Updating DPU Software Packages Using Standard Linux Tools

NVIDIA Docs Hub NVIDIA Networking BlueField DPUs / SuperNICs & DOCA NVIDIA BlueField DPU BSP v4.5.0 Updating DPU Software Packages Using Standard Linux Tools

This dpu-upgrade procedure enables upgrading DOCA components using standard Linux tools (e.g., apt update and yum update). This process utilizes native package manager repositories to upgrade DPUs without the need for a full installation, and has the following benefits:

Only updates components that include modifications
- Configurable – user can select specific components (e.g., UEFI-ATF, NIC-FW)
Includes upgrade of:
- DOCA drivers and libraries
- DOCA reference applications
- BSP (UEFI/ATF) upgrade while maintaining the configuration
- NIC firmware upgrade while maintaining the configuration
Does not:
- Impact user binaries
- Upgrade non-Ubuntu OS kernels
- Upgrade DPU BMC firmware
After completion of DPU upgrade:
- If NIC firmware was not updated, perform DPU Arm reset (software reset / reboot DPU)
- If NIC firmware was updated, perform firmware reset (mlxfwreset) or perform a graceful shutdown and power cycle

OS	Action	Instructions
Ubuntu/Debian	Remove mlxbf-bootimages package	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ apt remove --purge mlxbf-bootimages* -y`
	Install the the GPG key	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ apt update <dpu> $ apt install gnupg2`
	Export the desired distribution	Export DOCA_REPO with the relevant URL. The following is an example for Ubuntu 22.04: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ export DOCA_REPO="https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.5.0/ubuntu22.04/dpu-arm64"` Ubuntu 22.04 – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.5.0/ubuntu22.04/dpu-arm64 Ubuntu 20.04 – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.5.0/ubuntu20.04/dpu-arm64 Debian 12 – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.5.0/debian12/dpu-arm64
	Add GPG key to APT trusted keyring	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ curl $DOCA_REPO/GPG-KEY-Mellanox.pub \| gpg --dearmor > /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/GPG-KEY-Mellanox.pub`
	Add DOCA online repository	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/GPG-KEY-Mellanox.pub] $DOCA_REPO ./" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/doca.list`
	Update index	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ apt update`
	Upgrade UEFI/ATF firmware	Run: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ apt install mlxbf-bootimages-signed` Then initiate upgrade for UEFI/ATF firmware: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ bfrec`
	Upgrade BlueField DPU NIC firmware	Run: Copy Copied! `yum install mlnx-fw-updater-signed.aarch64` Warning This immediately starts NIC firmware upgrade. To prevent automatic upgrade, run: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ export RUN_FW_UPDATER=no`
	Upgrade system	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ apt upgrade`
	Apply the new changes, NIC firmware, and UEFI/ATF	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ mlxfwreset -d /dev/mst/mt*_pciconf0 -y -l 3 --sync 1 r` Warning If `mlxfwreset` is not supported, graceful shutdown and host power cycle are required for the NIC firmware upgrade to take effect.
CentOS/RHEL/Anolis/Rocky	Remove mlxbf-bootimages package	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ yum -y remove mlxbf-bootimages <dpu> $ add asterisk <dpu> $ yum makecache`
	Export the desired distribution	Export DOCA_REPO with the relevant URL. The following is an example for Rocky Linux 8.6: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ export DOCA_REPO="https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.5.0/rhel8.6/dpu-arm64/"` AnolisOS 8.6 – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.5.0/anolis8.6/dpu-arm64/ OpenEuler 20.03 sp1 – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.5.0/openeuler20.03sp1/dpu-arm64/ CentOS 7.6 with 4.19 kernel – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.5.0/rhel7.6-4.19/dpu-arm64/ CentOS 7.6 with 5.10 kernel – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.5.0/rhel7.6-5.10/dpu-arm64/ CentOS 7.6 with 5.4 kernel – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.5.0/rhel7.6/dpu-arm64/ Rocky Linux 8.6 – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.5.0/rhel8.6/dpu-arm64/
	Add DOCA online repository	Copy Copied! `echo [doca] \ name=DOCA Online Repo \ baseurl=$DOCA_REPO \ enabled=1 \ gpgcheck=0 > /etc/yum.repos.d/doca.repo` A file is created under /etc/yum.repos.d/doca.repo.
	Update index	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ yum makecache`
	Upgrade UEFI/ATF firmware	Run: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ yum install mlxbf-bootimages-signed.aarch64 mlxbf-bfscripts` Then initiate the upgrade for UEFI/ATF firmware: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ bfrec`
	Upgrade BlueField DPU NIC firmware	Run: Copy Copied! `yum install mlnx-fw-updater-signed.aarch64` Warning This immediately starts NIC firmware upgrade. To prevent automatic upgrade, run: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ export RUN_FW_UPDATER=no`
	Prevent kernel upgrades	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ yum versionlock kernel*`
	Upgrade system	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ yum upgrade --nobest`
	Apply the new changes, NIC firmware, and UEFI/ATF	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ mlxfwreset -d /dev/mst/mt*_pciconf0 -y -l 3 --sync 1 r` Warning If `mlxfwreset` is not supported, a graceful shutdown and host power cycle are required for the NIC firmware upgrade to take effect.