Configuring the Firmware Update Policy Setting

Introduction

Configure and enforce firmware updates across your printer fleet in the HP Workforce Experience Platform (WXP). This article explains how to implement updates across your printer fleet using printer policies, including selecting specific firmware versions, scheduling installations, and knowing when to use advanced update controls instead of automatic updates.

Target Audience

• Printer Administrators who define and manage policies for enforcement.

Configuring Firmware Updates via Printer Policy

Regularly updating the firmware on your printer fleet is an important part of ensuring your fleet is secure. WXP supports two policy settings, Auto Firmware Update and Firmware Update, that enforce firmware updates on a printer, but they serve slightly different purposes.

This article explains when to use Firmware Update instead of the more commonly used Auto Firmware Update, and how to configure the setting.

Auto Firmware Update vs Firmware Update

The Auto Firmware Update setting is a toggle that enables or disables the printer’s ability to automatically receive and install firmware updates. Auto Firmware Update is an HP-recommended setting that is included with both the Essential Security and Advanced Security policy templates available in WXP.

By contrast, Firmware Update not only enables updates but also provides much more control over the process. Auto Firmware Update always enforces the installation of the latest firmware version as soon as it is available. Firmware Update not only lets you choose specific firmware versions for specific printer models, but also lets you schedule the installation time, so you can ensure updates occur at the least disruptive time for users.

However, unlike Auto Firmware Update, which is supported by all HP printers, Firmware Update is only supported by a subset of HP printers (for a complete list, see Printer Models Supporting Firmware Update).

Configuring the Firmware Update Policy Setting

To configure the Firmware Update setting in a policy:  

1. When creating a printer-specific policy or a printer group policy, in the Select Policy Settings page, add Firmware Update.

2. Click Next. The Set Options page appears.  

3. In the Settings list, click Firmware Update to expand it and display configurable properties.

4. Modify the Assessment and Remediations options on the left of the panel as necessary. Modify the Assessment and Remediations options on the left of the panel as necessary. The Embedded Web Server (EWS) Admin Password setting supports the following options:

1. To update to a version other than the latest version, select Update to Specific Version.

2. Add the model versions to update:

   1. Click Add. The Add Model Versions dialog appears.

   2. Select a Printer Mode.

   3. In the Firmware Version drop-down, click More Versions. WXP retrieves the available versions and then populates the drop-down.

Note

It may take some time for the list of firmware versions to populate.

4. In the Firmware Version drop-down, select the version you want to update the selected printer model to.

5. Repeat steps ii-iv for other printers as necessary.

6. Click Add.

7. To schedule the update, select Update on scheduled time.

8. By default, a scheduled update is set to recur daily. To set it to weekly, select Weekly, then select the day of the week you want updates to occur on.  

9. Set the Start Time for the update.

Printer Models Supporting Firmware Update

You can set the Firmware Update Policy for the following HP printers:

HP Design Jet

HP LaserJet

HP Color LaserJet

HP PageWide

Contact Us

For any assistance, create a support case or email support@wxp.hp.com.