Brocade Communications Systems 53-1001763-02 Considerations for FICON CUP environments, HA sync state

Fabric OS Administrator’s Guide 191

53-1001763-02

Firmware download process overview 9

In most cases, you will be upgrading firmware; that is, installing a newer firmware version than the

one you are currently running. However, some circumstances may require installing an older

version; that is, downgrading the firmware. The procedures in this section assume that you are

upgrading firmware, but they work for downgrading as well, provided the old and new firmware

versions are compatible. Always reference the latest release notes for updates that may exist

regarding downgrades under particular circumstances.

For details on Administrative Domains and the firmware download process, see Chapter 15,

“Managing Administrative Domains” for more information.

For details about testing and restoring firmware, see “Test and restore firmware on enterprise-class

platforms” on page 204.

Considerations for FICON CUP environments

To prevent channel errors during nondisruptive firmware installation, the switch CUP port must be

taken offline from all host systems.

High availability (HA) synchronization occurs when two CPs in an enterprise-class platform are

synchronized. This state provides redundancy and a non-disruptive firmware download. In order for

a firmware download to successfully occur, the two CPs in an enterprise-class platform must be in

sync.

If the CPs have mixed versions when you enter the firmwareDownload command, the CPs may not

be in HA sync. In this case, you need to enter the firmwareDownload –s command first to upgrade

or downgrade the standby CP to the same level as the active CP first, and then upgrade the CPs to

the desired version of firmware.

NOTE

You should not run mixed firmware levels on CPs.

Table 44 shows the sync state of an enterprise-class platform that has different Fabric OS versions

installed on the active and standby CP. Use the table to determine if you need to use the

fimrwareDownload -s command.

TABLE 44 Enterprise-class platform HA sync states

Active CP Fabric OS

version

Standby CP Fabric OS

version

HA sync state Remedy

v6.2.0 v6.2.0 inSync n/a

v6.2.x v6.3.0 inSync n/a

v6.3.0 v6.2.x If Ethernet Switch Service

is enabled, no sync.

Run firmwareDownload -s on the

standby CP and upgrade it to v6.3.0.

v6.3.0 v6.3.0 inSync n/a

v6.3.0 v6.4.0 InSync n/a

v6.4.0 v6.3.0 inSync Run firmwareDownload -s on the

standby CP and upgrade it to v6.4.0.

v6.4.0 v6.4.0 inSync n/a