GatesAir Intraplex NetXpress, Installation And Operation Manual

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2—Functional Design Intraplex NetXpress IP Multiplexer
Version 3.05
GatesAir, Inc. 2-21
Intraplex Products
Section 4.3 – Network Interface Module (NIM) Redundancy , Section 4.4.3.11 – Redundancy
Configuration , and Section 4.4.10 – Configure Primary/Secondary Network Interface Module (NIM)
give more details on configuring and operating a primary and secondary NIM (such as NIM
redundancy).
Note: NIM-1 Rev B10 or higher supports NIM-1 redundancy. For NIM redundancy, both NIM-1
modules need to be Rev B10 or higher.
You can use either two MIU-201 module interface units or the MIU-202 pair (MIU-202-1 and MIU-202-
2) to provide NIM redundancy. The MIU-202 pair provides connectivity for the both NIMs for
redundant support of external T1/E1 ports and external timing. With the MIU pair, the secondary NIM-
1 in slot 15 can become Active and access the T1/E1 interface ports used by the NIM-1 in slot 17. This
MIU functionality alleviates the need for an external line switch on the T1/E1 interface ports.
2.13 Software Download
When shipped from the factory, the NetXpress NIM-1 contains two identical software images, primary
and secondary, each located in different flash memory devices. During normal operation, the NIM-1
loads the primary image. Should it fail to boot the primary image, the NIM-1 then attempts to load the
secondary image.
In the case of a failure in loading both the primary and secondary image, you can configure the NIM-1
to load an image from a remote FTP server. This image is not saved to either of the flash memory
devices. You can also configure the NIM-1 to load the secondary image first, but if that fails, the NIM-
1 moves directly to loading from the remote FTP server and does not try to load the primary image.
The NIM-1 software can be upgraded by opening an FTP session with the NIM-1 and transferring a
new image file to one or both of the flash memory devices. You can configure both the primary and
secondary images to be loaded from the same flash memory device; there is no requirement for them
to be on different devices. In addition, you can store multiple software images on the NIM-1 up to the
limit of the flash memory. To obtain the software and boot ROM download process in the latest
version’s release notes, follow these steps:
1. Go to http://www.gatesair.com
2. Click Services and Support | Customer Support Portal .
3. At Customer Login , enter your User ID and Password .
4. At Self Service , click Download Software Updates .
5. At the Table of Contents , click Intraplex .
6. At the Intraplex: Table of Contents , click NetXpress .
7. Click the link for the latest version of the NetXpress software.
8. Click Save on the dialog box and save the zipped file to your hard drive.
9. Open the zipped file and open the release notes.
You can also obtain the latest copy of MIBs from this page on the Customer Support Portal as well.
2.14 Configuration Files Backup and Restoration
The NetXpress system has the ability to back up and restore configuration files at any time using
either the Web browser interface or SNMP software. NetXpress configuration is stored in multiple files
on the NIM-1 flash memory (/RFA/cfg). Backup/restoration ability is critical to replacing NIM-1
modules. It also facilitates in the replication of NetXpress systems across a network.
Once a NIM-1 is removed from a NetXpress shelf, the persistent configuration information for the
system remains with the NIM-1 and is not available to a new NIM-1 inserted in the system. This same
information can be restored quickly from an FTP server (via LAN or Internet) to the flash memory on