What is the exact difference between a Firmware-Update of a HPE ProLiant Server via the SPP Service Pack which is around 7GB big and the iLO ROM Flash which is around 30MB. So there must be a big difference. I did not found any information what the difference is.
And which is the preferred way? SPP Firmware Update or iLO Flash?
This is an easy question for once :)
You can deploy individual firmware versions to all of the various components in a server - the BIOS, PSUs, disks, NICs etc. - it definitely works.
However not all versions are designed to work with each other, an SPP fixes this by upgrading all components to compatible versions in one go so you don't get mis-matches.
Unless you have a very good reason to update individual components please stick to SPPs :)
HPE's SPP is Support Pack for ProLiant which contains the necessary drivers, firmware, BIOS/EFI, HPE tools and other software to keep your server up to date.
The SPP contains the HPE Smart Update Manager which discovers your server hardware and OS, analyzes the current installed versions of the FW, drivers and tools, and then recommends updates required.
The SUM recommends updates based on criticality. Some updates are mandatory, some are highly recommended, recommended, and then optional.
HPE like any other server vendor requires customers to maintain the latest levels of update.
However, sometimes it is not necessary to run the SPP, and run individual patches, hot fixes for very specific issues. Please refer to the release notes of any of the firmware and drivers. Some updates provide fizes, whereas others provide enhancements.
