[OpenIndiana-discuss] using fwflash for SATA SSDs

[Jan Owoc]

Hi,

On Tue, Feb 12, 2013 at 3:17 AM, Sebastian Gabler <sequoiamobil at gmx.net> wrote:
> I am considering to update firmware on two SSDs in my file server. The
> models are Intel X25-M and OCZ Vertex 2. Obviously, the manufacturers are
> providing proprietary tools on DOS or Windows to flash the drives. I am
> looking for what would be the least intrusive method, and for the Intel disk
> also the safest method, as this disk contains the Rpool.

Many SSDs, including the OCZ Vertex 2, lose all their data when you
reflash the firmware. In general, SSD (and HDD) firmware is not
something you update unless you are experiencing issues with the
current firmware, and the release notes appear to fix those specific
issues. Are you experiencing issues with both the Intel X25-M and OCZ
Vertex 2, and both of your issues claim to be resolved in the current
firmware's release notes?

> - Usually, activating the FW requires a re-boot. I am not very much inclined
> to go for a re-boot for the sake of flashing the Vertex 2, as this is only a
> ZFS cache drive. Wouldn't it suffice to detach the drive after the FW
> upgrade, cycle a hot-swap, and then re-attach it?
> - If I really have to re-boot, shouldn't I rather power down the machine,
> take out the drives, flash them with the mannufacturer tool, re-assemble and
> hope for the best - other than messing around to get it running with
> fwflash?

If it's a cache device, you can safely (on-the-fly) remove cache
devices from pools, move the drive to a computer running DOS, reflash
it, and move it back to your machine to reattach.

Jan