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5406zl2 Software Update - Downtime?

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  • 1.  5406zl2 Software Update - Downtime?

    Posted Mar 29, 2021 10:56 AM
    This is a bizarre one, I can't seem to find any straight answers on this!

    I have a 5406zl2 that I need to be able to take a v3 module so it needs a software upgrade.  

    The switch does no L3 routing and is just L2 with some VLANS.

    My current is:
    Software revision  : KB.15.16.0005        
    ROM Version        : KB.15.01.0001

    

    Configured Mode: Nonstop Switching 
    

    Current Mode   : Nonstop Switching
    

    

    Rapid Switchover Stale Timer : 90
    

    Failovers     : 0
    

    Last Failover : 
    

    

    Slot Module Description                       State    SW Version    Boot Image
    

    ---- ---------------------------------------- -------- ------------- ----------
    

    MM1  HP J9827A Management Module 5400Rzl2     Active   KB.15.16.0005 Primary  
    

    MM2  HP J9827A Management Module 5400Rzl2     Standby  KB.15.16.0005 Primary  
    - Is it possible to go direct from 15.16.005 to 16.10?
    - Is there any way to perform the upgrade with no downtime at all?  (This is the part that seems to have VERY conflicting answers!)

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    Lee Armstrong
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  • 2.  RE: 5406zl2 Software Update - Downtime?

    EMPLOYEE
    Posted Mar 29, 2021 08:48 PM
    You can do a direct upgrade, the switch will need to reboot a couple of times as there have been at least a couple of BootROM updates since 15.16.

    We do not support ISSU in AOS-Switch (no outage), especially going from such an old build, it's best practice to backup everything and schedule a maintenance window. 

    However, we do have a minimal downtime method for a single box that can be done using the dual management modules and doing a switchover.  There is also VSF Fast Software Upgrade, which is relevant if your 5400Rs are in a VSF stack and can do a sequenced reboot.  

    I would also recommend following the best practices in the Basic Operation Guide:

    https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=a00091314en_us

    Here is also the latest release notes for 16.10.0007.

    https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=a00098963en_us

    In the future, once you get your boxes updated, you can use the following methods to update:

    Dual MM - Single Box method - https://techhub.hpe.com/eginfolib/Aruba/16.09/5200-5911/index.html#s_File_synchronization_after_downloading_i184817.html

    VSF Fast Software Upgrade (need to be on AOS-Switch 16.01+ with v3 modules)

    https://techhub.hpe.com/eginfolib/Aruba/16.09/5200-5911/index.html#v40206714.html





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    Justin Noonan
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: 5406zl2 Software Update - Downtime?

    Posted Mar 30, 2021 10:48 AM
    Thanks Justin,

    Looks like I'll purchase a second 5400 so that I don't have this issue in the future.

    Appreciate the response.

    Lee

    ------------------------------
    Lee Armstrong
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: 5406zl2 Software Update - Downtime?

    MVP GURU
    Posted Mar 30, 2021 11:13 AM
    Hello @justin.noonan,

    "However, we do have a minimal downtime method for a single box that can be done using the dual management modules and doing a switchover."

    That's the point!

    If an Aruba 5400R zl2 - single chassis - is running with dual Management Modules in NonStop Switching redundancy mode and no "Layer 3" features are enabled (no IP routing) then one would believe that no switching disruption will happen following the suggested update method (even that method will involve multiple reboots of each MM - first the Standby one - due necessary BootROM updates to be accomplished first).

    Isn't that true? ...or isn't that true anymore considering that BootROM updates kick in?
    ​

    ------------------------------
    Davide Poletto
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: 5406zl2 Software Update - Downtime?

    EMPLOYEE
    Posted Mar 30, 2021 11:44 AM
    We can officially state you'll see approximately 50s of downtime when upgrading a standalone 5400R chassis with dual MMs based on internal testing, it may be longer with bootrom updates compared to ~3 min of total system reboot time.

