F5 ARX-2500, Hardware Installation Manual

Page: 40 / 68

Chapter 3
Connecting the Switch to the Network
3 - 4
Booting the Switch
The initial-boot script runs automatically at switch startup. It prompts for
basic configuration and security information required to access the switch
and manage it remotely.
At the console terminal, boot the switch as follows:
1. Power-on the switch (as shown in Attaching Cables and Powering
On, on page 2-12 ). After some boot-up messages that may take
several minutes, the following prompt appears:
Press <Enter> to start the Switch Configuration Wizard.
2. Press the Enter key as prompted.
The initial-boot script is comprised of questions that prompt you for basic
network information (such as management-IP address, subnet mask, and
gateway). The script will also prompt you to enter the base registration key
and a DNS name server IP address (needed to access the license activation
server).
Note
The alarm LEDs on the ARX-1500 and the ARX-2500 will remain red until
the Switch Configuration process is complete. This is normal. For more
information on the alarms and statuses for the ARX-1500 and ARX-2500,
see the hardware installation guides for each platform (sections ARX-1500
Alarm and Status LEDs and ARX-2500 Alarm and Status LEDs).
License Activation
If you have any questions about license activation, consult the ASKF5
Knowledge Base solution on that subject. Launch a browser and enter:
http://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions
On the AskF5 Knowledge Base page, enter the keyword sol12800 and click
Search .
Booting a Non-Replacement Switch
The following example shows the simplest initial-boot scenario: booting a
new (non-replacement) switch that is either standalone or the
first member
of a redundant pair.
The answers in the example are not appropriate to the following scenarios:
• Replacing a defunct switch
• Joining a running switch as its redundant peer
• Re-installing a switch after F5 personnel performed a Manufacturing
Installation on a previously-running switch (which returns a switch to its
factory defaults)