QRadar: Updating firmware on M3 high-availability (HA) appliances

Before you begin
These instructions are intended for HA (high-availability) pairs. If your appliance is not an HA pair, see the standard firmware installation instructions here: https://ibm.biz/qradarfirmware.


Part 1: Setting the Secondary Active
Before you attempt to install any firmware, the administrator must set the primary offline and wait for the secondary appliance to become active. This process will take 5-10 minutes to complete depending on your hardware and appliance type.

1. Click the Admin tab.
2. On the navigation menu, click System Configuration.
3. Click the System and License Management icon.
4. Select the HA primary appliance. This is the system that you want to set to offline.
5. From the toolbar, select High Availability > Set System Offline.
6. Wait for the (primary) appliance Host Status column to display Offline.
7. Verify that the Host Status for the secondary displays Active.
8. To verify the primary is offline, SSH to the primary appliance.
9. From the command line, type service hostcontext status.
10. Verify the status displays stopped.

Part 2: Updating M3 Firmware on the Primary HA Appliance
This section outlines the procedure for applying firmware updates to your QRadar appliance. The procedure for both 1U and 2U appliances is the same, however, the screen captures in this article display firmware versions for 2U appliances. The Bootable Media Creator automatically identifies the proper firmware required for your QRadar appliance.

1. Insert the USB drive that has the bootable image into the QRadar appliance.
2. From the terminal of the KVM switch for the appliance, log in by using the root credentials.
3. From the command prompt, type: reboot.
   
4. As the appliance is rebooting, press the F12 key to select a boot device.
5. Select the bootable firmware image, for example, USB Storage and Press Enter.
   
    
6. The IBM ToolsCenter Welcome page is displayed.
   
    
7. When prompted, select the Updates option.
8. Verify that the bootable media shows the correct machine type for the appliance.
   
   One of the following options should be displayed, depending on what appliance type you are updating.
   - Server Type x3630 BD M3 MT 7377 2U appliance
   - Server Type x3550 BD M3 MT 7944 1U appliance
9. To start the update link, select Click here to start update.
10. Select your language and click I accept the terms in the license agreement to continue.
    
11. The IBM UpdateXpress System Pack Installer compares the current package with the installed firmware.
    
     
12. From the list of selected firmware items, verify that the selected items match the firmware items to update.
    
13. To start applying the updates, click Next on the Update Options page.
    The updates begin to update software on the M3 appliance.
    
    
     
14. Verify that all the firmware updates are applied, and click Next to complete the update.
    
15. When all updates are complete, remove the USB drive from the Primary appliance.
    
16. Click Finish to reboot the appliance.
    
    IMPORTANT: The administrator must ensure that after the reboot is complete that the primary appliance returns to the Standby state in the user interface before you continue to the next step.

Part 3: Setting the Primary Active
Before you attempt to install any firmware, the administrator must set the secondary offline and wait for the status of the primary appliance to change from Standby to Active. This process will take 5-10 minutes to complete depending on your hardware and appliance type.

1. Click the Admin tab.
2. On the navigation menu, click System Configuration.
3. Click the System and License Management icon.
4. Verify the Primary HA appliance is in standby.
5. If the Primary is in the offline state, right-click the Primary appliance and select Set System Online.
6. Select the HA secondary appliance. This is the system that you want to set to offline.
7. From the toolbar, select High Availability > Set System Offline.
8. Wait for the (secondary) appliance Host Status column to display Offline.
9. Wait for the (primary) appliance Host Status column should transition from Standby to Active.
   
10. To verify the primary is offline, SSH to the primary appliance.
11. From the command line, type service hostcontext status.
12. Verify the status is stopped.
    
    You are now ready to update the firmware on the secondary (Offline) appliance.

Part 4: Updating Firmware on the Secondary HA Appliance
These instructions are intended for HA (high-availability) pairs. If your appliance is not an HA pair, see: https:

1. Insert the USB drive that has the bootable image into the QRadar appliance.
2. From the terminal of the KVM switch for the appliance, log in by using the root credentials.
3. From the command prompt, type: reboot
   
4. As the appliance is reboots, press the F12 key to select a boot device.
5. Select the bootable firmware image, for example, USB Storage and Press Enter.
   
6. The IBM ToolsCenter Welcome page is displayed.
7. When prompted, select the Updates option.
8. Verify that the bootable media shows the correct machine type for the appliance.
9. One of the following options should be displayed, depending on what appliance type you are updating.
   - Server Type x3630 M3 BD machine type 7377 2U appliance
   - Server Type x3550 M4 BD machine type 7944 1U appliance
   - Server Type x3550 M4 machine type 7914 1U appliance
   - Server Type x3650 M4 machine type 5466 2U appliance
10. To start the update link, select Click here to start update.
11. Select your language and click I accept the terms in the license agreement to continue.
    
12. The IBM UpdateXpress System Pack Installer compares the current package with the installed firmware.
    
13. From the list of selected firmware items, verify that the selected items match the firmware items to update.
    
14. To start applying the updates, click Next on the Update Options page.
15. The updates begin to update software on the appliance.
    
     
16. Verify that all the firmware updates are applied, and click Next to complete the update.
17. When all updates are complete, remove the USB drive from the Secondary HA appliance.
    
18. Click Finish to reboot the appliance
    
    Results
    After the secondary HA appliance is returned to the Standby state, the firmware upgrade process is complete and the appliances are returned to their original running order with the Primary as Active and the secondary in Standby and ready for failover, if required.

Part 5: Setting the Secondary to Standby

1. Click the Admin tab.
2. On the navigation menu, click System Configuration.
3. Click the System and License Management icon.
4. Verify the Secodary HA appliance is in standby.
5. If the Secondary is in the offline state, right-click the Secondary appliance and select Set System Online.
   
   Results
   The secondary is Standby and the Primary appliance is in Online. The firmware update is complete.