Contents

Upgrading software· 1

About software upgrade· 1

Software types· 1

Software release forms· 2

Upgrade methods· 2

Software image loading· 2

Application scenarios· 3

Digitally signed software images· 3

Restrictions and guidelines: Software upgrade· 3

Upgrading device software by using the boot loader method· 4

Software upgrade tasks at a glance· 4

Prerequisites· 4

Preloading the BootWare image to BootWare· 4

Specifying startup images and completing the upgrade· 5

Display and maintenance commands for software image settings· 5

Upgrading software

About software upgrade

Software upgrade enables you to upgrade a software version, add new features, and fix software bugs. This chapter describes software types and release forms, compares software upgrade methods, and provides the procedures for upgrading software from the CLI.

Software types

The following software types are available:

·     BootWare image—Also called the Boot ROM image. This image contains a basic segment and an extended segment.

¡     The basic segment is the minimum code that bootstraps the system.

¡     The extended segment enables hardware initialization and provides system management menus. When the device cannot start up correctly, you can use the menus to load software and the startup configuration file or manage files.

Typically, the BootWare image is integrated into the Boot image to avoid software compatibility errors.

·     Comware image—Includes the following image subcategories:

¡     Boot image—A .bin file that contains the Linux operating system kernel. It provides process management, memory management, file system management, and the emergency shell.

¡     System image—A .bin file that contains the Comware kernel and standard features, including device management, interface management, configuration management, and routing.

¡     Feature image—A .bin file that contains advanced or customized software features. You can purchase feature images as needed.

¡     Patch image—A .bin file that is released for fixing bugs without rebooting the device. A patch image does not add or remove features.

Patch images have the following types:

-     Incremental patch images—A new patch image can cover all, part, or none of the functions provided by an old patch image. A new patch image can coexist with an old patch image on the device only when the former covers none of the functions provided by the latter.

-     Non-incremental patch images—A new non-incremental patch image covers all functions provided by an old non-incremental patch image. Each boot, system, or feature image can have one non-incremental patch image, and these patch images can coexist on the device. The device uninstalls the old non-incremental patch image before installing a new non-incremental patch image.

An incremental patch image and a non-incremental patch image can coexist on the device.

Comware images that have been loaded are called current software images. Comware images specified to load at the next startup are called startup software images.

BootWare image, boot image, and system image are required for the device to operate.

You can install up to 32 .bin files on the device, including one boot image file, one system image file, and up to 30 feature and patch image files.

Software release forms

Software images are released in one of the following forms:

·     Separate .bin files. You must verify compatibility between software images.

·     As a whole in one .ipe package file. The images in an .ipe package file are compatible. The system decompresses the file automatically, loads the .bin images and sets them as startup software images.

 

NOTE: Software image file names use the model-comware version-image type-release format. This document uses boot.bin and system.bin as boot and system image file names.

 

Upgrade methods

Upgrade method	Software types	Remarks
Upgrading from the CLI by using the boot loader method	·     BootWare image ·     Comware images (excluding incremental patches)	This method is disruptive. You must reboot the entire device to complete the upgrade.
Upgrading from the BootWare menu	·     BootWare image ·     Comware images	Use this method when the device cannot start up correctly. To use this method, first connect to the console port and power cycle the device. Then, press Ctrl+B at prompt to access the BootWare menu. For more information about upgrading software from the BootWare menu, see the release notes for the software version.  IMPORTANT: Use this method only when you do not have any other choice.

 

This chapter covers only upgrading software from the CLI by using the boot loader method.

Software image loading

Startup software images

To upgrade software, you must specify the upgrade files as the startup software images for the device to load at next startup. You can specify two lists of software images: one main and one backup. The device first loads the main startup software images. If the main startup software images are not available, the devices loads the backup startup software images.

Image loading process at startup

At startup, the device performs the following operations after loading and initializing BootWare:

1.     Loads main images.

2.     If any main image does not exist or is invalid, loads the backup images.

3.     If any backup image does not exist or is invalid, checks the main or backup boot image.

4.     If the main or backup boot image exist and is valid, enters the emergency shell.

If both the main and backup boot images do not exist or are invalid, the device cannot start up.

Handling the image loading failure

After the device enters the emergency shell, connect to the console port and load a system image so you can access the Comware system. For more information about using the emergency shell, see "Using the emergency shell."

If the device fails to load the images, connect to the console port, power cycle the device, and use the BootWare menu to load new startup images.

