Deploying firmware at Cloudflare-scale: updating thousands of servers in more than 285 cities

1. Understanding the problem - The customer needed assistance in updating their system's firmware, specifically the BIOS and drivers for their Broadcom network adapter. 2. Analyzing the requirements - The customer wanted a solution that could be automated to minimize manual effort. 3. Designing the solution - We decided to use an open-source tool called iPXE, which allows us to boot and install systems from remote locations over a network. - We created a customized iPXE script that would automate the firmware updating process for both BIOS and Broadcom network adapter's firmware. - The script also included error handling mechanisms such as trapping errors using 'trap', checking whether the required hardware is present or not before proceeding with updates, etc. 4. Implementation of the solution - We configured iPXE to boot from a remote server and execute our customized firmware updating script. - The script first checks if any new updates are available for both BIOS and Broadcom network adapter's firmware. - If updates are available, it downloads them and applies them automatically without requiring user intervention. - After applying the updates, the system is then rebooted to ensure that all changes have been properly applied. 5. Testing the solution - We tested our implementation by simulating various scenarios such as having different versions of firmware already installed, checking whether the error handling mechanisms work as expected, etc. 6. Deployment and handover to customer - Once we were satisfied with the performance of our solution, we handed it over to the customer along with detailed documentation explaining how they can use it in their environment. 7. Ongoing support and maintenance - We offered ongoing support and maintenance services to the customer to ensure that our solution continues to work effectively even after deployment. This includes monitoring for any new updates released by manufacturers, updating our scripts accordingly, addressing any issues or bugs reported by the customer, etc. In conclusion, this case study demonstrates how open-source tools like iPXE can be leveraged to automate complex tasks such as updating system firmware. By designing and implementing a customized solution tailored specifically to meet our customer's unique requirements, we were able to provide them with an efficient, reliable, and cost-effective method for keeping their systems up-to-date while minimizing manual effort.