Firmware upgrade

PowerManage supports remote firmware upgrades for Neo 5 panels. This update helps administrators retrieve available firmware packages from the panel, select what to upgrade, and track the upgrade status from start to finish.

What's changed

• Added support for showing Neo 5 firmware packages in PowerManage.
• Added support for starting Neo 5 firmware upgrades from the PowerManage UI.
• Added upgrade status, progress, stage, and error reporting from the Neo 5 panel to PowerManage.
• Added discovery at the end of the upgrade process to refresh device information.

info

PowerManage does not sync Neo 5 firmware packages directly from a firmware repository. PowerManage receives the firmware package list from the Neo 5 panel.

Who is affected

This update affects:

• Administrators who manage firmware upgrades for Neo 5 panels.
• Neo 5 panels that report available firmware packages to PowerManage.
• Devices and modules that have compatible firmware packages available through the panel.
• Upgrade monitoring workflows in PowerManage.

Benefits

Firmware upgrades provide the following benefits:

• Remote upgrade initiation for Neo 5 panels from PowerManage.
• Better visibility into available firmware packages and package details.
• More control when selecting firmware packages for different modules.
• End-to-end tracking of upgrade status, progress, stage, and errors.
• Updated device information after discovery runs at the end of the process.

What you need to do

Review available firmware packages

PowerManage receives and displays the list of firmware packages available for a Neo 5 panel. The package list can include metadata such as version and other details provided by the panel.

To review available packages:

1. Open the Firmware page in PowerManage.
2. Review the available firmware packages.
3. Check the package details, including version and module information when available.
4. Select the package that matches the device or module you want to upgrade.

Start a firmware upgrade

Administrators can start a Neo 5 firmware upgrade from the PowerManage UI.

To start an upgrade:

1. Open the Firmware page in PowerManage.
2. View the available firmware packages for the panel.
3. Select one or more firmware packages to upgrade.
4. If different packages are available for different modules, select the correct package for each module.
5. Start the upgrade.
6. Monitor the upgrade status until the process succeeds or fails.

tip

Before you start the upgrade, verify that the selected package matches the target device or module.

Behavior details

Package list updates

PowerManage receives the Neo 5 firmware package list when the panel sends an update notification. This notification can be triggered:

• During discovery.
• When the panel receives updated firmware availability information.

Firmware information updates on the Neo 5 side can be triggered when:

• The communicator comes online after initial cloud registration.
• The communicator comes online after a subsequent cloud registration.
• A new device is enrolled or deleted.
• A firmware update finishes, whether it succeeds or fails.

Upgrade progress and results

During an upgrade, the Neo 5 panel reports status information back to PowerManage, including overall status, progress percentage, upgrade stage, and error details.

Overall status

Possible upgrade statuses reported to PowerManage:

Possible value	What it means in PowerManage	What you should do
In Progress	The upgrade has started and is still running.	Wait and monitor Progress, Stage, and Error. Avoid starting another upgrade for the same devices.
Succeeded	The upgrade completed successfully.	No action is needed. Device data may refresh after discovery runs.
Failed	The upgrade did not complete.	Check Error and Stage to understand why. Fix the issue and retry if needed.

Progress (%)

Upgrade progress reported as a percentage:

Possible value	What it means in PowerManage	Notes
0–100%	Percent complete as reported by the panel.	The value is panel-reported. Some stages may move quickly or remain at the same percentage for a while depending on download or transfer conditions.

Stage

Upgrade stages reported to PowerManage:

Stage name	What’s happening	What you should do or expect
Null	No active stage is being reported.	If Status is In Progress and Stage stays Null, wait briefly. If it persists and then fails, use the Error value for guidance.
Initializing	The panel is preparing the upgrade by validating the request and preparing devices.	Wait. This stage is typically early in the process.
Downloading	The panel or communicator is downloading firmware packages.	Make sure the panel has stable connectivity and that any required cellular or Wi-Fi conditions are met in your environment.
Transferring	Firmware is being transferred or applied to the target devices.	Avoid interruptions. Wait for the process to complete.
Waiting for User Acknowledgement	The process requires user acknowledgement at the panel side.	A local user must acknowledge or approve the action at the panel if your upgrade flow requires it.
User Acknowledged	The user has acknowledged the action, and the panel is continuing the upgrade.	Wait. If the upgrade fails after this stage, use the Error value to determine next steps.

Error

Error reasons reported when an upgrade fails:

Error name	What it means	Recommended action
Null	No specific error was provided.	Retry once. If the error repeats, collect logs and the time of failure, and then contact support or your internal administrator.
Check failed	The publish to JC2 succeeded, but no response was received within 10 seconds.	Check connectivity and service availability. Retry when the connection is stable.
At least one device failed to update for an unknown reason	One or more devices or modules in the upgrade set did not update, but the panel did not provide a more specific reason.	Retry. If the error repeats, try upgrading devices or modules separately, if possible, to identify which device fails.
Panel Armed	A partition is armed after user acknowledgement, so the upgrade is blocked.	Disarm the system, and then retry the upgrade.
AC Trouble	The panel or module reports AC trouble after user acknowledgement.	Restore AC power or clear the trouble, and then retry.
Low Battery	The panel or module reports battery trouble after user acknowledgement.	Resolve the battery trouble by charging or replacing the battery as required, and then retry.
Communications in Progress	The panel or module has events communicating to CMS in progress after user acknowledgement.	Wait until communications finish or clear the condition, and then retry.
Incorrect module/package	The selected package does not match the target device or module.	Verify that you selected the correct package for the specific device or module type, and then retry.
Download Failed	The panel could not download the firmware package.	Check internet or cellular connectivity, and then retry.
Checksum Failed	The downloaded package failed integrity validation.	Retry. If the error repeats, use a different package or version if one is available.
No update is available	The panel determined that no applicable update is available for the selected devices.	Confirm current versions and package applicability. Select a different package if you intended to upgrade.

info

After the firmware upgrade finishes, whether it succeeds or fails, discovery runs at the end of the process to refresh device information.

Important notes and limitations

warning

• PowerManage receives the firmware package list from the Neo 5 panel, not directly from a firmware repository.
• Upgrade progress, stage, and error values are reported by the panel.
• Do not start another upgrade for the same devices while an upgrade is in progress.
• Some upgrade stages may require local user acknowledgement at the panel.
• Discovery runs after the upgrade process finishes to refresh device information.