checks: accept supported CIMC 4.2(3e) on APIC 6.1(5)

aci-preupgrade-validation-script.py

@@ -52,6 +52,39 @@
 # message constants
 TVER_MISSING = "Target version not supplied. Skipping."
 VER_NOT_AFFECTED = "Version not affected."
+# APIC 6.1(5) release notes, verified 2026-08-10.
+CIMC_RELEASE_NOTE_SUPPORT_615_M5 = (
+    "4.3(2.260007)",
+    "4.3(2.250016)",
+    "4.3(2.240077)",
+    "4.3(2.240009)",
+    "4.3(2.230207)",
+    "4.2(3e)",
+    "4.2(3b)",
+    "4.2(2a)",
+    "4.1(3m)",
+    "4.1(3f)",
+    "4.1(3d)",
+    "4.1(3c)",
+)
+CIMC_RELEASE_NOTE_SUPPORT_615_M6 = (
+    "6.0(2.260044)",
+    "6.0(1.250192)",
+    "6.0(1.250131)",
+    "4.3(6.250053)",
+    "4.3(4.252002)",
+    "4.3(4.241063)",
+    "4.3(2.240009)",
+    "4.3(2.230207)",
+    "4.2(3e)",
+    "4.2(3b)",
+)
+CIMC_RELEASE_NOTE_SUPPORT = {
+    ("6.1(5)", "apicl3"): CIMC_RELEASE_NOTE_SUPPORT_615_M5,
+    ("6.1(5)", "apicm3"): CIMC_RELEASE_NOTE_SUPPORT_615_M5,
+    ("6.1(5)", "apicl4"): CIMC_RELEASE_NOTE_SUPPORT_615_M6,
+    ("6.1(5)", "apicm4"): CIMC_RELEASE_NOTE_SUPPORT_615_M6,
+}
 # regex constants
 node_regex = r'topology/pod-(?P<pod>\d+)/node-(?P<node>\d+)'
 port_regex = node_regex + r'/sys/phys-\[(?P<port>.+)\]'
@@ -3780,7 +3813,10 @@ def cimc_compatibilty_check(tversion, cversion, **kwargs):
                     if compatMo and recommended_cimc:
                         if not is_firstver_gt_secondver(current_cimc, "3.0(3a)"):
                             warning = "Multi-step Upgrade may be required, check UCS CIMC Matrix."
-                        if not is_firstver_gt_secondver(current_cimc, recommended_cimc):
+                        release_note_supported = current_cimc in CIMC_RELEASE_NOTE_SUPPORT.get(
+                            (tversion.simple_version, model), ()
+                        )
+                        if not release_note_supported and not is_firstver_gt_secondver(current_cimc, recommended_cimc):
                             nodeid = eqptCh['eqptCh']['attributes']['dn'].split('/')[2]
                             data.append([nodeid, apic_model, current_cimc, recommended_cimc, warning])
 

docs/docs/validations.md

@@ -264,6 +264,8 @@ The script checks the minimum recommended CIMC version for the given APIC model
 
 As the `compatRsSuppHw` object recommendation is strictly tied to the target software image, it is possible that the [Release Note Documentation][4] for your model/target version has a different recommendation than what the software recommends. Always check the release note of your Target version and APIC model to ensure you are getting the latest recommendations.
 
+The APIC 6.1(5) release notes explicitly support multiple CIMC releases on UCS C220/C240 M5 (APIC-L3/M3) and UCS C225 M6 (APIC-L4/M4) that may be older than the image catalog recommendation. The check uses an embedded, model-specific list for those release-note-supported combinations before applying the image catalog recommendation to other CIMC releases.
+
 Due to the defect CSCwo74485, APIC-SERVER-M4/L4 systems will fail to boot correctly after upgrading CIMC firmware to version 4.3.5 or later while on Non-fixed APIC releases 5.3.x/6.0.9d/6.1(3g) and below. Upgrade the APIC software first, then proceed with the CIMC upgrade for the releases 6.0.9e/ 6.1.4h and above, will avoid this issue. Follow the software advisory for this defect [CSCwo74485][73].
 
 !!! note

tests/checks/cimc_compatibilty_check/compatRsSuppHw_615_M5.json

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[
+  {
+    "compatRsSuppHw": {
+      "attributes": {
+        "cimcVersion": "4.3(2.250016)",
+        "dn": "uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrfw-apic-6.1(5)/rssuppHw-[uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrhw-apicm3]"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+]

tests/checks/cimc_compatibilty_check/compatRsSuppHw_615_M6.json

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[
+  {
+    "compatRsSuppHw": {
+      "attributes": {
+        "cimcVersion": "4.3(4.252002)",
+        "dn": "uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrfw-apic-6.1(5)/rssuppHw-[uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrhw-apicm4]"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+]

tests/checks/cimc_compatibilty_check/eqptCh_615_supported_423e.json

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+[
+  {
+    "eqptCh": {
+      "attributes": {
+        "cimcVersion": "4.2(3e)",
+        "descr": "APIC-SERVER-L3",
+        "dn": "topology/pod-1/node-1/sys/ch",
+        "model": "APIC-SERVER-L3"
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    "eqptCh": {
+      "attributes": {
+        "cimcVersion": "4.2(3e)",
+        "descr": "APIC-SERVER-M3",
+        "dn": "topology/pod-1/node-2/sys/ch",
+        "model": "APIC-SERVER-M3"
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    "eqptCh": {
+      "attributes": {
+        "cimcVersion": "4.2(3e)",
+        "descr": "APIC-SERVER-L4",
+        "dn": "topology/pod-1/node-3/sys/ch",
+        "model": "APIC-SERVER-L4"
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    "eqptCh": {
+      "attributes": {
+        "cimcVersion": "4.2(3e)",
+        "descr": "APIC-SERVER-M4",
+        "dn": "topology/pod-1/node-4/sys/ch",
+        "model": "APIC-SERVER-M4"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+]

