HPE Gen12: Remote Firmware Updates with SPP and SUM

This archived walkthrough uses a Windows management system to run the SUM bundled with a Gen12 Service Pack for ProLiant, then connects to a remote server through iLO. It is an online management workflow, not booting the target from the SPP ISO. English figures clarify the original steps while retaining its warnings and mixed examples.

The source combines SUM 12.3.0 and a 12.2.0 deployment screen, Gen12 SPP 2025.07 and 2025.09 baselines, different iLO addresses, and DL360/DL380 Gen12 screens. They are separate examples rather than a verified uninterrupted update of one server. English reconstructions are instructional schematics, not literal SUM screenshots; peripheral navigation and layout are illustrative. They omit credentials, session URLs and peripheral identifiers; C:\SPP\ is an illustrative local path. Reused English iLO screens retain their original example data.

1. Prepare the management system and target

The source recommends a Windows Server 2022-or-later physical or virtual management system and reports a test using Windows Server 2019 in VMware Workstation. Treat that as its historical observation, not a general support statement for the Gen12 target OS, every SPP release or every VM resource configuration. Check the bundled SUM/SPP supported management OS, server model and target OS independently.

Use the SUM version shipped with the selected SPP. HPE’s platform table lists Gen12 with iLO 7 as requiring SUM 12.0.0 or later, while Gen12 with iLO 6 has a different minimum. This does not establish compatibility of an arbitrary newer component set. The later SUM 12.4 release notes explicitly mark Windows Server 2019 as unsupported on Gen12; that is separate from the OS of a remote management VM.

English VMware network-settings illustration: Bridged selected, Connected and Connect at power on checked. The source VM’s small resource settings are historical examples, not official SUM sizing requirements.

Provide approved management-network access to the intended iLO. The source uses a ping test; also verify the required HTTPS/service connectivity and authorized login. If the device requires initial addressing, the source uses a temporary DHCP setup, then changes iLO to the customer-specified address through its web interface. Do not infer the target identity from an example IP.

The source mentions installing an iLO driver in the Windows Server 2019 VM, with a suggestion to skip a failed installation, but the following original image is only an empty src placeholder. This edition does not invent an installation result. HPE distinguishes iLO 7 virtual-NIC/application-account communication from the CHIF mechanism used by earlier iLO generations; its later SUM notes state that iLO 7 has no CHIF-driver dependency. Check requirements for the actual update path instead of treating every failed prerequisite as optional.

Copy and extract the intended SPP locally, preserving its package structure. Review the actual release notes, server support list, contents report and prerequisites before selecting a baseline.

English extracted-SPP illustration: Gen12 SPP 2025.09.00.00 example with launch_sum Windows batch highlighted; file metadata and personal paths omitted.

2. Launch the bundled SUM

Run the bundled Windows launch_sum batch file with the required administrative privileges. Wait for its local browser interface. This starts the update manager; it does not itself establish a completed remote deployment.

Fresh launch-step illustration: launch_sum.bat from the example C:\SPP\ directory; original startup output and session details are omitted.

The source browser reports DLG_FLAGS_INVALID_CA for its local SUM certificate. Verify the intended endpoint and use HPE’s documented certificate-trust procedure appropriate to the browser and site policy. The original’s Continue link is an archived UI action, not a blanket instruction to bypass certificate checks on an arbitrary iLO or website.

Fresh certificate-warning explanation replacing the source browser frame; this schematic is not a literal SUM application error screen.

3. Add the baseline

Open Baseline Library, choose Add Baseline and select the option to add an existing baseline rather than create a custom one. HPE’s English SUM guide describes Browse SUM Server Path for a directory available to the system running SUM.

English SUM Home reconstruction: Baseline Library selected.

English baseline-choice reconstruction: Add Baseline, Create Custom and Cancel are separate choices.

English Add Baseline reconstruction: Browse SUM Server Path selected; no directory entered yet.

Browse to the extracted SPP location. The source navigates into its packages directory and uses that path. The two folder views below share one English illustration of that navigation; it is not a verified file manifest for every SPP release.

English folder-navigation reconstruction: locate the extracted root and select packages; C:\SPP\ and the tree layout are illustrative.

Same English folder-navigation illustration at the source’s packages-selection step; the root and packages views are combined for clarity.

Confirm the directory with OK, then choose Add. Wait for the add/inventory work to finish. HPE notes that adding a baseline begins its inventory, so review the actual baseline activity and validation state before proceeding.

English baseline-add progress reconstruction: adding is in progress, not yet completed.

English baseline-add result reconstruction: historical Gen12 SPP 2025.09.00.00 baseline added. This is not a target-server inventory or component-support verdict.

