Problems upgrading firmware on Core Switch 2/64 (Brocade 12000)

[Jeff Almaguer]

Last Sunday I planned on upgrading the firmware on all the SAN switches, 14 edge and 2 core.

All 14 switches, ranging from Brocade 2800s to the new 4/32 upgraded easily without any problems whatsoever. When attempting to upgrade the core switches it would give me a timeout error every time. I noticed after repeated attempts that it would timeout in different places ruling out a bad file within the upgrade. Here is one of the screen dumps:

Do Auto-Commit after Reboot [Y]: y
Reboot system after download [N]: y
Firmwaredownload has started.
Start to install packages......
setup ##################################################
pam ##################################################
bootenv ##################################################
fwdl ##################################################
prom ##################################################
Please avoid powering off the system during prom update.
openssl-libs ##################################################
openssh ##################################################
openssh-server ##################################################
libxm ##################################################
fabos-fss ##################################################
fabos-setup ##################################################
Failed to transfer package fabos-drivers-4.4.0f-9.ppc.rpm
Firmwaredownload failed. (0x15) Firmwaredownload failed due to network timeout.
Firmwarecommit has started to restore the secondary partition. Please use firmwa
redownloadstatus and firmwareshow to see the firmware status.
Doing firmwarecommit now.
Please wait ...
Error: (Firmwaredownload failed due to network timeout.)

I called HP tech support and spoke to 2 different support technicians and finally to someone in backline support. He insisted it was a network error that WE needed to correct. Normally I'd agree but if it were a network error how could I be successfull with the other 14 switches? I changed the FTP server timeout to 500,000 seconds so I know for a fact the FTP server wasn't dropping me.

Anyone else have this issue?

Details:

Core Switch 2/64 v4.2.0b trying to go to --> 4.4.0f --> 5.0.5a. Currently still at v4.2.0b.

The only thing between the FTP server and the switch is a hub and about 10ft of cat5.

I had 3 tools at my disposal, telnet command line, Web Tools, and SAN Loader and all 3 gave the same error.

[avik]

I will have an ftp server installed in my laptop and perform the upgrade using a cross cable and see. With the information in hand, I dont see any other reason to fail the upgrade.