Application scenarios

Software upgrade

When the current software cannot meet the requirements of network operation or user services, you can upgrade the software to optimize device performance to meet the requirements.

Feature and patch package installation

To fix software defects without upgrading the software version, you can install patch packages compatible with the software version. To expand service features on the device, you can install the corresponding feature packages.

Digitally signed software images

The software images for the device are digitally signed for authenticity and integrity verification. This mechanism ensures that the software installed on the system is from a trusted source and has not been tampered with in the transfer, storage, or installation phase.

The system performs software digital signature verification for authenticity and integrity in the following situations:

·     Before the system loads a software image during startup. If the digital signature verification fails, the system will not load the image and you will receive a digital signature verification failure message.

·     When you specify a software image to upgrade the device from the BootWare menu. If the digital signature verification fails, the system will not set the image for upgrade and you will receive a digital signature verification failure message.

·     Before the system loads a BootWare image to the Normal area of BootWare. If the digital signature verification fails, the system will not load the image and you will receive a digital signature verification failure message.

·     When you specify a software image as a startup image through the boot loader. The system will verify the digital signature of the image before it updates the startup image list with the specified image. If the digital signature verification fails, the system will not update the startup image list and you will receive a digital signature verification failure message.

·     Before the system activates a feature or patch image. If the digital signature verification fails, the system will not activate the image and you will receive a digital signature verification failure message.

Restrictions and guidelines: Software upgrade

·     As a best practice, store the startup images in a fixed storage medium. If you store the startup images in a hot swappable storage medium, do not remove the hot swappable storage medium during the startup process.

·     If the device is configurable from a controller (for example, a VCFC controller), disconnect the device from the controller before you upgrade it. This prevents the controller from configuring the device during the upgrade. After you upgrade the device, restore the connection to the controller.

Upgrading device software by using the boot loader method

Software upgrade tasks at a glance

To upgrade software, perform one of the following tasks:

1.     Upgrade the IRF fabric:

a.     (Optional.) Preloading the BootWare image to BootWare

If a BootWare upgrade is required, you can perform this task to shorten the subsequent upgrade time. This task helps reduce upgrade problems caused by unexpected power failure. If you skip this task, the device upgrades the BootWare automatically when it upgrades the startup software images.

b.     Specifying startup images and completing the upgrade

Prerequisites

1.     Use the display version command to verify the current BootWare image version and startup software version.

2.     Use the release notes for the upgrade software version to evaluate the upgrade impact on your network and verify the following items:

¡     Software and hardware compatibility.

¡     Version and size of the upgrade software.

¡     Compatibility of the upgrade software with the current BootWare image and startup software image.

3.     Use the dir command to verify that the device has sufficient storage space for the upgrade images. If the storage space is not sufficient, delete unused files by using the delete command. For more information, see "Managing file systems."

4.     Use FTP or TFTP to transfer the upgrade image file to the root directory of a file system. For more information about FTP and TFTP, see "Configuring FTP" or "Configuring TFTP." For more information about file systems, see "Managing file systems."

Preloading the BootWare image to BootWare

To preload the BootWare image to the Normal area of BootWare, execute the following command in user view:

bootrom update file file slot slot-number-list [ subslot subslot-number-list ] [ all | part ]

Specify the downloaded software image file for the file argument.

The new BootWare image takes effect at a reboot.

 

Specifying startup images and completing the upgrade

Perform the following steps in user view:

5.     Specify main or backup startup images for the device.

¡     Use an .ipe file:

boot-loader file ipe-filename [ patch filename&<1-16> ] { all | slot slot-number } { backup | main }

¡     Use .bin files:

boot-loader file boot filename system filename [ feature filename&<1-30> ] [ patch filename&<1-16> ] { all | slot slot-number } { backup | main }

 

NOTE: The system will verify the digital signature of the specified images before it updates the startup image list with the specified images. If the digital signature verification fails, the system will not update the startup image list and you will receive a digital signature verification failure message.

 

6.     Save the running configuration.

save

This step ensures that any configuration you have made can survive a reboot.

7.     Reboot the IRF fabric.

reboot

8.     (Optional.) Verify the software image settings.

display boot-loader [ slot slot-number ]

Verify that the current software images are the same as the startup software images.

Display and maintenance commands for software image settings

Execute display commands in any view.

 

Task	Command
Display current software images and startup software images.	display boot-loader [ slot slot-number ]

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