Brocade SAN Switch 4/16 firmware v5.3.0 load problem

[Jim Geier_1]

I am attempting to download the Brocade v5.3.0 firmware to my hp SAN Switch 4/16 switches. I unloaded the zip file on an ftp site. I then verified access to the ftp location with the username and password by uploading the configuration from the switches to the ftp location.

When I perform the firmwaredownload command, I get an error that indicates to check the username and password:

sw1:admin> firmwaredownload -s -n
Server Name or IP Address: 10.1.4.40
FTP User Name: hcp\jgeier
File Name: v5.3.0
FTP Password:
Do Auto-Commit after Reboot [Y]: n
Reboot system after download [N]: n
Verifying the input parameters ...
Firmwaredownload failed. Please verify the host IP address, the user name, and password are valid.

But since I know the switch can write to the ftp location, becasue the configupload command works without a problem so I'm puzzled. This is the first time I have attempted to upgrade the firmware on the switches myself. Is there something I am doing wrong?

[Marek Nelec]

What is the version of Fabric OS the switch is running now? If it's 5.1.x, you need to include "release.plist" file in the "file name" path, e.g. "File Name: /v5.3.0/release.plist".

If Fabric OS is older than 5.1.x (5.0.x or earlier), you need upgrade FOS to 5.1.x or 5.2.x before upgrading to 5.3.0. Brocade does not support upgrades from more than two previous releases.

[Jim Geier_1]

The switches are currently running v5.2.0a. The documentation explicitly states that the release.plist is not needed. But, knowing that documentation can be wrong, I have tried it with and without release.plist with the same results.

[Rob Leadbeater]

Hi,

I'd take a guess that the firmwareDownload process doesn't like the backslash in your username - although it's odd that the config upload works...

You may also want to check that you don't need any directory information for the File Name location. Is the v5.3.0 folder in the location that your user FTPs into ?

Hope this helps,

Regards,

Rob

[Jim Geier_1]

The "hcp\" is the Windows domain, and I too thought that would be a problem, but felt that since the configupload worked, the firmwaredownload would probably, also. I'll ask the people who manage the ftp if I can get a temporary username and password without the domain.

The v5.3.0 is in the same location that the configupload places its files, and the structure of the folders is the same as in the zip file (as I have been told it must be).

[Marek Nelec]

If you're running 5.2.0a, release.plist is not needed. Try using slashes in firmware path, if "v5.3.0" is in root dir of your ftp account, try /v5.3.0/ or //v5.3.0/ (btw, the latest version of Fabric OS is 5.3.0a)

[Jim Geier_1]

The Windows server administrators enabled anonymous ftp to the ftp site where the SAN switch firmwaer is located. With no backslash in the username, the firmware loaded without problem:

sw1:admin> firmwareshow
Primary version: v5.2.0a
Secondary version: v5.3.0

(Now all I need is an opportune time to commit and reboot.)

[Marek Nelec]

Glad to hear that it worked. Jim, you can reboot the switch (or use fastboot), and commit firmware to the second partition anytime you want. This is not disruptive to fabric operations.