Depot Manager Tutorial 05:

Installing Firmware

Overview

Firmware can be uploaded to Depot Manager and installed on a single device or multiple devices. Upgrades can be performed on a single device or in bulk to many similar devices at the same time. Bulk uploads can be scheduled for a future time and date.

NOTE: Rebooting devices

If you upload a new configuration or firmware, you should reboot the device to ensure the settings are correct. See Rebooting Devices at the bottom of this page.

NOTE: Firmware upgrade files

Before you can install firmware, you must save it to your local device. Firmware upgrade files can be obtained either from a field engineer or from the Safe Fleet technical support website.

Installing Firmware to a Single Device

If devices are not automatically discovered, you must manually add them to the server. When you manually add devices, they appear in the Active/Available list.

  1. Click Devices on the main menu.
  2. Click the arrow to the right of the desired device name to open the drop-down menu.
  3. Click Upload firmware to open the Device Firmware Upload window.
  1. Click Browse to locate the firmware which you have saved on your local PC, then click Upload. The firmware installs on the device.

Bulk Firmware Uploads to Multiple Devices

To upload firmware to multiple devices, you must upload the firmware to the firmware library, create a firmware template, and then schedule to upload that firmware template. You can then observe the scheduled bulk firmware upload via the Maintenance tab.

NOTE: Firmware library

Before you can install firmware, you must save it to your local device. Firmware upgrade files can be obtained either from a field engineer or from the Safe Fleet technical support website.

Create a firmware template:

  1. Either navigate to Create New > Firmware Upload or to Maintenance > Libraries > Firmware Library. 
  2. Click + to open the Add saved firmware template window.
  1. Enter a template name and a description.
  2. Select a device type from the drop-down menu.
  3. Click Browse… to navigate to the firmware upgrade file. The firmware file uploads.
  4. Click Save as Template. The template is saved to the firmware library on the server.

Find the firmware template and schedule the upload:

  1. Click Maintenance > Libraries > Firmware Library on the main menu to open the Firmware Library window.
  2. Click to select a template from the firmware library.
  3. Select Schedule from the drop-down menu for the selected desired firmware template. The Bulk Firmwares window appears.
  1. Click to select the devices’s name in the Bulk Firmwares window, then click Schedule. A pop-up message appears asking for you to confirm the creation of the Bulk Firmware Task.
  2. Click OK. The bulk firmware upload is now scheduled.
  3. Navigate to Maintenance > Maintenance Tasks to see the bulk firmware upload task in the list of maintenance tasks.

Rebooting a Device

If you upload a new configuration or firmware, you should reboot the device to ensure the settings are correct.

  1. Click Devices on the main menu.
  2. Click the arrow to the right of the desired device name to open the drop-down menu, and select Reboot device. A message appears asking for confirmation to reboot the device.
  1. Click Devices on the main menu.
  2. Click the arrow to the right of the desired device name to open the drop-down menu, and select Reboot device. A message appears asking for confirmation to reboot the device.

Setting Up Firmware Upgrade Email Alerts

You can set up email alerts that let users know if a bulk device configuration has failed or successfully completed.

  1. Click Administration > Depots to open the Settings – [Depot name] window.
  2. Click Configure device to open the Configure device tab.
  3. Enter in Retry attempts when failure occurs how many times Depot Manager should retry device bulk configurations or firmware upgrades if they fail.
  4. Enter in Retry delay when failure occurs (seconds) how long Depot Manager delays retry attempts after device bulk configurations or firmware upgrades fail.
  5. Enter under Firmware Upgrade the email addresses, separated by commas, for the people who should receive email alerts when device bulk configurations fail and/or succeed.
  6. Click Save.

Remotely Installing Software

When new firmware is obtained, devices can be remotely updated. Upload the firmware file to Depot Manager, and then use the Schedule option. Scheduling the firmware update sends the file to the server queue. It will then upload the firmware the next time the vehicle returns to the depot.

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