    Be aware, every environment is different and results may vary.



    ------------------------------
    Justin Noonan
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: 5406zl2 Software Update - Downtime?

    MVP GURU
    Posted Mar 31, 2021 04:31 AM
    Hi Justin!

    Just to clarify, when you say "We can officially state you'll see approximately 50s of downtime when upgrading a standalone 5400R chassis with dual MMs based on internal testing" are​ you meaning that on such scenario a Layer 2 disruption is going to happen and it will last at least 50 seconds? or the meaning of your above sentence is that the update procedure for each Management Module (deployed in a "NonStop Switching" redundancy mode of operation) will last at least 50 seconds BUT the traffic switching (the Layer 2) flowing through the entire chassis is not going to be disrupted at all...as we read on all HP/HPE/Aruba docs for such scenario?

    Otherwise...and specifically for Layer 2 traffic (switched traffic)...why to use in the doc the serious wording "NonStop Switching"...if there will be instead an hard stop in traffic switching of - at best - 50 seconds?

    I'm a little bit puzzled.

    I can understand about Layer 3 routing features being disrupted...but Layer 2 switching disruption should not happen given what HP documented, isn't it?

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    Davide Poletto
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: 5406zl2 Software Update - Downtime?

    EMPLOYEE
    Posted Mar 31, 2021 10:15 AM
    The line card firmware is tied to the MM firmware, when the firmware is upgraded, the line card firmware needs to be upgraded too.  It is not currently possible to update the line card firmware without shutting down the line card ASIC and ports, so there is an expected potential outage during the upgrade process.

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    Justin Noonan
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: 5406zl2 Software Update - Downtime?

    MVP GURU
    Posted Mar 31, 2021 11:58 AM
    That's totally reasonable: MM Firmware update -> Line Card ASIC update.
    Does it mean that, no matter if a peer (host/switch) is "dual homed" against ports belonging to different modules (line cards) of that chassis (as it normally happens by using LACP), that host/switch will suffer in-any-case a traffic switching disruption?
    In other terms...said as how it was presented...does it mean that an MM update (on dual MMs setup) is like having - no matter the NonStop Switching redundancy mode set having two MMs + following the switchover update method between the two MMs - all of the chassis ports down for "x" (not less than 50) seconds at best? really?

    If so I've misunderstood documentation entirely and it means that NonStop Switching redundancy mode of operation means no ping loss only during a "normal" MM switchover (not during one that is required by a Software or Software+BootROM update). My bad.


    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: 5406zl2 Software Update - Downtime?

    EMPLOYEE
    Posted Mar 31, 2021 06:32 PM
    Yes, to your last paragraph.  Non-stop switching redundancy does not equate the same as a firmware update since the ASIC will need to be reprogrammed and rebooted.  This is not the case during a normal MM switchover.

    However, we can use the non-stop redundancy to reduce the downtime rather than having to wait for an entire switch reboot.

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    Justin Noonan
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: 5406zl2 Software Update - Downtime?

    MVP GURU
    Posted Apr 01, 2021 04:34 AM
    This surprises me.

    "...since the ASIC will need to be reprogrammed and rebooted" OK reasonable.

    Does it happen for any update? When the Line Module's ASIC need to be reprogrammed? every time and for any destination ArubaOS-Switch software version or only between specific ArubaOS-Switch versions (those including a mandatory update of BootROM version, as example)?

    I have a customer with an Aruba 5412R zl2 Chassis with Dual MMs, only Layer 2 switching features and NonStop Switching redundancy mode enabled, he followed the well known update procedure (driven switchover of MMs) and he referred me he didn't lose any ping and the SSH session he had open to the Chassis was not shut off (as I now learned I should have expected instead). Was it because it was updating from KB.16.05.0007 to KB.16.10.0010 and thus both source and destination versions embed and use the same BootROM version KB.16.01.0006? was it a "lucky strike"?

    Thanks!

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    Davide Poletto
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    Original Message