Firmware Auto Update

SonicOS supports the Firmware Auto Update feature, which helps to ensure that your SonicWall security appliance has the latest firmware release.

The firmware update is categorized into below four types:

• Critical Update: A high priority firmware update containing critical security or stability fixes. The firmware must be applied immediately to resolve the vulnerabilities or service impacting defects.

• Maintenance Release (MR): Scheduled releases with bug fixes and reliability improvements. Such releases contain mainly general enhancements and ongoing maintenance.

• Feature Release (FR): Firmware that introduces new features or significant functional improvements. Such releases add new capabilities and ongoing maintenance.

• General Release (GR): A major or milestone release recommended for all. Such releases contain stable features and fixes.

To set the Firmware Auto Update options

1. Navigate to Device | Settings > Firmware and Settings.

2. Click Settings. The Settings popup dialog displays.

3. Click Firmware Auto Update.

4. Under Update Availability the following options will be selected by default.

   1. Check for available updates: Selecting this option will enable an online appliance to check for available updates and show a notification in the UI.

   2. Critical updates only: Selecting this option will restrict the update availability check only for critical security updates.

   3. Download new firmware automatically when available: Selecting this option will download the latest firmware when available, and the installation will happen as per the configuration set under Automactic Installs.

      Ensure your firewall is available before enabling the firmware auto update options.

   

   Firmware updates are checked and downloaded based on the selection of the above toggles and below table represents different possible combinations.

   Check for available updates	Critical updates only	Download new firmware automatically when available	Result
   ON	ON	ON	The system will check for Critical firmware updates only and downloads automatically.
   ON	ON	OFF	The system will check for Critical firmware updates only, notify upon availability, and no automatic downloads.
   ON	OFF	ON	The system will check for all types of firmware updates and downloads automatically.
   ON	OFF	OFF	The system will check for all types of firmware updates, notify upon availability, and no automatic downloads.
   OFF	Not Available	Not Available	Since 'Check for available updates' is toggled OFF, the system will not check for firmware updates and the other two options are disabled.

5. Under Automatic Installs the following options will be selected by default.
   1. Automatically Install downloaded firmware: Selecting this option will install the previously downloaded firmware update according to the set schedule.
   2. Schedule: The firewall upgrade schedule is configured to a specific convenient time for automatically installing downloaded firmware updates.
      The Schedule can be set in the below types:
      1. Once: The previously download firmware will be installed once in the specified time period.
      2. Recurring: The previously download firmware will be installed repeatedly on the specified day in the specified time period.
      3. Mixed: Is a combination of Once and Recurring where the previously download firmware will be installed once and repeatedly in the specified time period.

   

6. Click OK.

More information on the Firmware Auto Updates can be found under Monitor > Logs > System Logs.