Apparatus, system, and method for firmware update of redundant controllers

A system to update firmware on a plurality of controllers, the system comprising:

• a management module comprising a service processor;
• a shared communication path for connecting the management module to a primary controller and a secondary controller;
• the primary controller comprising a first memory device and having a first communication path address on the shared communication path and managing subordinate devices;
• the secondary controller comprising a second memory device and having a second communication path address on the shared communication path identical to the first communication path address, the primary controller in communication with a management module over the shared communication path and the secondary controller disabled from communicating with the management module over the shared communication path and not activated to manage the subordinate devices;
• the management module placing the primary controller in standby mode and activating the secondary controller, wherein the primary controller is in communication with the management module, the secondary controller is disabled from communicating with the management module, and the secondary controller manages the subordinate devices, the management module further writing a firmware image from the management module to the first memory device;
• the primary controller placing the secondary controller in suspend mode;
• an update module, after the secondary controller is in suspend mode, writing a copy of the firmware image to the second memory device in a manner that is transparent to the management module in response to the management module writing the firmware image to the first memory device;
• the secondary controller further rebooting while the primary controller is in standby mode and the secondary controller not managing the subordinate devices in response to the copy of the firmware image written to the second memory device and notifying the primary controller that the copy of the firmware image is successfully received;
• and
• the primary controller activating to manage the subordinate devices and placing the secondary controller in the standby mode in response to the notification from the secondary controller, wherein the secondary controller does not manage the subordinate devices.

A semiconductor device storing executable code executed by a processor to perform an operation to copy firmware from a primary controller managing subordinate devices and having a first communication address on a shared communication path to a secondary controller having a secondary communication address on the shared communication path identical to the first communication address, the primary controller in communication with a management module over the shared communication path and the secondary controller disabled from communicating with the management module over the shared communication path and not activated to manage the subordinate devices, the operation comprising:

• placing the primary controller in standby mode wherein the primary controller is in communication with the management module and does not manage the subordinate devices;
• activating the secondary controller, wherein the secondary controller is disabled from communicating with the management module, and the secondary controller manages the subordinate devices;
• writing a firmware image from a management module to a first memory device of the primary controller;
• placing the secondary controller in suspend mode by the primary controller;
• copying, after the secondary controller is in suspend mode, the firmware image from the first memory device to a second memory device of the secondary controller in a manner that is transparent to the management module in response to the management module writing the firmware image to the first memory device;
• rebooting the secondary controller while the primary controller is in standby mode and the secondary controller not managing the subordinate devices in response to the copy of the firmware image written to the second memory device;
• notifying the primary controller that the copy of the firmware image is successfully received;
• and
• activating the primary controller to manage the subordinate devices and placing the secondary controller in the standby mode in response to the notification from the secondary controller, wherein the secondary controller does not manage the subordinate devices.

A method for copying firmware from a primary controller managing subordinate devices and having a first communication address on a shared communication path to a secondary controller having a secondary communication address on the shared communication path identical to the first communication address, the primary controller in communication with a management module over the shared communication path and the secondary controller disabled from communicating with the management module over the shared communication path and not activated to manage the subordinate devices, the method comprising:

• placing the primary controller in standby mode wherein the primary controller is in communication with the management module and does not manage the subordinate devices;
• activating the secondary controller, wherein the secondary controller is disabled from communicating with the management module, and the secondary controller manages the subordinate devices;
• writing a firmware image from the management module to a first memory device of the primary controller;
• placing the secondary controller in suspend mode by the primary controller;
• copying, after the secondary controller is in suspend mode, by use of a processor, the firmware image from the first memory device to a second memory device of the secondary controller in a manner that is transparent to the management module in response to the management module writing the firmware image to the first memory device;
• rebooting, by use of the processor, the secondary controller while the primary controller is in standby mode and the secondary controller not managing the subordinate devices in response to the copy of the firmware image written to the second memory device;
• notifying, by use of the processor, the primary controller that the copy of the firmware image is successfully received;
• and
• activating the primary controller to manage the subordinate devices and placing the secondary controller in the standby mode in response to the notification from the secondary controller, wherein the secondary controller does not manage subordinate devices.