Types and Methods of Updating BlueField Software Image
NVIDIA® BlueField® has multiple paths to update the running software depending on the BlueField interface used:
RJ-45 1GbE interface:
BlueField BMC using Redfish – Recommended for managing BlueField devices at scale in a data center. See the BlueField Management and Initial Provisioning and NVIDIA BlueField BMC Software documentation for detailed instructions.
BlueField Arm (DPU mode only) –
PXE/HTTP boot – BlueField, like a standard server, incorporates a UEFI BIOS that can be used to PXE/HTTP boot the device and pull a new image. See "Deploying BlueField Software Using PXE" for more information.
Linux standard tools – done by running
apt update/yum installfrom within the Arm OS running on BlueField. See section "Upgrading BlueField Using Standard Linux Tools" of the NVIDIA DOCA Installation Guide for Linux for more information.
High-speed network ports:
BlueField Arm (DPU mode only) – This option is the same as the BlueField Arm scenario above, but it uses the high-speed network ports instead of the RJ-45 1GbE interface.
PXE/HTTP boot – BlueField’s UEFI BIOS may be used to PXE/HTTP boot the device and pull a new image. See "Deploying BlueField Software Using PXE" for more information .
Linux standard tools – done by running
apt update/yum installfrom within the Arm OS running on BlueField. See section "Upgrading BlueField Using Standard Linux Tools" of the NVIDIA DOCA Installation Guide for Linux for more information.
Host server's PCIe interface:
From server host-OS – Using the BlueField Management PCIe RShim PF interface. See "Deploying BlueField Software Using BFB from Host" for more details.
BlueField software images come in the following formats:
BFB – BlueField Bundle images – a proprietary format used to update and recover the BlueField device. There are two types of BFB images available:
BF-Bundle – Includes BlueField firmware components, Arm OS, and DOCA. This bundle contains everything needed to update all possible components of a BlueField device.
BF-FW-Bundle – Includes only the BlueField firmware components and excludes Arm OS and DOCA. This is typically used for day-2 operations or by customers working in NIC mode who do not require Arm OS or DOCA running on the device.
ISO – Similar to BF-Bundle, this format includes BlueField firmware components, Arm OS, and DOCA packages in an ISO standard format. The BlueField ISO image is based on the standard Ubuntu ISO image for Arm64, but with an updated kernel and added DOCA packages. PXE booting the BlueField device with the ISO image results in the installation of the Arm OS, including DOCA, and the update of BlueField firmware components.
Repository – An online repository used for updating with standard Linux tools. This method updates DOCA from NVIDIA's repository and Arm OS packages from Canonical's updates repository. BlueField firmware components are also updated. Post-installation steps are required to upgrade BlueField firmware components (i.e., ATF/UEFI, NIC firmware, and BMC components). See "Updating BlueField Software Packages Using Standard Linux Tools" for details.
Make sure that the BlueField firmware versions are aligned to the same release with the running DOCA version on the BlueField Arm.
The following table summarizes image types, their contents, and from which interfaces they can be loaded:
Interface | Method | Image Type | BlueField Operation Modes which Support this Flow | Includes ATF, UEFI, BMC, CEC, NIC-FW | Includes Arm-OS | Includes DOCA | Normal Service operation during update flow | Notes |
RJ-45 1GbE | BlueField BMC using Redfish | BF-Bundle – bfb |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Server power cycle 1 is required to apply configuration. |
BF-FW-Bundle – bfb |
| Yes | No | No | No | Server power cycle 1 is required to apply configuration. | ||
BlueField Arm – PXE/HTTP boot | BF-Bundle – bfb | DPU mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | User should convert the original BFB file to a bootable file. See "Deploying BlueField Software Using BFB with PXE" for details. Server power cycle 1 is required to apply configuration. | |
BF-FW-Bundle – bfb | DPU mode | Yes | No | No | No | User should convert the original BFB file to a bootable file. See "Deploying BlueField Software Using BFB with PXE" for details. Server power cycle 1 is required to apply configuration. | ||
ISO | DPU mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Server power cycle 1 is required to apply configuration. | ||
Linux Standard tools | apt/yum update | DPU mode | Yes | No | Yes | No | Limitations exist. Server power cycle 1 is required to apply configuration. | |
High speed network ports | BlueField Arm - PXE/HTTP boot | BF-Bundle – bfb | DPU mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | User should convert the original BFB file to a bootable file. See "Deploying BlueField Software Using BFB with PXE" for details. Server power cycle 1 is required to apply configuration. |
BF-FW-Bundle – bfb | DPU mode | Yes | No | No | No | User should convert the original BFB file to a bootable file. See "Deploying BlueField Software Using BFB with PXE" for details. Server power cycle 1 is required to apply configuration. | ||
ISO | DPU mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Server power cycle 1 is required to apply configuration. | ||
Linux Standard tools | apt/yum update | DPU mode | Yes | No | Yes | No | Limitations exist. Server power cycle 1 is required to apply configuration. | |
Host server's PCIe | From server host-OS | BF-Bundle – bfb |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Server power cycle 1 is required to apply configuration. |
BF-FW-Bundle – bfb |
| Yes | No | No | No | Server power cycle 1 is required to apply configuration. |
BlueField must be restarted to apply changes. When in DPU mode (Arm OS is used), the running Arm OS must be gracefully shutdown prior to power cycle. Instead of a power cycle, server reboot may be performed provided a graceful shutdown of the Arm OS and a manual issue of reset/restart of BlueField BMC using Redfish are performed.
Go to NVIDIA DOCA Download page and download the appropriate image.