izxmd/idrac6-tftp-workaround

This project fixes a specific problem with old Dell servers that have an iDRAC6 management card, the little computer inside a server that lets you control it remotely. On some early iDRAC6 firmware versions, the built in tool for updating that firmware over TFTP is broken and gets stuck partway through the transfer. This script works around that by uploading the firmware over a regular HTTPS web connection instead, so you do not need a browser, Java, or a TFTP server at all. Using it is simple. You first extract the firmware image file from Dell's official update package, then fill in your iDRAC's IP address, username, and password in a small text file, and run one Python script with no extra dependencies. The script logs in, uploads the firmware, tells the card to install it, waits through the reboot, and then checks that the firmware version actually changed to the one you meant to install. It only reports success if that final check passes, so you never get a false all clear on an update that silently failed. The script also protects against a partial or corrupted upload, since a cut off transfer is exactly the kind of failure the TFTP method was prone to in the first place. It automatically detects which of two slightly different iDRAC6 web login styles your card uses, since older and newer firmware behave a little differently, and adapts to either one. There is also a read only check mode that lets you confirm the script can talk to your iDRAC and see its current firmware version without changing anything. An optional companion script can back up your iDRAC's configuration settings, such as network, user, and SNMP setup, over SSH before you flash new firmware, so you have a plain text copy for reference if something goes wrong. That backup script does require one extra Python package, while the main flashing script does not. This tool has only been tested on iDRAC6 Enterprise cards with a few specific firmware versions, so results on other cards or versions may vary, though the author has included diagnostic tools to help troubleshoot differences.