Upgrading 5412 chassis switch

[rtrbnc]

We are looking at using HP 5412 chassis switches and we have a Nimble storage array. We want to attach each of the two Nimble controllers to two separate 10G modules in the 5412 chassis for redundancy in case one 10G module failed. My question is regarding updates to the 5412, does this provide sufficient redundancy at the switch level to keep storage online even when we are upgrading versions on the 5412?

In other words, when installing updates on the 5412 does the entire chassis get updated, or do you update individual modules one at a time? My concern is if we have to update the entire chassis, then updating the switch software will require us to take down all of our virtual servers and take the storage offline just to update the switch. However, if we can just update individual switch modules one at a time, then we can keep our storage online via one of the 10G modules and update the switch without requiring a maintenance window.

If updating requires updating the entire chassis, then we may be better off looking at a different switch model that supports stacking so there is full physical redundancy.

[parnassus]

It's correct to say that - generally - the Active MM will receive the software update so the whole Chassis is updated (interface modules included).

Probably you should go with the NonStop Switching by using two Management Modules (MMs) and enabling "NonStop Switching" (instead of "Warm Standby") MMs redundancy mode, this acts at Chassis level...and can help with keeping the software upgrade downtime as low as possible.

I recall a thread with a similar subject/request (keeping software upgrade downtime as low as possible).

[Richard Litchfield]

You will have to plan for the entire switch being offline for a few min when you do a firmware upgrade. That is typcially the case when you have a single control plane. if you want to go upscale, the 8320 switch operates in pairs with Multi-Chassis LAG (and soon VSX) and two separate control planes. You can upgrade and work on one switch whilst the second one remains active. Then swap.