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/2.7.0/ubuntu22.04/dpu-arm64"` Ubuntu 22.04 – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.7.0/ubuntu22.04/dpu-arm64 Ubuntu 20.04 – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.7.0/ubuntu20.04/dpu-arm64 Debian 12 – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.7.0/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 i nitiate upgrade for UEFI/ATF firmware: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ apt install mlxbf-scripts <dpu> $ bfrec`
	Upgrade BlueField DPU NIC firmware	Run: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ apt install mlnx-fw-updater-signed.aarch64` Note This immediately starts NIC firmware upgrade. To prevent automatic upgrade, run: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ export RUN_FW_UPDATER=no`
	Remove old metapackages	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ apt-get remove doca-tools doca-sdk doca-runtime -y`
	Install new metapackages	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ apt-get install doca-runtime doca-devel -y`
	Upgrade system	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ apt upgrade`
	Apply the new changes, NIC firmware, and UEFI/ATF	For the upgrade to take effect, perform BlueField system reboot as explained in the "NVIDIA BlueField Reset and Reboot Procedures" troubleshooting page. Note This step triggers immediate reboot of the BlueField Arm cores.
CentOS/RHEL/ Anolis/Rocky	Remove `mlxbf-bootimages` package	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ yum -y remove mlxbf-bootimages* <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/2.7.0/rhel8.6/dpu-arm64/"` AnolisOS 8.6 – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.7.0/anolis8.6/dpu-arm64/ OpenEuler 20.03 sp1 – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.7.0/openeuler20.03sp1/dpu-arm64/ CentOS 7.6 with 4.19 kernel – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.7.0/rhel7.6-4.19/dpu-arm64/ CentOS 7.6 with 5.10 kernel – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.7.0/rhel7.6-5.10/dpu-arm64/ CentOS 7.6 with 5.4 kernel – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.7.0/rhel7.6/dpu-arm64/ Rocky Linux 8.6 – https://linux.mellanox.com/public/repo/doca/2.7.0/rhel8.6/dpu-arm64/
	Add DOCA online repository	Copy Copied! `echo "[doca] name=DOCA Online Repo baseurl=$DOCA_REPO enabled=1 gpgcheck=0 priority=10 cost=10" > /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 i nitiate the upgrade for UEFI/ATF firmware: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ bfrec`
	Upgrade BlueField DPU NIC firmware	The following command updates the firmware package and automatically attempts to flash the firmware to the NIC: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ yum install mlnx-fw-updater-signed.aarch64` Info This step can be used as a standalone firmware update. In any case, it is performed as part of the upgrade flow. Note To prevent automatic flashing of the firmware to the NIC, run the following first: Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ export RUN_FW_UPDATER=no` Info Flashing the firmware to the NIC can be performed manually by running the following command, after the firmware package had been updated: Copy Copied! `sudo /opt/mellanox/mlnx-fw-updater/mlnx_fw_updater.pl --force-fw-update`
	Remove old metapackages	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ yum -y remove doca-tools doca-sdk doca-runtime`
	Install new metapackages	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ yum -y install doca-runtime doca-devel`
	Upgrade system	Copy Copied! `<dpu> $ yum upgrade --nobest`
	Apply the new changes, NIC firmware, and UEFI/ATF	For the upgrade to take effect, perform BlueField system reboot as explained in the "NVIDIA BlueField Reset and Reboot Procedures" troubleshooting page. Note This step triggers immediate reboot of the BlueField Arm cores.