ProCurve 5308 Firmware

[Brad Lewis]

Is there any "gotchas" on upgrading the firmware in my 5308 switch? We are running on 6.05 and want to upgrade to the latest 7.4. From reading the install, I know I need to backup the bootflash and it has changed from 6.x to 7.x. Is there anything else I need to do to make my life a lot easier?

Thanks!

Brad

[Erik Ibsen_3 · Accepted solution]

We've got 2 5308's here where I work. They have been updated numerous times, with next to no problems. Just a point to note, a newer firmware (E.08.01) is available. It fixes a few bugs in 7.40, and adds several quite useful features as well.
If you have doubts, I'd recommend reading some of the documents on the 5300 site: http://www.hp.com/rnd/support/manuals/5300xl.htm
In particular, the release notes of the firmware you will be installing, and the config guide (the first two on that page).
One point to note, if you do update your firmware, you will have to manually reboot the 5300. This one caught me offguard.

[Ralph Bean_2]

Hello Brad -

Beware: the E.08.01 OS that Erik referred to is for the Series 5300 and is not compatible with the Series 9300.

The issue that you ran into is described in the Series 9300 Release Notes.

You need to boot the box from the TFTP server to get it on the 7.6.04 code. If you were running 7.6.01b you could use the copy command but not from 7.1.19 code. The way the 7.1.19 code treated the flash area is not the same.

1. boot the box on the 7.6.02 boot image
2. Boot the box from the TFTP server on to 7.6.04
3. use the copy command to copy the 7.6.04 image into primary
4. use the copy fla fla sec command to make primary and secondary images are the same

Note: If there is a secondary management module in the box make sure they synchronize both modules with the same boot image or this will not allow the secondary module to function properly and take the flash image.

[Ralph Bean_2]

Sorry, my previous posting was in the wrong discussion!

Ralph

[Kevin Richter_1]

Brad,

You mentioned you are currently on E.06.05 code. You'll need to update to E.07.40 before stepping up to E.08.01. This is documented in the Release Notes and in a warning at http://www.hp.com/rnd/software/j4819801.htm (the Summary page related to this firmware download). For your convenience, I'll add a copy of the note below.

Boot ROM Update Required!
A successful update to E.08.xx requires updating the 5300 with the current Boot ROM version, E.05.04. The E.05.04 Boot ROM image was automatically installed on any switch running E.07.37 or E.07.40 software versions. If your 5300 is currently running a pre-E.07.37 software build, you must update the Boot ROM before installing E.08.xx by loading the following software version: E.07.40.

[Stuart Teo]

Hi Brad,

Our environment has a good number of 5304/8 switches and I'd say go for the upgrade.

As a precaution, use tftp to save your existing firmware. And check to see what are the primary and secondary version of the firmware on the switch.

Upgrade the primary and keep the secondary as your current firmware version so that you can rollback in cast something goes wrong.

[Markku Leinio]

I would recommend an opposite order of flashes: keep (copy) the old firmware in primary flash and copy the new firmware in secondary flash (and boot to it explicitly using "boot system flash secondary" command).

If there comes problems with the new software, changing to the old one is fast: just reboot the switch from the reset button or power cord. In those situations the switch always loads the firmware from primary flash.

Also, due to software bugs in the new firmware, the switch may crash by itself, and if the primary flash contains the new firmware, a just-booting circle is ready. This has happened in our environment with 7.xx versions several times, we were forced to keep the old one running.

One of our central switches has been running 8.01 two days now without problems. Seems like the fatal SSH v2 problems are also finally fixed. I would still recommend using just SSH v1 as HP has not officially stated that to have been fixed. Oh, actually HP has not even officially stated that there have ever been a fatal security problem with their SSH v2 implementation. Oh dear.

[Erik Ibsen_3]

There is one thing to watch out for with the latest (8.01) firmware. We had an error pop up (Bus error: HW Addr=0x0200fce4 IP=0x00444f14 Task='mHttpCtrl' Task ID=0x1346a00
fp: 0x00000001 sp:0x01346218 lr:0x0046f614) which caused the switch to crash and reboot. It seems to be related to the web interface. Also, in the event log in the web interface, the event description seems to get a little messed up with improper characters. Still, the new features and bug fixes in this firmware far outweigh this problem.

[Carsten M]

Since today exist a patch for SW E08.01(teststate) for the Crash
"Bus error: HW Addr=0x06a2508e IP=0x00444f14 Task='mHttpCtrl'..."

The workaround to this time is
Disable the WEB- Interface (no web).

[Stuart Teo]

Yup, I've a few fleets of 5308xl. My 1st fleet of 7 x 5308xl got upgraded to 8.01 and one of them got the below

System went down: 03/10/04 18:00:40
Saved crash information:
Bus error: HW Addr=0x06b46c49 IP=0x00444f14 Task='mHttpCtrl' Task ID=0x13530b0
fp: 0x00000001 sp:0x013528c8 lr:0x0046f614