Using System Update in LDM

Using System Update in LDM

This feature allows Org Admins, IT Admins and MSP Admins to centrally manage Windows BIOS, drivers and firmware updates on any Lenovo Windows device. Updates are checked in three scenarios:
  1. When new devices are claimed and licensed.
  2. On-demand from the System Update page by clicking on the Check for updates link.
  3. As enabled from Policy Management > Feature Settings > System Update Preferences

Key Features

  1. Remote Deployment: Available updates can be deployed remotely at any time to one or more devices, as well as to groups of devices.
  2. User Control: End users can accept or deny updates requiring a reboot based on the deferral configuration set in Device Management.
  3. Tracking: All System Update installations are tracked through the System Update Status Report.
Notes
 This feature requires either a Pro or a Premium license and a special add-in service on the device to check for updates from the Lenovo repository. Most Lenovo devices are automatically preloaded with this service but if it was removed or your custom preload does not include it, Device Management can automatically install it during provisioning. To enable automatic validation for the service, go to Policy Management/Feature Settings/Features/System Update Preferences

Troubleshooting

To enable System Update to seamlessly push BIOS updates to devices without requiring a Supervisor Password, the following BIOS settings are required on the device. These settings are pre-configured by default in the correct state for remote updates. However, if these values have not been manually modified on the target device, they will need to be adjusted back to the following:

MODEL            BIOS SETTING
ThinkPad          Flash BIOS Updating by End-Users = Enable
ThinkCentre     Require SVP when Flashing = No
ThinkStation    Require Admin. Pass. when Flashing = No

To use this feature, navigate to App Management > System Update. 
 



Schedule Available Updates button 

The Schedule available updates button is in the top-left corner of the page. It is available across all tabs (Update, Updates by Devices, Updates by Groups, Scheduled Updates, Test History) and subtabs (All, Non Tested, Testing, Allowed to Deploy, Blocked), and works in combination with the selected filters and Search box.

Click the Schedule available updates button. A pop-up window appears, offering two options: Deploy Now and Schedule Deployment. Choose an option and follow the steps described in the Deploying Updates (Update button) section under the Updates Tab below.

Check for updates button

The Check for updates button is located at the top-right corner of the page. Clicking this button triggers a scan for all Pro and Premium licensed devices in the organization.
Once the scan starts, each device searches for updates and sends any newly found updates to Device Management. This process typically takes a few minutes.
Notes
 If the option Automatically Scan only for New Updates under Policy Management > Device Management Organization Settings > Feature is enabled, the Check for updates link will be disabled for 30 minutes immediately after the last automatic scan is initiated.

Updates Tab


  1. Each update listed in the following subtabs has a small downward arrow to its left. Click the arrow to expand the accordion and view the corresponding list of devices.

  2. Click the Eye icon to access detailed information about the update.

  3. For updates categorized as Critical or Recommended, a downloadable ReadMe file is available with additional details.

  4. You can further refine the displayed list of updates by filtering based on Severity, Update Type, or Reboot Status.

All subtab

This subtab displays all packages in any of the possible Test states. Click the downward arrow next to a package to expand the accordion and view the devices associated with it.

Not Tested Subtab

All new updates are assigned the Non tested state and appear in this subtab. This state indicates that the updates have not yet been validated.
 


AlertNot Tested, Testing, Allowed to Deploy and Blocked statuses, the Test History, etc. are only available if the Update Testing functionality is enabled under Policy Management > Feature Settings > System Update Settings.

Testing Subtab

This tab displays updates in the following states: Running Test, Scheduled for Testing or Test Completed. 
To track the installation status of an update during validation, click the downward arrow next to the update. The Tested Devices button displays the installation status of this update across all devices selected for testing.

Once the installation process is complete and the test is finished, the system updates the test state to Test Completed and sends a notification email to the Admin. The Admin can then choose one of the following actions:
  1. Allow to Deploy: Selecting this option enables the update to be deployed to all types of devices. The update is removed from this tab and moved to the Allow to Deploy subtab.
  2. Block Update: Selecting this option removes the update from this tab and moves it to the Blocked subtab. Blocked updates cannot be deployed to any device.

Other actions the Admin can perform:
  1. Add devices / Remove devices: Modify the list of devices involved in the test. You can add and remove devices; however, there is one restriction: if there is only one device scheduled for the test you cannot delete it.

  2. Edit Schedule: Change the date and time for the scheduled test.

  3. Cancel Schedule: Cancel a scheduled test. The update will be returned to the Not Tested subtab.
Notes
While the package is being tested, the system will prevent other users from deploying this package on other devices that where not selected to be part of this test.

Allowed to Deploy subtab

This subtab displays packages that have been validated by the Org Admin and are safe to deploy on all device types.
If you need to block an update, expand the accordion, click Block Update, and confirm by selecting Yes, block. Alternatively, you can restart the testing process by clicking Restart.
Once blocked, the package will be moved to the Blocked subtab and can no longer be deployed to any device.
 


Blocked Subtab

This subtab displays the packages that were blocked by the users. These updates cannot be deployed on any device.
To unblock updates, select the checkboxes of the updates you want to unblock and click Unblock update(s). 
To make the updates available for deployment, click Allow to deploy.