tests/checks/cimc_compatibilty_check/eqptCh_615_unsupported_423d.json

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+[
+  {
+    "eqptCh": {
+      "attributes": {
+        "cimcVersion": "4.2(3d)",
+        "descr": "APIC-SERVER-M3",
+        "dn": "topology/pod-1/node-1/sys/ch",
+        "model": "APIC-SERVER-M3"
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    "eqptCh": {
+      "attributes": {
+        "cimcVersion": "4.2(3d)",
+        "descr": "APIC-SERVER-M4",
+        "dn": "topology/pod-1/node-2/sys/ch",
+        "model": "APIC-SERVER-M4"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+]

tests/checks/cimc_compatibilty_check/test_cimc_compatibilty_check.py

@@ -21,10 +21,79 @@
 compatRsSuppHwM4_605_api = 'uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrfw-apic-6.0(5)/rssuppHw-[uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrhw-apicm4].json'
 compatRsSuppHwL4_api = 'uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrfw-apic-6.1(5)/rssuppHw-[uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrhw-apicl4].json'
 compatRsSuppHwM4_api = 'uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrfw-apic-6.1(5)/rssuppHw-[uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrhw-apicm4].json'
+compatRsSuppHwL3_api = 'uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrfw-apic-6.1(5)/rssuppHw-[uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrhw-apicl3].json'
+compatRsSuppHwM3_api = 'uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrfw-apic-6.1(5)/rssuppHw-[uni/fabric/compcat-default/ctlrhw-apicm3].json'
+
+release_note_supported_615_outputs = {
+    eqptCh_api: read_data(dir, "eqptCh_615_supported_423e.json"),
+    compatRsSuppHwL3_api: read_data(dir, "compatRsSuppHw_615_M5.json"),
+    compatRsSuppHwM3_api: read_data(dir, "compatRsSuppHw_615_M5.json"),
+    compatRsSuppHwL4_api: read_data(dir, "compatRsSuppHw_615_M6.json"),
+    compatRsSuppHwM4_api: read_data(dir, "compatRsSuppHw_615_M6.json"),
+}
+
+release_note_model_data = {
+    "apicl3": ("APIC-SERVER-L3", compatRsSuppHwL3_api, "compatRsSuppHw_615_M5.json"),
+    "apicm3": ("APIC-SERVER-M3", compatRsSuppHwM3_api, "compatRsSuppHw_615_M5.json"),
+    "apicl4": ("APIC-SERVER-L4", compatRsSuppHwL4_api, "compatRsSuppHw_615_M6.json"),
+    "apicm4": ("APIC-SERVER-M4", compatRsSuppHwM4_api, "compatRsSuppHw_615_M6.json"),
+}
+
+
+def release_note_supported_outputs(model, cimc_version):
+    apic_model, compat_api, compat_fixture = release_note_model_data[model]
+    return {
+        eqptCh_api: [
+            {
+                "eqptCh": {
+                    "attributes": {
+                        "cimcVersion": cimc_version,
+                        "descr": apic_model,
+                        "dn": "topology/pod-1/node-1/sys/ch",
+                        "model": apic_model,
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        ],
+        compat_api: read_data(dir, compat_fixture),
+    }
+
+
+release_note_supported_cases = [
+    release_note_supported_outputs(model, cimc_version)
+    for (target, model), cimc_versions in script.CIMC_RELEASE_NOTE_SUPPORT.items()
+    if target == "6.1(5)"
+    for cimc_version in cimc_versions
+]
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "icurl_outputs, tversion, cversion, expected_result",
     [
+        # CIMC 4.2(3e) is explicitly supported for M5/M6 APICs by the 6.1(5) release notes.
+        (
+            release_note_supported_615_outputs,
+            "6.1(5e)",
+            "5.2(8g)",
+            script.PASS,
+        ),
+        # The release-note exception must not bypass the CSCwo74485 upgrade ordering check.
+        (
+            release_note_supported_615_outputs,
+            "6.1(5e)",
+            "5.3(1d)",
+            script.FAIL_UF,
+        ),
+        # Other CIMC versions below the catalog recommendation remain unsupported.
+        (
+            {
+                eqptCh_api: read_data(dir, "eqptCh_615_unsupported_423d.json"),
+                compatRsSuppHwM3_api: read_data(dir, "compatRsSuppHw_615_M5.json"),
+                compatRsSuppHwM4_api: read_data(dir, "compatRsSuppHw_615_M6.json"),
+            },
+            "6.1(5e)",
+            "5.2(8g)",
+            script.FAIL_UF,
+        ),
         #m4/l4 model check and targeting affected version and cversion affected and cimc < 4.3.5
         (
             {eqptCh_api: read_data(dir, "eqptCh_m4l4_model_old_cimc.json"),
@@ -102,3 +171,12 @@
 def test_logic(run_check, mock_icurl, tversion, cversion, expected_result):
     result = run_check(tversion=script.AciVersion(tversion), cversion=script.AciVersion(cversion) if cversion is not None else None)
     assert result.result == expected_result
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("icurl_outputs", release_note_supported_cases)
+def test_release_note_supported_versions(run_check, mock_icurl):
+    result = run_check(
+        tversion=script.AciVersion("6.1(5e)"),
+        cversion=script.AciVersion("5.2(8g)"),
+    )
+    assert result.result == script.PASS