6. Firmware Upgrade and Configuration Management
ROS® v3.11User Guide
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RMC30
6. Firmware Upgrade and Configuration Management
ROS® provides flexible, powerful mechanisms for the bulk update and backup of system
firmware and of the configuration database. The ROS® firmware and configuration database
are represented as files in the internal file system, and bulk update and backup consist of
simply transferring files to and from the ROS® device, by one of the several means provided.
ROS® also implements an SQL command language in order to provide the flexibility and power
of a database model when configuring ROS®-based devices.
6.1. Files Of Interest
The files in ROS® that may be updated and backed up are described below:
• main.bin: the main ROS® application firmware image – Upgrades to ROS® are made via
updates to this file.
• boot.bin: the boot loader firmware image – In normal practice, the boot loader does not
require updating.
• fpga.xsvf: the FPGA firmware binary image – not normally updated.
• config.csv: the complete configuration database, in the form of a comma-delimited ASCII
text file.
• banner.txt: contains text that appears on the login screen.
6.2. File Transfer Mechanisms
Several mechanisms are available to transfer these files to and from a ROS®-based device:
• Xmodem using the ROS® CLI over a (telnet or RS232) console session.
• TFTP client (using the ROS® CLI in a console session and a remote TFTP server).
• TFTP server (from a remote TFTP client).
• SFTP (secure FTP over SSH, from a remote SFTP client).
6.3. Console Sessions
Console sessions may be established (depending on the settings in the IP Services menu)
by the following means:
• RS232 direct RS232 serial connection to the ROS® device.
• telnet remote terminal protocol via TCP/IP (unencrypted).
• RSH Remote SHell, the remote login shell protocol via TCP/IP (unencrypted).
• SSH Secure SHell, the standard remote login shell protocol via TCP/IP – Both authentication
and session are encrypted.
6.4. Upgrading Firmware
Upgrading ROS® firmware may sometimes be necessary in order to take advantage of new
features or bug fixes. In normal circumstances, only the main ROS® application firmware is
updated; the boot loader and FPGA firmware remain invariant. The main ROS® application
