ProSafe 7000 Managed Switch Software Administration Manual, Release 8.0.3
Tools
15-8
v1.0, June 2010
Dual Image
Traditionally switches contained a single image in the permanent-storage. This image is loaded into memory
every time there is a reboot. Dual Image feature allows switches to have two images in the permanent
storage. User can denote any of these images as an
active-image
that will be loaded in subsequent reboots
and the other image as a
backup-image
. This feature provides for reduced down-time for the switches,
when the firmware is being upgraded or downgraded.
The images are stored in the file system with the file names
image1
and
image2
. These names are used in
the CLI, Web and the SNMP interfaces. Each of the images can be associated with a textual description.
Switch provides commands to associate/retrieve text description for an image. A switch also provides
commands to activate the backup image such that it is loaded in subsequent reboots. This activation
command makes the current active image as the backup image for subsequent reboots.
On three successive errors executing the
active-image
, the switch attempts to execute the
backup-image
. If
there are errors executing the
backup-image
as well, the bootloader will invoke the boot menu.
The Dual Image feature works seamlessly with the Stacking feature. All members in the stack must be
uniform in their support for the DualImage feature. The Dual Image feature works in the following way in a
Stack.
•
When an image is activated, the Management node notifies all the participating nodes. All nodes
activate the specified image.
•
When any node is unable to execute the
active-imag
e successfully, it attempts to execute the
backup-
image,
as mentioned in the section above. Such cases will require user intervention to correct the
problem, by using appropriate stacking commands.
CLI: Downloading a Backup Image and Having It Active
(Netgear Switch) #copy tftp://192.168.0.1/gsm73xxseps.stk image2
Mode........................................... TFTP
Set Server IP.................................. 192.168.0.1
Path........................................... ./
Filename....................................... gsm73xxseps.stk
Data Type...................................... Code
Destination Filename........................... image2
Management access will be blocked for the duration of the transfer Are you sure you
want to start? (y/n) y
