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10-3
Cisco MDS 9000 Family Fabric Manager Configuration Guide
OL-6965-03, Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 2.x
Chapter 10 Software Images
Software Upgrade Methods
Remotely—images are in a remote location and the user specifies the destination using the
remote server parameters and the file name to be used locally.
• Terminology
Table 10-1 summarizes terms used in this chapter with specific reference to the install and upgrade
process.
Software Upgrade Methods
You can upgrade software without any disruptions using the Cisco MDS SAN-OS software designed for
mission-critical high availability environments. To realize the benefits of nondisruptive upgrades on the
Cisco MDS 9500 Directors, we highly recommend that you install dual supervisor modules.
You can upgrade any switch in the Cisco MDS 9000 Family using one of the following methods:
• Automatic - you can use the Fabric Manager Software Install Wizard for Cisco MDS SAN-OS
switches as described in the “Using the Software Install Wizard” section on page 10-4.
• Manual - for information on manual upgrades, refer to the Cisco MDS 9000 Family Configuration
Guide or the Cisco MDS 9020 Switch Configuration Guide and Command Reference.
In some cases, regardless of which process you use, the software upgrades may be disruptive. These
exception scenarios can occur under the following conditions:
• A single supervisor system with kickstart or system image changes.
• A dual supervisor system with incompatible system software images.
Determining Compatibility
If the running image and the image you want to install are incompatible, the software reports the
incompatibility. In some cases, you may decide to proceed with this installation. If the active and the
standby supervisor modules run different versions of the image, both images may be HA compatible in
some cases and incompatible in others.
Compatibility is established based on the image and configuration:
• Image incompatibility—The running image and the image to be installed are not compatible.
• Configuration incompatibility—There is a possible compatibility if certain features in the running
image are turned off as they are not supported in the image to be installed. The image to be installed
is considered incompatible with the running image if one of the following statements is true:
Table 10-1 Terms Specific to This Chapter
Term Definition
bootable The modules ability to boot or not boot based on image compatibility.
impact The type of software upgrade mechanism—disruptive or nondisruptive.
install-type reset Resets the module.
sw-reset Resets the module immediately after switchover.
rolling Upgrades each module in sequence.
copy-only Updates the software for BIOS, loader, or bootrom.