SOLVED
Why not considering to perform a (re)brand of your H3C into HP (well...HPE, actually) - read here (going from H3C S5120-EI Switch Series to HPE A5120 EI Switch Series is admitted) - and then update its current Firmware to latest available provided by HPE as per related Release Notes (see guidelines and restrictions)?
I'm not an HPE Employee
The command structure is basically identical since both H3C and HP (HPE) run the same Comware (Comware 5 in this case) OS codebase...if the "vendor" is still "H3C" the brand is - reasonably [*] - still "H3C" and not "HP" (or HPE), if so...why are you trying to look for a Product Number (Jxxxx) that is specifically an HP characteristic and not an H3C one (or am I missing something?)?
[*] I mean: that should be true if display device manuinfo command displays values (strings) that the brand command wasn't able to change when invoked because those strings are "read only" (embedded into the Hardware such, probably, the vendor string, as example)...if so (re)branding will succeded but Hardware string will remain H3C...or, if my line of reasoning is totally wrong (totally possible!), the display device manuinfo command should display HP if the brand command is able to change those Hardware related strings.
What is the complete (sanitized) output of:
- display device menuinfo
- display version
commands on your H3C switch?
Edit: (re)branding - as a feature - seems to require R2215 (or later) for the HP A5500-EI/A5500-SI/A5120-EI Switch Series.
I'm not an HPE Employee
Exactly: (re)branding will succeded but Hardware related informational strings (not only VENDOR_NAME but also DEVICE_NAME, MANUFACTORING_DATE and DEVICE_SERIAL_NUMBER, as example) will remain H3C related because those strings are hard-coded in Hardware during (or, as a part of) each Switch manufactoring process.
The only way to understand brand status is to check Current BRANDs/New BRANDs strings reported by display brand command.
I'm not an HPE Employee
Hello @MannyS, yesterday I did something similar by updating - with (re)branding from 3Com to HP - an old 3Com 4800G which now appears as an HP A5500 EI.
I started from 3Com R2202P15 with BootROM version 604 (October 2009) to, finally, HP R2222P07 with BootROM 721 (November 2013).
Clearly R2222P07 system boot file image is far more recent than the BootROM version 721 it supports.
I performed the (re)branding once I updated to R2215 (Yes, you're correct about that) with BootROM version 710, but that was done - not as a requirement, was just an exercise - stepping first into R2208 with BootROM version 702.
IMHO you should be able to throw whatever you want [**] to reach the branding feature version (since R2215 with BootROM version 710) and, once there brand from H3C to HP, finally go to R2222P07 with BootROM version 721 directly.
I've checked if System Image and BootROM versions follow the same pairing (and are the same in numbering) also on HP A5120 EI (AKA 3Com 4210G or H3C S5210-EI) with respect to 3Com 4800G/HP A5500 EI...but judging by the versions you cited above it looks so (that's to say that the versions above speak for sure about the 3Com 4800G/HP A5500 EI/H3C S5500-EI). [*]
It's just a matter of having an FTP Server, use Binary Mode, get the btm and bin file pairs (for each version you want to use in your update process) and - free space given for granted on the Switch's flash - perform in sequence a bootrom update on slot 1 (for btm) and a boot-loader file on slot 1 main (for bin).
[*] Wrong, specific R2222P07 for 3Com 4210G/4510G, HP A5120 EI and H3C S5210-EI uses BootROM 621, clearly - I think - that BootROM is specific to those Hardwares, so numbering looks similar but the binary files are clearly not. That's to say that versions numbering (and dates) reported above are valid only considering 3Com 4800G.
[**] Take, as example, this Customer Bullettin and note this particular statement:
"Although the latest (personal note: HP/HPE as I understand) software for the product can run on any brand of the products, earlier H3C or 3Com software versions may not be able to run on (personal note: newer) HP branded products"
...and not the vice-versa (so running newer HP Software on old 3Com/H3C branded Hardware), which seems always possible without particular restrictions.
