Dell PowerConnect B-RX4 Installation Guide - Page 187

Upgrading the BigIron RX Series software 7 Special instructions for using interface modules in a 32-Slot chassis The BigIron RX-32 chassis introduced with this release can use interface modules in the BigIron RX series that have older versions of the Multi-Service IronWare software installed on them. There are however a couple of issues regarding older versions of the software that might be installed on interface modules that you already own. They can work properly but must be installed as described in the following: For interface modules running versions earlier than 02.3.00 Under normal conditions, a back revision Interface module can be placed in a BigIron RX chassis and the Management module will automatically upgrade it to the Interface module software images that it has installed on the Management module. If you are running one of the versions of Multi-Service IronWare software prior to 02.3.00, the automatic upgrade will only occur if the Interface module is installed in slots 1 - 16 of the BigIron RX-32 chassis. If you install an Interface module with a software version earlier than 02.3.00 in slots 17 - 32, it will not download a new image and will cause instability in the BigIron RX system. To avoid this problem, you must upgrade the software revision before installing an Interface module in slots 17 - 32 of a BigIron RX-32 chassis using one of the methods described in "Upgrading the interface module's IronWare image". Separation of boot and monitor images Beginning with version 02.5.00 and later of the Multi-Service IronWare software, the boot and monitor images no longer need to be upgraded with each release. • The Boot images no longer need to be upgraded with each release and in fact will almost never need to be changed. This eliminates one extra step in the upgrade process, thus simplifying the upgrade procedure, reducing the chance of operator error and leading to a faster upgrade process. • The Monitor image no longer needs to be upgraded with each release. In release 02.5.00, all OS functions have been moved out of the Monitor image into the IronWare image. This has simplified the Monitor image and it no longer needs to be upgraded every time, thus eliminating another step in the upgrade process. • The first version of the boot and monitor image supporting this separation is 02.5.00 Upgrading to version 02.5.00 (or later) from a pre- 02.5.00 version The procedure for upgrading the software images to version 02.5.00 (or later) from a pre-02.5.00 version are the same as for previous versions. When performing this upgrade, you should upgrade the Boot, Monitor, and IronWare images in addition to any FPGA images that need to be upgraded. Follow the steps given below for this upgrade. 1. Determine the versions of the software images currently installed and running on the router. Use the procedures described in "Displaying flash memory and version information" on page 166. Using this procedure you can determine the images currently installed. 2. Upgrade the Management and Interface Modules IronWare Image with the Unified Image. Use the procedures described in "Unified software image upgrade to upgrade release 02.6.00 and later". BigIron RX Installation Guide 175 53-1001811-01