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Re: Updating code on HP 12500

 
yeshu26
Occasional Collector

Updating code on HP 12500

Hi there,

 

I have a situation in a new company, which I am about to join.

Our system has  a pair of A12500. So they have one main DC and one DR site about 1 mile away connected with  fibre optic. The main site and DR site are in SINGLE IRF DOMAIN, and if I understood project manager correctly then they both are working on the same management plane. Their firmware has never been updated in 6 years because HP has told them that the both main site and DR site would need to be brought down to update the firmware. I received no information about the current firmware on their switches.

 This is the biggest challenge for them just now i.e. to update the firmware but keeping atleast one site up.

 

any advice please?

thanks

Yeshu

 

6 REPLIES 6
parnassus
Honored Contributor

Re: Updating code on HP 12500

Not properly a day-to-day task...but an approach would be to see if it is possible to apply an ISSU procedure (where ISSU means In Service Software Upgrade, see just an example here), clearly after 6 years (so the system runs - from the software standpoint - as it started since 2011...isn't it?) there a lot of things to be verified before considering to proceed with an ISSU (if totally possible...consider there are a lot of different aspects that should be verified as preliminary steps...as example a stopper, years ago, was documented here...so, again, first you should understand where you are and what you have before planning any/arguing on step to be done).

I think an essential part is understanding Comware operating system versions status, IRF fabric configuration (Hw SKUs [*] & Sw versions)...as very preliminary steps...Hardware HP SKU will let you to understand what Comware version can run on installed MPUs (Main Processing Unit(s)) and the options you have (as example: just updating Comware 5 from a Release to a newer one, provided that you can perform it with the minimum possible downtime or no downtime at all, staying within the same Comware version).

[*] such old Hardware should the one that (a) since beginning supports Comware 5 only, (b) was - at some point after the initial installation - converted to support and be compatible with new Comware 7 (here) or (c) was already able to support Comware 7 (since 2012?).


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yeshu26
Occasional Collector

Re: Updating code on HP 12500

Many thanks indeed. Yes I put my hands up, as I am fairly junior in this position.

Can you please advice on certain hyperlinks to get upto speed with IRF and commware?

 

thankin you

parnassus
Honored Contributor

Re: Updating code on HP 12500

Hi, there is a plenty of references about HP IRF and HP Comware 5 and 7 operating systems practically everywhere out into Internet...the point is (a) first understanding what exact software version your Switches are currently running on and (b) what is the exact Hardware (HP SKU) you're dealing with...because both (a) and (b) define the steps you can eventually do or do not.

Be aware that with "Comware 5" I here mean the exact Comware 5 which runs on HP 12500 platform with the Hardware it has...so IRF Configuration Guide/Command Reference documents are tied to that Comware 5 specific of HP 12500 (and not for others lower/mid end platforms). Give me few hours and I'll report you back more (with links).


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parnassus
Honored Contributor

Re: Updating code on HP 12500

A late 2012's HP 12500 Routing Switch Series IRF Configuration Guide (more recent guides are available but, I think, they started to refer to Comware 7 based HP 12500 Switches, so systems with updated MPUs able to support Comware 7 operating system higher requirements): this one should refer exactly to Comware 5 based HP 12500. That's just to understand the IRF basics.

A complete - always published late 2012 - HP 12500 Routing Switch Series IRF Command Reference exists too (related to the linked IRF Configuration Guide above).

This is an old 2010 HP Whitepaper about IRF (illustrated concepts are still valid...consider that IRF technology has its root on 3COM XRN eXpandable Resilient Networking from late 90's)...clearly there are more recent informations about HP IRF and those general references (not expressly and specifically tied to HP 12500) are available everywhere you look for (on HP Support site and out into the Internet).

A nice Blog Post about HP ISSU (on generic Comware 5 based devices that support it) can be found here.

ISSU on HP 12500 was explained in detail on the (late 2012) HP 12500 Routing Switch Series Fundamentals Configuration Guide (even if, I suspect, that guide could refer to Comware 7 instead of Comware 5 since, specifically, IPE file types - introduced on Comware 7 to make system update procedure a little bit more simple - are cited all along).


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FabianoCh
Advisor

Re: Updating code on HP 12500

Hi...Can I upgrade a hp 12508 from version 1828 to 1829P04 ? Is there any restriction on upgrading from one version to another one ? I read the Release notes and did'nt find anything about it.  Is there any document where I could find something addressing this kind of operation ? Thanks.

parnassus
Honored Contributor

Re: Updating code on HP 12500

Hi! if we consider a single (standalone) HPE 12500 Switch I don't see a particular issue about updating it from R1828 to R1829P04 (which is latest and recommended Comware 5 based release published)...provided that -pretty obiouvs - you know that your network (users/systems) will be able to sustain a brief traffic - network services - disruption due to required switch reboot (you can plan that so you already know when downtime will happen).


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