So, eventually, the problem could be - actually - having a factory new HP product (Factory branded HP/HPE) and wanting to run on it old 3Com/H3C system software (as example to insert the new HP product into an existing 3Com/H3C IRF Fabric running on old 3Com/H3C system software), not the contrary (as we're trying to do).
I'm not an HPE Employee
@MannyS wrote:Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. I am extremely impressed with the level of support that this community is offering. If I understand correctly, your comment indicates that I should be able to upgrade directly from my current H3C firmware to the latest HPE version without first having to upgrade to H3C R2215 version of the firmware (Which supports the brand command, but which I have been unable to obtain access to,)
Well, stepping into R2215 is required to gain the feature of branding...I stepped on R2215 to do just that thus I was able to update to most recent HPE versions without worryin too much about the process.
You commented that you did the intermediate R2215 upgrade as an experiment, but that it did not see to be required. Was the R2215 version you upgraded to a 3COM branded version, or did you go from your current 3COM version to an HP R2215 version.
No it wasn't. I simply used the HP provided R2215 for (common HP A5500-EI/3Com 4800G)...there is only that R2215 not a 3Com one...as maybe happens for H3C actually...so, yes, I went from 3Com R2202P15 (see my other thread) to HP R2215 (i stepped into R2208 for testing the procedure because I had issues with BootROM update...not because of the BootROM but because I failed [*] to set the FTP transfer mode to Binary...before discovering that I thought it was a BootROM issue...so I tried various in sequence and the next on hand I had was the BootROM 707 - linked to R2208P01 System Image - just after the 604...only then I discovered the FTP misconfiguration...at that point BootROM 707 was already on flash to test the corrected FTP tranfer mode and it was).
[*] Generating an error that I saw already discussed in the Forum years ago and that confused me since it looked like a BootROM incompatibility issue (so my tests)...while really it wasn't.
Because of limited memory on these switches, I need to erase the current firmware before I can upload the updated version, that is a little scarry if the firmware fails, but based on the article you posted, it appears I can always recover from the console even if the firmware is curupted or fails.. So I will search for the process of doing so, before I attempt this and make cerain I have backups of my current firmware (Which I was able to download from the switch web interface) and the boot firmware (Which I have not yet downloaded from the switch, but sould be able to find directions to do so after I do a little more research.
Don't be scared. If Power Supply happens through an UPS you can:
- delete /unreserved the existing btm file (if any) already deployed to ROM (ROM is already flashed so it is not useful...just tranfer it out from the flash to free space, as future reference).
- set the actual running system image to backup (using boot-loader file your-actual-bin-file-already-on-flash slot 1 backup command, notice the backup instead of main you will find below) so you have an alternate way of booting into backup system image in case of issues on newer system image you will deploy.
- transfer new BootROM btm file and deploy
- transfer new System Image bin file and deploy (on You Tube video a reverse order is used but manuals show to update BootROM first then System Image)
- save and reboot
As example (note at begninning R2202P15 BootROM 604):
Starting......
*************************************************************************
* *
* Switch 4800G 24-Port BOOTROM, Version 604 *
* *
*************************************************************************
Copyright(c) 2004-2009 3Com Corp. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Creation date : Oct 26 2009, 14:10:18
CPU Clock Speed : 533MHz
BUS Clock Speed : 133MHz
Memory Size : 256MB
Mac Address : 000000000000
Press Ctrl-B to enter Boot Menu... 0
Auto-booting...
Decompress Image......................!
Board checking.......................LSP2LTSUA
SDRAM fast selftest........................OK!
Flash fast selftest........................OK!
CPLD selftest..............................OK!
Switch chip selftest.......................OK!
PHY selftest...............................OK!
Please check leds....................FINISHED!
User interface aux0 is available.
Press ENTER to get started.
Login authentication
Username:admin
Password:
<4800G>
<4800G>ftp
[ftp]open 192.168.0.10
Trying 192.168.0.10 ...
Press CTRL+K to abort
Connected to 192.168.0.10.
220 FTP Server ready.
User(192.168.0.10:(none)):admin
331 Password required for admin
Password:
230 User admin logged in
[ftp]binary
200 Type set to I
[ftp]get A5500EI-BTM-707.btm
227 Entering Passive Mode (192,168,0,10,165,157).
150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for A5500EI-BTM-707.btm (471732 bytes)
.......226 Transfer complete
FTP: 471732 byte(s) received in 8.036 second(s), 58.00K byte(s)/sec.
