Dell PowerVault ML6000 - Manual (Page 208)

Chapter 11 Updating Library and Tape Drive Firmware
Autoleveling Tape Drive Firmware
Dell PowerVault ML6000 User’s Guide 208
through the host connection. Alternatively, once you have upgraded at
least one tape drive through the host connection, you can create a FUP
tape to upgrade other tape drives to the same level.
You can download tape drive firmware from the Dell Support Web site:
http://support.dell.com
. The firmware upgrade package contains an image
file, a drive vendor tool, and instructions for using the tool to upgrade the
tape drive firmware over the SCSI, FC, FC I/O blade, or SAS connection
from the host. This is the Dell-recommended method for updating tape
drive firmware.
Downgrading LTO-4 Tape
Drive Firmware
11
LTO-4 drive brick firmware PGA3 (82FB) and newer contain special
security restrictions that prevent downgrading this firmware to previous
versions that are not FIPS-compliant [for example, PGA1 (77BE)].
If you need to downgrade LTO-4 tape drive firmware from level 82FB or
higher to level 77BE or lower, contact Dell Technical Support for
instructions and assistance.
Autoleveling Tape Drive Firmware
The autoleveling feature enables you to automatically upgrade firmware
on all FC tape drives that are connected to the FC I/O blades. This allows
you to keep all FC tape drives of the same type (for example, LTO-5) at
the same firmware level. Tape drive firmware is checked whenever a tape
drive is reset, such as when the library is power cycled or restarted, or
whenever a tape drive is added or replaced. If the firmware does not
match, the tape drive firmware is autoleveled.
FC tape drives must be connected to an FC I/O blade to participate in
autoleveling operations. The library does not support autoleveling FC
tape drives connected directly to an FC host or switch. In addition, the
library does not support autoleveling SCSI or SAS tape drives.
To enable autoleveling, you must upload a firmware image file to the
library. If you have multiple versions of FC tape drives installed in your
library (for example, LTO-4 and LTO-5), you must upload a unique
firmware image file for each version. You can also delete a firmware
image file when you no longer want to autolevel tape drive firmware.