BladeSystem Setup and Installation Guide

Installation 13
Installation
Firmware requirements
IMPORTANT: The active VCM does not allow incompatible modules to be managed as part of
the Virtual Connect domain.
IMPORTANT: For optimal operation of HP Virtual Connect, use the recommended firmware
versions.
Install the recommended firmware for the following items:
• Server blade system ROMs
• Ethernet mezzanines
• Converged network adapter mezzanines
• HP BladeSystem Onboard Administrator
Server blades and mezzanine cards can be updated before the domain is created using the default network
configuration on the VC-Enet modules. After the domain is created, the server blades are isolated from fabrics
and networks until a profile is assigned to the server blade.
For more information on recommended firmware versions, to download firmware upgrades, and to
download the HP BladeSystem for ProLiant Firmware Management Best Practices Implementer Guide, see the
HP website (http://www.hp.com/go/bladesystemupdates).
Installation guidelines
CAUTION: Always use blanks to fill empty spaces in enclosures. This arrangement ensures
proper airflow. Using an enclosure without the proper blanks results in improper cooling that can
lead to thermal damage.
Observe the following guidelines:
• In all Virtual Connect configurations, a VC-Enet or FlexFabric module must be installed in the enclosure.
The embedded VCM operates on this module.
• VC-Enet modules are used typically in pairs to provide access to all Ethernet controllers on the server
blade.
• The specific interconnect bays with Ethernet connectivity depend on mezzanine card locations within
the server blade.
• For c3000 enclosures, when two Fibre Channel mezzanine cards are installed in slots 2 and 3 of a
full-height server blade, the VC Manager only creates Fibre Channel connections and assigns WWNs
to the ports associated with the Fibre Channel mezzanine card in slot 2. This restriction does not apply
for c7000 enclosures.