[ftp]bye
221 Goodbye.
<4800G>dir /all
Directory of flash:/
0 -rwh 4 Apr 26 2000 12:00:47 snmpboots
1 -rw- 471732 Apr 26 2000 12:03:18 a5500ei-btm-707.btm
2 -rw- 10578023 Apr 19 2010 22:17:32 s4800g-cmw520-r2202p15-s168.bin
3 -rwh 1584 Apr 26 2000 15:20:19 private-data.txt
4 -rw- 4683 Apr 26 2000 15:20:27 3comoscfg.cfg
5 -rw- 469772 Apr 19 2010 22:17:54 s4800g-btm_604.btm
31496 KB total (20235 KB free)
<4800G>bootrom update file flash:/a5500ei-btm-707.btm slot 1
This command will update bootrom file on the specified board(s), Continue? [Y/N]:Y
Now updating bootrom, please wait...
Succeeded to update bootrom of Board 1.
<4800G>ftp
[ftp]open 192.168.0.10
Trying 192.168.0.10 ...
Press CTRL+K to abort
Connected to 192.168.0.10.
220 FTP Server ready.
User(192.168.0.10:(none)):admin
331 Password required for admin
Password:
230 User admin logged in
[ftp]bin
200 Type set to I
[ftp]get A5500EI-CMW520-R2208P01-S168.bin
227 Entering Passive Mode (192,168,0,10,160,191).
150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for A5500EI-CMW520-R2208P01-S168.bin (12460641 bytes)
..............................................................226 Transfer complete
FTP: 12460641 byte(s) received in 169.127 second(s), 73.00K byte(s)/sec.
<4800G>dir /all
Directory of flash:/
0 -rwh 4 Apr 26 2000 12:00:47 snmpboots
1 -rw- 471732 Apr 26 2000 12:03:18 a5500ei-btm-707.btm
2 -rw- 12460641 Apr 26 2000 12:08:00 a5500ei-cmw520-r2208p01-s168.bin
3 -rw- 10578023 Apr 19 2010 22:17:32 s4800g-cmw520-r2202p15-s168.bin
4 -rwh 1584 Apr 26 2000 15:20:19 private-data.txt
5 -rw- 4683 Apr 26 2000 15:20:27 3comoscfg.cfg
6 -rw- 469772 Apr 19 2010 22:17:54 s4800g-btm_604.btm
31496 KB total (8066 KB free)
<4800G>boot-loader file a5500ei-cmw520-r2208p01-s168.bin slot 1 main
This command will set the boot file of the specified board. Continue? [Y/N]:Y
The specified file will be used as the main boot file at the next reboot on slot 1!
<4800G>display boot-loader
Slot 1
The current boot app is: flash:/s4800g-cmw520-r2202p15-s168.bin
The main boot app is: flash:/a5500ei-cmw520-r2208p01-s168.bin
The backup boot app is: flash:/
<4800G>
<4800G>save
The current configuration will be written to the device. Are you sure? [Y/N]:Y
Please input the file name(*.cfg)[flash:/3comoscfg.cfg]
(To leave the existing filename unchanged, press the enter key):
flash:/3comoscfg.cfg exists, overwrite? [Y/N]:Y
Validating file. Please wait................
Saved the current configuration to mainboard device successfully.
Configuration is saved to device successfully.
<4800G>reboot
Start to check configuration with next startup configuration file, please wait.........DONE!
This command will reboot the device. Continue? [Y/N]:Y
#Apr 26 12:10:52:382 2000 4800G DEV/1/REBOOT:
Reboot device by command.
%Apr 26 12:10:52:474 2000 4800G DEV/4/SYSTEM REBOOT:
System is rebooting now.
Starting......
