Overview

This article describes how to apply the updated NVMe SSD firmware on Kerio Control NG120 appliances equipped with an Innodisk M.2 (P30) 4IE2 NVMe drive.

A manual firmware upgrade procedure using the DLMicro command-line utility is also documented below for reference. This legacy method may be useful if you are unable to upgrade to v10.0.1 immediately.

In This Article

• Recommended Solution: Upgrade to Kerio Control v10.0.1 (Build 9247)
• Alternative: Manual NVMe SSD Firmware Upgrade
  • Prerequisites
  • Firmware Package Contents
  • Upgrade Procedure
  • Verification
  • Rollback Procedure
• FAQ

Recommended Solution: Upgrade to Kerio Control v10.0.1 (Build 9247)

Kerio Control v10.0.1 (build 9247) includes the updated NVMe driver and firmware for all NG appliances. Upgrading to this version automatically applies the fix — no manual firmware flashing or SSH access is needed.

Available Downloads

Download the appropriate file for your upgrade scenario from the Kerio Control v10.0.1 (build 9247) download folder (Google Drive):

Release notes for this build are also available in the same folder.

Upgrade Instructions

For full details on the upgrade process (including automatic updates, manual image upload, and High Availability considerations), see Upgrading Kerio Control. For NG-specific guidance, update paths from older versions, and known issues, see Kerio Control v10 and New NG Hardware — Customer Guide.

1. Back up your configuration — In the Kerio Control administration interface, go to Configuration > Advanced Options > Software Update tab, or export via Dashboard > Configuration Assistant.
2. Download the upgrade image — Download kerio-control-upgrade-10.0.1-9247-linux.img from the download folder above.
3. Upload and apply — In the administration interface, go to Configuration > Advanced Options > Software Update. Click Select File, choose the downloaded .img file, wait for the upload to finish, then click Start Upgrade.
4. Reboot — The appliance will reboot automatically after the upgrade completes, and after the reboot it will shut down (intended behavior for this build)
5. Unplug power cable, wait 15 seconds, and then plug it back in and turn on the unit
   1. Once unit is on, it will shutdown a second time (intended behavior as well for this build)
6. Repeate step 5 again
7. Verify — After the 2 shutdown events, confirm the version shown in Status > System Health reads 10.0.1 (build 9248).

Alternative: Manual NVMe SSD Firmware Upgrade

The procedure below describes how to manually upgrade the NVMe SSD firmware (microcode) using the DLMicro command-line utility. This applies to Kerio Control v10.x running on NG120 hardware with an Innodisk M.2 (P30) 4IE2 NVMe drive.

The firmware upgrade uses the NVMe Download Microcode mechanism, which updates the drive's internal firmware without data loss. The new firmware is staged to the drive and activated after a full power cycle.

Note: This manual method is provided for reference. If possible, use the recommended solution above (upgrade to Kerio Control v10.0.1) instead.

Prerequisites

Firmware Package Contents

The firmware package is available in the Manual driver update subfolder of the Kerio Control v10.0.1 download folder (Google Drive).

The package contains the following files:

Important: Keep the rollback firmware file (W11P47.fw) in a safe location. It allows you to revert to the original firmware if needed.

Upgrade Procedure

Step 1: Prepare the files

Download the firmware package from the link above and copy the DLMicro_64 executable and the firmware file to the target device. This example uses /var as the working directory:

scp DLMicro_64 W11P54.fw root@<device-ip>:/var/

Step 2: Connect to the device

Open a terminal and connect to the NG120 appliance via SSH:

ssh root@<device-ip>

The password is the same as the admin password used for the Kerio Control web UI. For detailed SSH setup instructions, see Accessing Kerio Control's Shell Using SSH.

Step 3: Make the tool executable

chmod +x /var/DLMicro_64

Step 4: Identify the target NVMe drive and current firmware version

Run the following command to list NVMe devices:

nvme list

Expected output:

Node          Generic   SN         Model            Namespace  Usage      Format       FW Rev
------------- --------- ---------- ---------------- --------- ---------- ------------ --------
/dev/nvme0n1  /dev/ng0n1 YCA125... M.2 (P30) 4IE2  1          80.03 GB   512 B + 0 B  W11P47

Confirm that the FW Rev column shows W11P47 before proceeding.

Step 5: Apply the firmware upgrade

cd /var
./DLMicro_64 -d /dev/nvme0n1 -f W11P54.fw

Wait for the process to complete. A successful upgrade displays output similar to:

************************************************************
* Innodisk Microcode Download V3.17.0         2025/04/01  *
************************************************************
Model Name : M.2 (P30) 4IE2
FW Version : W11P47
Serial Num : YCA125...
TAG        : DF1
Capacity   : 74.53 GB
BusType    : NVMe (OFA)
NVMe CA    : 3
Download microcode done !!

⚠️ WARNING: Do not interrupt the firmware download process. Do not power off or disconnect the device until you see the "Download microcode done !!" message.

Step 6: Power cycle the device

The NVMe drive uses Commit Action 3 (CA3), meaning the new firmware is staged but only activates after a full power cycle. A warm reboot is not sufficient.

1. Perform a complete shutdown of the NG120 appliance (unplug the device from the power outlet).
2. Wait several seconds, and then plug it back in.
3. Turn it back on.

WARNING: A soft reboot is not sufficient. The device must be fully powered off and back on for the firmware to activate.

Verification

After the device has restarted, verify the firmware upgrade was successful using either method:

Method A: Using nvme list

nvme list

The FW Rev column should now show W11P54.

Method B: Using DLMicro

./DLMicro_64 -d /dev/nvme0n1

The FW Version field should now display W11P54.

Rollback Procedure

If you need to revert to the previous firmware version, use the same procedure with the rollback firmware file:

./DLMicro_64 -d /dev/nvme0n1 -f W11P47.fw

After the command completes, perform a full power cycle as described in Step 6, then verify the firmware version has reverted to W11P47.

FAQ

Q1: What is the easiest way to apply the NVMe firmware fix?
A1: Upgrade to Kerio Control v10.0.1 (build 9247). This release includes the updated NVMe driver and firmware, and applies the fix automatically during the upgrade process. No SSH access or manual firmware flashing is required.

Q2: Will the firmware upgrade (either method) cause data loss?
A2: No. The NVMe Download Microcode mechanism updates the drive's internal firmware without affecting stored data. The v10.0.1 upgrade also preserves your configuration and data. However, as with any firmware or system update, having a current backup is always recommended.

Q3: Can I perform a regular reboot instead of a full power cycle for the manual method?
A3: No. When using the manual DLMicro method, the drive uses Commit Action 3 (CA3), which requires a complete power-off and power-on cycle. A software reboot or warm restart will not activate the new firmware. This requirement does not apply to the v10.0.1 upgrade method, which handles the process automatically.