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How to manually push firmware from the Primary in a stack of 62xx switches

Summary: This article describe how to manually push a firmware update from the Primary in a stack of 62xx switches

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Article Content


Instructions


Firmware may be manually pushed from a stack Primary to stack Members when physically cabled within a stacking configuration.  Switches that are not on the same active firmware will not be manageable as a stack, but the transfer of firmware will be accomplished by following the steps listed.

Prerequisites for this procedure:

  • This solution assumes that one switch already has a firmware version that is to be forced throughout the rest of the stack members.  This could be due to the addition of a switch to increase the stack size or in the event of the need for replacement due to failure and the replacement is not capable of being downgraded to the rest of the stack.
  • This solution will require the temporary removal of one member of the stack or the addition of an additional 6200 series switch to an existing stack.
  • Adding a new switch will not preserve the configuration.  The user must save a copy of the configuration from the stack or it will be lost.  Even if an existing switch is used, this procedure has the potential to overwrite the existing configuration.  Following these directions will address and mitigate that possibility.
  • This requires each switch to have stacking cables physically in place and the stacking interfaces are configured in stacking mode.
Note the individual switch member numbers with respect to their current stack member number (Example: top switch is #2, next is #3, etc.).  This set of instructions should not affect the stack member number, but in the unlikely event the member number is changed this information will be critical to realigning the interface configurations.

Identify the current stack primary and access the command line via console(serial)/telnet/SSH. 

Configured  Running

                        Stack      Stack      Link       Link
Unit    Interface       Mode       Mode       Status     Speed (Gb/s)
---- ---------------- ---------- ---------- ------------ ------------
1    xg1              Stack        Stack        Link Up      12
1    xg2              Stack        Stack        Link Up      12
1    xg3              Ethernet   Ethernet   Link Down    Unknown
1    xg4              Ethernet   Ethernet   Link Down    Unknown
2    xg1              Stack        Stack        Link Up      12
2    xg2              Stack        Stack        Link Up      12
2    xg3              Ethernet   Ethernet   Link Down    Unknown
2    xg4              Ethernet   Ethernet   Link Down    Unknown


NOTE: Power cycling is necessary to change the state from Ethernet to Stacking.
 
NOTE: If you use the alternate method, you will need to press the spacebar to continue through to the end of the config. You will also get page breaks that will not allow for a direct copy-paste to reinstate the configuration if needed. The 6200 series does not have an analog to terminal 0, which would display output without breaks. Though the format may be slightly different, the user should expect page breaks very similar to this: --More-- or (q)uit  

console>enable
console#show version
Image Descriptions


 Images currently available on Flash
--------------------------------------------------------------------
 unit      image1      image2     current-active        next-active
--------------------------------------------------------------------
    1    3.3.11.2     3.3.8.2             image1             image1
    2    3.3.8.2       3.3.8.2             image2             image2
 

If the image to be pushed is not the current image, use:  console#boot system imageY where Y is the image location number.  After activating the correct image, you will have to power cycle the switch.  Use console#reload to power cycle the stack.

 

Verify the stacking ports are in stacking mode, and not Ethernet mode.

console#show stack-port

If the ports are listed as Ethernet, use the following commands:

console#config
console(config)#stack
console(config-stack)#stack-port 1/xg1 stack **Each stacking interface must be configured individually.
console(config-stack)#end
console#copy running-config startup-config
console#reload


After verifying stack interface configurations, save the current running configuration to the stack using

console#copy running-config startup-config

Then save a copy of the running configuration from the stack to your local computer with one of the following:

TFTP:  console#copy running-config tftp://10.10.10.10/running62xx 
**Where the IP address is the TFTP server and running62xx is the filename of the running-config to be saved.

Alternatively, you may simply copy and save the output after using the command:

console#show running-config

 
Force the correct switch to become primary by removing power to all other members of the stack.
This updated switch cannot be made a standby unit within the stack because the updated firmware will not allow a primary/member management relationship.  Removing power from all other members of the stack and then reapplying power once all other members have been powered down will assure the updated switch assumes a primary role.
Management of the other members will not be possible.  However, pushing the new firmware from the Active Image of the updated switch once it is Primary, will be possible.  
Force the active image from the Primary to the Member switches with the command:

console#copy image unit all

This will copy the Active Image from the active Primary to the backup image location of the Member switches of the stack.

Activate the firmware of each of the updated switches in the stack:

Use  console#show version from step 5 and note the location of the updated firmware on each switch.
Use console#boot system X imageY where X is the unit/member number and Y is the image location number.
The last step following a firmware update is to update the bootcode with: 

console#update bootcode

Article Properties


Affected Product

PowerConnect 6224, PowerConnect 6224F, PowerConnect 6224P, PowerConnect 6248, PowerConnect 6248P

Last Published Date

26 Apr 2021

Version

6

Article Type

How To