Techniques for firmware updates in building and equipment controllers

A server computer system for managing a fleet of controllers, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory configured to:
• identify, by a server system, a plurality of controllers for a firmware update based on a predefined controller grouping, wherein the plurality of controllers each include an on-board memory with a current firmware;
• determine, by the server system, a set of controllers located in a building, the set of controllers determined based on a controller mapping, and the set of controllers included in the plurality of controllers for the firmware update;
• retrieve, by the server system, client data corresponding to the set of controllers;
• determine, by the server system and based on a client-defined constraint in the client data, approval is required to perform the firmware update on the set of controllers;
• request, automatically and by the server system, approval to perform the firmware update on the set of controllers based on contact information included in the client data;
• receive, by the server system, authorization to perform the firmware update on the set of controllers in response to requesting the approval;
• communicate, over a network and by the server system, the firmware update to a first controller in the set of controllers based on the authorization;
• and
• initiating, over the network and by the server system, performance of the firmware update on the first controller in the set of controllers based on the authorization.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for managing a fleet of controllers, the operations comprising:

• identifying a plurality of controllers for a firmware update based on a predefined controller grouping, wherein the plurality of controllers each include an on-board memory with a current firmware;
• determining a set of controllers located in a building, the set of controllers determined based on a controller mapping, and the set of controllers included in the plurality of controllers for the firmware update;
• retrieving client data corresponding to the set of controllers;
• determining, based on a client-defined constraint in the client data, approval is required to perform the firmware update on the set of controllers;
• requesting, automatically, approval to perform the firmware update on the set of controllers based on contact information included in the client data;
• receiving authorization to perform the firmware update on the set of controllers in response to requesting the approval;
• communicating, over a network, the firmware update to a first controller in the set of controllers based on the authorization;
• and
• initiating, over the network, performance of the firmware update on the first controller in the set of controllers based on the authorization.