*************************************************************************
* *
* Switch 4800G 24-Port BOOTROM, Version 707 *
* *
*************************************************************************
Copyright(c) 2004-2011 3Com Corp. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Creation date : May 16 2011, 11:11:51
CPU Clock Speed : 533MHz
BUS Clock Speed : 133MHz
Memory Size : 256MB
Mac Address : 000000000000
Press Ctrl-B to enter Boot Menu... 0
Auto-booting...On next updates (R2208P01 BootROM 707 -> R2215 BootROM 710) I deleted files as written above to have room...even if it wasn't strictly necessary.
Once again thank you for your response to my questions. I just need to get all the required files together and make sure I have a recovery plan in place in case something goes wrong. I believe this youtube file pretty much gives all the information needed to upgrade the switch, assuming I can automatically upgrade to HP version of firmware without first rebranding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIc88CEnpks
Best,
MannyS
Yeah, good video by a great Karen Rhodes...I recall I already saw it.
I'm not an HPE Employee
Thank you again for your assistance on this. I was successful on upgrading my H3C switch last night to the latest HP version of the firmware/boot loader. I did a serial connection to the switch console using Tera Term on a windows 10 PC. I also used WinSCP for all the file transfers to the switch. Set as FTP. The advantage of using WinSCP (for me at least) was that I did not have to type any file names. Simpy dragged firmware and boot loader from windows directory to the switch. WinSCP connected to the switch through ethernet connection on same PC that I was using serial console connection to switch.
I performed the upgrade in 2 steps. First upgraded to A5120EI-CMW520-R2215.bin version of firmware and A5120EI-BTM-610.btm bootloader. My switch did not show a 603.btm file in the flash area, so I assume this is the first version on the switch and is hardcoded into the device. After rebooting and reconnection to the switch through the serial port with Tera Term, I rebranded to HP switch with the now supported "brand hp" command.
Repeated all the steps to upgrade from 2215 to A5120EI-CMW520-R2222P07.bin and 610.btm to A5120EI-BTM-621.btm.
For some strange reason I ran into a problem when upgrading from 2215 ro 2222P07 with the delete command.
delete /unreserved flash:/5120ei-cmw520-r2215.bin
and
delete /unreserved flash:/A5120EI-BTM-610.btm
it appeard the command was having an issue with the "/unreserved" command on the line. (Although when I retested this morning the command worked without issue.) I'm certain this was user error. At this point I took a risk and just deleted the 2 files from within WinSCP application, resetted recyle bin, and then uploaded the newest versions of those files to the switch using WinSCP. (A5120EI-CMW520-R2222P07.bin/A5120EI-BTM-621.btm)
I was concerned about not being able to use the "delete /unreserved ,,," command. I did use the command:
reset recycle-bin
which I believe would do the same as /unreserved based on info on the manual, That command returned the message Nothing in the resycle bin.
I did not having any problems uploading the 2222P07 and 621. by dragging those files to the switch using WinSCP.
completed all steps to commit the files to the switch, rebooted, and got some love. Switch was now on latest version of HP firmware and bootloader.
One last issue was when I tried to log into switch with Web browser using Google Chrome. That browser would no longer work with 2222P07. Microsoft Edge bowser works with 222P07 and Firefox also works.
On my original 2208. Mircrosoft Edge would not work, but Google Chrome worked fine. So with upgrade I have had to completely change browsers for Web access to the switch. In any case, I am very happy now and have the switch on latest HP version of the firmware and bootloader. Not bad for a switch I picked up on e-bay for $36 dollars with free delivery!
Thanks again for helping me with this upgrade. I was not sure I was going to be able to make it happen as I thought the upgrade to HP firmware could not happen unless you first rebranded to H3C switch to HP.
Best,
Manny
Good job! well done.
I did the same on three 3Com 4800G purchased as refurbished for only 120 Euro (a lot of three), not bad.
Now I'm looking for two CX4 modules and CX4 cables - just to do some IRF test - between two of them.
It's a good exercise to do from time to time.
Probably the next game will be with two 5120, good little babies...but I'm looking also to play with bigger brothers like HP 7502 (no IRF on that specific little beast)...older models use Comware 5 operating system instead newer ones use Comware 7 (another story).
I'm not an HPE Employee