4. Add the remote iLO node

Open Nodes from the main menu and choose Add Node. Identify the actual iLO address or DNS name, choose the iLO node type and the intended baseline. The source’s earlier form uses 172.24.202.226 with a 2025.07 baseline, while later screens use 172.27.81.32 with 2025.09. Do not combine their identities without an explicit plan for the actual server.

English main-menu reconstruction: Nodes selected.

English discovery reconstruction for an example iLO 7 node: discovery is still in progress and does not prove inventory or update success.

Review prerequisite installation before continuing. The source has Install prerequisites if not already installed checked, and its notice says that installing prerequisites can reset the network or system. Supply the authorized iLO/node credentials locally. The English form leaves both fields blank. For iLO 7, application-account/vNIC and security-state requirements depend on the actual SUM/iLO configuration; use the matching HPE guide rather than a newer tool’s defaults.

Fresh combined Add Node illustration: historical 172.24.202.226 / Gen12 SPP 2025.07 example, prerequisite option checked and login fields empty.

Same fresh combined node-and-credentials illustration replacing the original credential panel; blank fields do not represent a submitted valid configuration.

5. Inventory the actual node

After discovery, check the node identity and baseline. A Ready for inventory state means inventory is still required. Choose Inventory from the link or Actions menu, review the prerequisite option and baseline, then start the intended inventory.

Fresh Ready for inventory reconstruction: iSUT-not-running and unavailable-software-information warnings remain visible.

Fresh Actions-menu reconstruction: Inventory selected; Review/Deploy is a different action.

Fresh Inventory-dialog reconstruction: example 2025.09 baseline and checked prerequisite option; review the reset notice before starting.

Fresh inventory-progress reconstruction retaining the source’s iSUT and incomplete-software-information warnings; no fabricated inventory results.

The archived node warns that Integrated Smart Update Tools is not running and that OS-installed components may not run unless iSUT or SUM runs on that OS. It also warns that software information is unavailable, so inventory may be incomplete. Later screens warn that the target system OS is unsupported by the selected SPP baseline. These warnings must be reviewed for the chosen component types and actual target; a Ready to deploy label does not resolve them. Do not infer the target OS from the separate Windows management VM.

Fresh deployment-ready reconstruction: Updates required plus iSUT-not-running and unsupported-target-OS warnings. Eligibility/dependencies still need review.

6. Review and deploy the intended components

Choose Review/Deploy or the corresponding review-and-deploy link. Inspect the actual applicable, recommended and selected components, versions, prerequisites and required restarts. The source prose says Select All, but its pictured SUM 12.2.0 review shows 12 applicable, 4 recommended and only 1 selected. Select only the planned supported components; the screenshot does not demonstrate that all were selected or installed.

Fresh review reconstruction of the source’s SUM 12.2.0 example: applicable 12, recommended 4, selected 1; no invented component rows or all-selected state.

When the approved selection and maintenance prerequisites are satisfied, start Deploy and follow the installation log. Do not interrupt an active firmware flash. The source also includes a security/encryption-feature notice; apply the relevant HPE/OS preparation instructions for the actual host and planned components rather than ignoring it.

Fresh Deployment started reconstruction retaining the iSUT and unsupported-OS warnings; no completed-component claim.

Fresh source-status reconstruction: No messages with separate warnings retained. No messages is not an installation-success result.

7. Monitor iLO, activate and verify

Use the actual iLO firmware/update views and SUM installation logs to monitor individual components. The following original English iLO examples show different devices/stages. A Firmware Upload Completed banner means that upload stage completed; a later flashing percentage and host-restart requirement are separate states.

Original English iLO 7 DL380 Gen12 example: Firmware Upload Completed in Maintenance Window. It does not establish that all firmware was flashed or activated.

Original English iLO 7 DL360 Gen12 example: Firmware Update, Flashing Firmware Image, 16% Complete; still in progress.

The next source banner explicitly says to restart the host server for changes to take effect. That is a workload-affecting host activation action, not merely restarting iLO. Use the required approved activation/restart sequence and confirm the resulting active versions and component results afterward. The illustrated post-flash screen still shows the old system-ROM value, so do not claim a verified new running ROM version from it.

Original English iLO completion banner requires a host-server restart for activation; the screenshot does not show that restart already completed.

Fresh final SUM result reconstruction: Installation completed for the historical SPP install set. Verify individual results, activation requirements and active versions; no all-components-compliant or warnings-cleared claim.

Retain the deployment logs and check the actual component status, expected active firmware, pending actions and workload return-to-service checks. The source reports success but does not provide an independently verified end-to-end active-version comparison for every component. Its mixed examples and inventory warnings remain explicit in this edition.

Official English references and source scope

A matching public English version of the original protected BookStack walkthrough was not established. HPE provides English SUM documentation, but a complete matching source screenshot set was not recovered. Its release-specific text is used for verification with the version scope above, while the archived step illustrations are localized/reconstructed.