Appendix C. Setting Up An Upgrade Server
ROX™ v2.2 User Guide
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RuggedBackbone™ RX1500
Appendix C. Setting Up An Upgrade Server
The RuggedCom software upgrade mechanism requires a repository of software to be available. The
following instructions detail:
• Requirements for a repository server,
• Initial set up of a repository,
• Upgrading the repository to the latest release,
• Maintain separate releases streams for different groups of routers,
• Setting up one router to test new releases
• Configuring the network routers.
C.1. Upgrade Server Requirements
In order to establish a repository you will need a host that is accessible to the units that will be upgraded.
This host must be able to act as a web server or ftp server. The host must also be able to access the
RuggedCom web site in order to download new releases of software from RuggedCom.
The server requirements are fairly modest. The principal requirements are for disk space, bandwidth
and the ability to serve an adequate number of http sessions.
Each software release will require approximately 75 Mb of disk space. Note that this figure includes an
entire software image, most upgrades will involve the transfer of only a small fraction of this amount.
A large number of such releases could easily be stored on a system of only modest capabilities. In
practice, only one or two releases are usually all that need be kept.
The bandwidth requirements are determined by the many factors including the number of units, size
of upgrade, when the routers upgrade, each unit’s upgrade is bandwidth limited to 500kbps by default.
Most web servers can serve files to the limit of the network interface bandwidth, so even a modest (e.g.
486 class machine) would prove acceptable.
The server should be able to accept at least as many http or ftp connections as there are upgradable
units in the network. In practice you will configure the units to have staggered upgrade times in order
to minimize the impact of upgrading on the network. A large upgrade (or a low bandwidth limiting value
at each router) may cause all the routers to be upgrading at any one time.
C.2. Initial Upgrade Server Setup
You must create a directory on the web server to hold the releases for the router. The directory can
have any name, such as “ruggedBackbone”.
Some administrators like to test the upgrade to the new release before making it available at the
repository-url to which all the routers on their network are pointing. Perhaps this is desired if you have
automated the routers to run the upgrade periodically, as launching an upgrade to a repository with the
same release returns with no action. In this case simply create a separate directory in the webserver
such as "ruggedBackboneTest", so the new release is not available to the routers on your network.
These directory names will be used in examples in the remainder of this section.
Ensure that the web server publishes these directories.
C.3. Upgrading The Repository
Releases are obtained from the RuggedCom web site as ZIP files. Download the ZIP file to your regular
and/or test release directories and unzip them. You may delete the original ZIP file if desired.
