Conference netcad::hub_mgnt

    You should be able to upgrade a DECswitch 900EF from a switch
    image to a router image. I've had to do it here in our lab (in LKG)
    many times. Although I usually load in-band from the re-directed
    switch console, and our TFTP server is a unix DECathena system.
    I don't have personal experience setting up a tftp server on a PC,
    and that appears where the problem may possibly be in your case.
    
    Bob

    We are attempting this upgrade "in-band".  The ASCII terminal plugged
    into the DH900 is how we are trying to get the DS900EF to request a
    downline load, ie, going to Indirect mode, selecting the DS900EF slot,
    selecting downline upgrade and then waiting.  We first get a "starting
    message" and this followed by a "file not found" message ~30 seconds
    later.
    
    Has anyone ever tried using NetRider loader for this?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mark
    

Re : -2

Mark,

I have not used the Netrider TFTP server to upgrade the 900EF but has used that
TFTP server several times to upgrade brouters.

Where is the image on the PC? I think it should be in \NETRIDER\LOAD
What did you define in the FILES option in the TFTP server?

Hope this helps
Dennis

    I'm working with Mark on the 900EF... I've entered several notes in the
    past...  When we try to load the image from a d-Unix Server, I put the
    file in usr/kits/HUBwatch/bin.
    
    As Mark describes, I do the redirect from the terminal that's plugged
    into the DH900... we keep getting TFTP timeout...
    
    Different question... I'm setting the IP address for the DH900 to 
    166.34.121.249 mask 255.255.255.0; I tried setting the IP address for
    just the 900EF, to 121.239, same mask.  The d-Unix host that has the
    .bin file (routing s/w) is 121.7...
    
    When I look at the DH900 from the terminal, the hub IP address is cool,
    but it lists the 900EF's address as not configured... any ideas?  Do I
    need to reboot the DH900 to get the 900EFs address recognized?
    
    Finally, I have setup the inet.conf (I think that's the file that has
    the TFTP variable?) to recognize the 121.7 host (with the switch file)
    as my TFTP server.  Is there a way to verify this is setup properly?  I
    used the template that was in the file but commented out...
    
    thanks for all replies,
    
    /Mic
    

re: .0

        Using the NetRider Loader (V1.0 aka TFTP Server in HUBwatch V4.1
        or the newer NetRider Loader V1.1 that was just released with 
        the new version of NetRider) work just fine to upgrade
        and down grade RouteAbout and DS900s. We use them all the
        time in the router training we teach. As noted in a previous
        reply, I recommend placing the image to be loaded in the
        directory where the Loader is -- typically \NETRIDER\LOAD

        Hope this helps

        Michael

        PS If you want to use any of the BOOTP options for reloading
        the routing software (or for doing primitive loads to other
        modules) you need to use the new Loader (V1.1) as it is a more
        complete BOOTP implementation

    	Getting a little closer...
    
    I tried performing the 900EF upgrade with a little more success...
    Instead of doing REDIRECT MODE, we went right for the DOWNLINE UPGRADE
    and when it comes up with ENTER SLOT [9] HUB MANAGER we just did a
    return.
    
    I tried several combinations of how to put the filename in, finally, I
    put /usr/kits/HUBwatch/bin/decswitch900ef-mp-v103.bin
    
    it started working... I got 3 lines of '.........' then it comes back
    with 
    		Failure error writing file
    
    come on, someone must've done this?
    
    /Mic
    

    >and when it comes up with ENTER SLOT [9] HUB MANAGER we just did a
    >return.

    	By doing this you are trying to load the image into the hub
    manager. This won't work for several reasons, among them 1) The MAM
    can't execute the code 2) the router code is _way_ too big to fit in
    the "landing pad" where images are stored temporarily until they are
    transferred into the MAM's memory (if doing MAM upgrade) or transferred
    on to the linecard if doing a mam-assisted load.

    Since the router image is too big for the MAM's landing pad, you cannot
    do a MAM assisted load of the switch. You must downline upgrade the
    switch direct. To do this you redirect to the switch's slot, then give
    the  switch an IP address and netmask and default gateway (from the
    switch's menu) . The default gateway and netmask are probably important
    to get right since you're going across a router to get to the TFTP
    server.
    
    Then choose the downline upgrade choice from the switch's menu. Enter
    the filename that you had success with before
    /usr/kits/HUBwatch/bin/decswitch900ef-mp-v103.bin and the address of
    the TFTP server.

    	some things to check ahead of time:

    - Make sure the IP address you give the switch is not in use _anywhere_ 
      else.

    - Make sure the switch has connectivity to the TFTP server - try 
      pinging it, using the switch's IP address, from the system acting 
      as TFTP server. 

    - Make sure the image file is accessible to the TFTP daemon - make it 
      world readable, and accessible down the path /usr/kits/HUBwatch/bin/ .