 

Testing updates (Test button)

To test updates: 
  1. Click the downward arrow to expand the accordion

  2. Select the device(s) you want to include in the test.
    If the status of an update is Test Completed, it will not be listed because it still requires the Org Admin to either approve or deny its deployment.

  3. Click Test.

  4. A pop-up window appears with the options Test Now or Schedule Test.

    1. Test Now. Starts the test immediately on the selected device(s).

    2. Schedule Test. Schedules the test to start at a specified date and time.

      1. Select a date and a time.

      2. Click Next. A confirmation window will appear, displaying details about the scheduled update and the associated devices.

      3. Click Submit.
Notes
When the scheduled time is reached, the test will start, the update will be moved to the Testing subtab, its state will change to Running Test, and it will be marked as In Test.

Deploying updates (Update button)

To deploy a system update:
  1. Select a device or a device group, if applies, to view all available system updates for that device or group.

  2. Expand the system update accordion to view the list of devices associated with that update.

  3. Select the checkboxes next to the devices you want to update.

  4. Click Update to begin the installation.

  5. A pop-up window will appear with the options Deploy Now and Schedule Deployment

    1. Deploy Now

      1. Select this option to deploy the updates immediately.

      2. Click Next.

        1. A notification window will appear, displaying a list of updates affected by this operation.

        2. Detailed information for each update is presented, similar to the System Update page.

        3. However, if the status of an update is Test Completed, it will not be listed because it still requires the Org Admin to either approve or deny its deployment.

      3. You can expand the accordions to view the list of devices that each update will be applied to.

      4. Click Submit. This operation will take some minutes.

    2. Schedule Deployment

      1. Select a specific Date and Time for deploying the update.
        2. Notes
        1. If devices are in different time zones, ensure the selected date and time is in the future for all devices. For example, if you have a device in India and another in Brazil, the India time zone is ahead of Brazil by several hours. To accommodate this, you must select a date and time that is several hours ahead of Brazil's local time, as this will be the earliest allowable time for deployment across all devices.
        2. However, to prevent users from being blocked by a long-running operation, a minimum limit of 24 hours ahead has been set to ensure compatibility across all time zones.
      2. Click Next.
        An information window appears showing the selected date and time, and information about the updates programmed to be deployed.

      3. Click Submit.

Notes
  1. Whether you choose Deploy Now or Schedule Deployment, you can use the search box to deploy a specific device, group, or update—depending on the tab you are currently in.
  2. The Schedule All Available Updates will remain disabled for 5 minutes to avoid overlapping operations.
  3. If the Status of a system update displays Reboot Required, it indicates that the device has deferred the reboot the maximum number of times allowed (for more information, refer to Utilizing Policy Management). In this case, the checkboxes for all updates will be disabled.

Updates by Devices Tab 

Displays all available system updates for each device. 
  1. Expand the device accordion to view all packages available for that specific device.
    The table displays update-specific information, including System Update Description, Update Type, Test Status, Severity, Status, and Reboot Type. All columns can be sorted. Click the eye icon to view additional details.

  2. Select the checkboxes next to the system updates you want to deploy.

  3. Click Update. Repeat this process for other devices, if applicable.

  4. A pop-up window will appear with the options Deploy Now and Schedule Deployment.

  5. Choose one of these options and follow the steps explained on section Deploying Updates (Update button) section under the Updates Tab section above. The procedure explained in that section is the same.

Updates by Groups Tab 

This section displays all available system updates for each device group. You can either Test the update on selected device(s) or proceed to Update and deploy it immediately. Refer to the Testing Updates (Test button) or Deploying Updates (Update button) sections under the Updates Tab section above.

Notes
  1. Only devices within a group that require the update will be listed.
  2. If a device is not shown in the list, be sure it is assigned a Pro or a Premium license.

Scheduled Updates Tab




This page displays all created schedules, which can be filtered, deleted, and edited. 
Filtering updates
Updates can be filtered by: 
  1. Severity
  2. Update Type
  3. Reboot Status
Deleting a Schedule
To permanently remove a specific schedule:
  1. Select the checkbox next to the schedule you want to delete.
  2. Click Delete.
  3. Click Confirm Delete.
A confirmation message will appear, and the page will reload.

Editing Schedules
To edit a scheduled system update:
  1. Select the checkbox next to the system update(s) you want to edit.
  2. Click Edit.
  3. A pop-up window will appear, where you can modify the schedule for the selected update(s). If the update includes multiple devices in different time zones, the new schedule will follow the same rules as those applied when creating a new schedule: the system ensures that the deployment time is scheduled in the future for all devices.
  4. Click Edit.

Test History Tab

Displays results for ongoing, scheduled and allowed or blocked packages. When a schedule is edited or deleted, its details are updated in the table. Similarly, changing a concluded package from allowed to blocked (or vice versa) updates the table accordingly. Additionally, the Test History tab is linked to the other test-related tabs. 
Notes
If the Update Testing feature is disabled in Policy Management > Device Management Org Settings > Feature > System Update Preferences, the tab remains hidden until re-enabled. When reactivated, all historical data is restored without loss.

Tested Devices button 

This button opens a pop-up window displaying the tested devices. If the devices were selected through a group, the group name will also be shown, along with the installation status and date.


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