Use Geo SCADA Expert to Import and Download Firmware Image Files

On occasion, you may need to update the operating system firmware that is running in your SCADAPack x70 devices. You can use Geo SCADA Expert to do this.

SCADAPack x70 devices support firmware downloads in this file format:

• .BIZ compressed binary image file—Use this type of file to upgrade the version of firmware that currently exists in a SCADAPack x70 device.

In order for Geo SCADA Expert to be able to download operating system firmware to a SCADAPack x70 device, you need to:

1. Create and configure a SCADAPack x70 Firmware Image item in the Geo SCADA Expert database (see Configure a Firmware Image Item). You need one Firmware Image item for each different version of operating system firmware that is to be downloaded. (Therefore, if the SCADAPack x70 devices on your system run two separate versions of firmware, you need to configure two SCADAPack x70 Firmware Image items in order to download those two versions.)
2. Use the SCADAPack x70 Firmware Image item's Import Firmware Image pick action to import the required binary firmware image file into Geo SCADA Expert.

   The location to which the file is imported is defined using the Geo SCADA Expert Server Configuration Tool's Data Files field (see Locations of the Database Folders in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Server Administration).

3. Associate the Firmware Image item with the relevant SCADAPack x70 Device Configuration item (see Associate a Firmware Image Item with a Device Configuration Item). You can associate the same Firmware Image item with multiple Device Configuration items if need be.

   (You can use the File status attribute on the Firmware Image item to ascertain the version of firmware that is currently associated with that item.)

4. Specify whether confirmation is required when a user selects the Download Firmware pick action (see Configure the SCADAPack x70 Outstation Tab).
5. Use the Download Firmware pick action on the SCADAPack x70 protocol-specific Outstation item to download the firmware image file to the SCADAPack x70 device.
   NOTICE

   incompatible firmware versions

   Before installing any firmware updates, check the Release Notes for the firmware update to confirm version compatibility and determine which firmware versions are suitable for the functionality that you are using.

   Also ensure that the firmware update relates to SCADAPack x70 devices (rather than to other types of SCADAPack device, such as SCADAPack E).

   Failure to follow these instructions can result in equipment damage.
   NOTICE

   unintended equipment operation

   A SCADAPack x70 device automatically restarts when its firmware is updated.

   Evaluate the current operational state of the equipment that is being monitored or controlled by the SCADAPack x70 device to determine whether to perform the firmware update.

   Failure to follow these instructions can result in equipment damage.
   NOTICE

   inoperable device

   Should a firmware download be unsuccessful (for example, if power is lost at the SCADAPack x70 device before the download completes), the device will typically revert to using the version of firmware that was running before the download was attempted. If power is lost while the bootloader is patching the firmware, the SCADAPack x70 device might be left in an inoperable state. If this occurs, an engineer will need to recover the situation locally at the device.

   Only attempt to download firmware when there is sufficient time to manually recover the situation in the unlikely event of an unsuccessful download.

   Failure to follow these instructions can result in inoperable equipment.