    - Usually the TFTP daemon will have a log file somewheres, check it 
      while the load is in progress to see if it logs your request - there 
      may be clues to problems there.
    
    - Note that the hub does not come in to play at all here, except that
      you are using it to get to the switch's console via redirect.

    Ok there looks like some confusion here.
    
    Ok let's assume that your DECswitch 900EF is in....say slot 6 of
    your hub backplane.
    When you go to the HUB console, you go to menu 9, type CR (carriage return)
    It then prompts you for a slot number, you type 6 CR
    You get the DECswitch console menu, you select 4 (config IP) CR
    You then select  4 (set in-band interface IP address) CR
    It then prompts you to enter the ip address, you enter it CR
    you then return to the main console for the DECswitch
    You then select option 6 (downline Upgrade) CR
    It then give you the message beginning with "This process upgrades
    etc..." followed by the "IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT!" warning
    about not interrupting the downline process, followed by the prompt
    ... Press Return Key to Continue ...    You press CR
    It then prompts you for the filename, you enter the path name and
    the filename CR
    It then prompts you for the load host IP address, you enter it CR
    It then prompts you if you want to use a different interface, and
    you accept the default of no
    Now at this point you presumably have an AUI cable on port 2 of the
    DEFBA that connects to a live LAN which your TFTP server is also
    sitting on, and you can see the traffic led on port 2 is flickering,
    and the port 2 state led is on.
    It then tells you that the device will become nonfunctional....etc.
    and prompts you with the message
    ... Press Return Key to Start Load [Ctrl/C to abort]... you press CR
    
    Now, if the file is loading you should see the walking dots (one
    complete line of them plus another almost complete line)
    then you should finally get the message "Transfer complete"
    Now you must wait until the imag is written from the landing pad
    to the flash memory.
    The console now should be disconnected from the DECswitch and you
    should be able to go back to the HUB console. Wait for the DECswitch
    to finish writing image to flash, it will then go through its
    diagnostic self-test, and come back up. The image should be loaded.
    I certainly hope you saw mostly something similar to my description.
    The setting up of the tftp server will have to be left to someone
    else, I don't know how to help you there.
    
    Bob

    >>> you know have an AUI cable on the DEFBA...
    
    huh?
    
    Please elaborate on this one?  I have a repeater in the HUB and the
    load host is plugged into 1 of the ports.  this is the same IP LAN as
    the HUB.
    
    We've setup 166.34.114.1 for the load host, 166.34.114.2 for the hub,
    and we've had problems with the IP address for the switch.  From your
    description it sounds like you would presumable setup a
    166.34.114.something for the switch as well, correct?
    
    Is it common to see 'not configured' for the switch prior to the
    update?  This was makin' us goofy... Also, you don't state if it's
    necessary to reset after setting the addresses... I assume you *don't*
    have to do this?
    
    When you describe your reply as the "bloody procedure..." you're quite
    astute... 8^)
    
    cheers,
    
    /Mic
    
    PS I'll give it another try and report back...

    You don't really need to have an IP address set in the HUB
    to load an image to the Switch. You only really need to have an 
    IP address in the switch. Of course the load host needs one.
    On the AUI cable, I was referring to using a front port connection 
    on (my preference), the port 2 AUI connector to an active LAN, instead 
    of setting up a backplane connection to an active LAN.
    So basically I was describing a real simple procedure for upgrading
    a switch....put it in a bp slot, give it an IP address, connect it
    to an active LAN out the front, and load it. No fuss with setting
    up a connection out the back.
    
    Bob

>    Is it common to see 'not configured' for the switch prior to the
>    update?  This was makin' us goofy... Also, you don't state if it's
>    necessary to reset after setting the addresses... I assume you *don't*
>    have to do this?
 
I think you are confused about what IP address is what.  The address you
need to load the DECswitch is the first one.  The rest can be ignored
(as far as downline loading goes).  The chart refers to the menu option
3, Show Current Settings.  You can see this display for the hub itself,
and for the DECswitch by first redirecting the display to the switch
(using menu option 9, Redirect Console).


Whose Current Settings   What Address   What Does it Mean     Notes
----------------------   ------------   -----------------     -----
DECswitch 900            In-Band        DECswitch will rcv    Must be using
                                        traffic sent to this  Console Redirect
							      to see this

DECswitch 900            Out-of-Band    May have status of    Totally Irrelevant				
															
                                        Active or Not Config  

DEChub 900 (MAM)         In-Band        IP Services:          This is not the IP
                                        Module in said slot   address you want. 
                                        will accept network   May have status of
				        traffic for this      Not Config or Active.
					address, and pass it  Used for Hubwatch
                                        to the MAM.           comms to Hub.

DEChub 900 (MAM)         Out-of-Band    MAM network cnxn      Hubwatch to Hub

    Don't the files have to be in the 
    
     c:\netrider\load
    
    directory as a default?
    
    Me, hell, that's why I still keep the VAXstation around.....(grin)
    j