Upgrade Firmware Brocade SAN Switch

 

In this post I will show you how to Upgrade the Brocade Switches Firmware.

Requirements:

• Filezilla FTP Server (or similar)
• Filezilla FTP Client (or similar)
• Putty
• Java JRE (the version will depend of the Switch Brocade. Probably you will need version 7)
• Log on credential for Brocade website or vendor website
• Downloaded upgrade firmware. Read the Release Notes because you might need more than one firmware

Let's start with the Upgrade Paths and then with the procedures.

 

Notes about the Upgrade Paths

• If you have many steps to upgrade, you should upgrade to the latest in the series (or if it’s very new, probably it's safest to go with the second newest. Just check the release notes of the newest to make sure nothing related is fixed);

• What I usually recommend is this path (non disruptive):
5.0.1d --> 5.2.3 --> 5.3.2c --> 6.0.0b or 6.0.1a --> 6.1.2c --> 6.2.2g --> 6.3.2e --> 6.4.3h --> 7.0.2e --> 7.1.2b --> 7.2.1g --> 7.3.2a --> 7.4.2 --> 8.0.1 or 8.0.2b --> 8.1.1a

• Upgrade from a version earlier than 6.4.1b to 7.0.x or from 7.0.x to 7.2.x is possible but disruptively;

• If the switch is on 5.1.x you can go directly to 5.3.x;

• Fabric OS 6.2.2f is allowed only from Fabric OS 6.1.0a or later

• Sometimes you have to use the firmwaredownload -s switch to Upgrade;

• You could in principle also say that:
• 2G cannot upgrade to Fabric OS 6.x
• 4G and 8G can be on Fabric OS 6.x
• All 4G except some HP’s P and C-class 4G blade switches (4012 & 4024) can run 6.4.x
• 8G can run Fabric OS 6.4.x
• 8G and above can run Fabric OS 7.x
• 16G (Gen5) needs to be on Fabric OS 7.x or Fabric OS 8.x
• 32G (Gen6) needs Fabric OS 8.x

• Upgrading to Fabric OS 7.1.2 can be non-disruptively upgraded from 7.0.x and 7.1.x with caveats: For example, any previously existing error log entries with FOS v7.1.0 will be permanently lost once upgraded to FOS v7.1.2;

• Upgrading to Fabric OS 7.2.x can be done non-disruptively from 7.1.x. Disruptively from 7.0.x is supported;

• Upgrading to Fabric OS 7.3.x can be done non-disruptively from 7.2.x. Disruptively from 7.1.x is supported;

• Upgrading to Fabric OS 7.4.x can be done non-disruptively from 7.3.x. From 6.4.x with firmwarecleaninstall switch;

• Upgrading to Fabric OS 8.1.x can be done non-disruptively from Brocade platform running 8.0.2 or later. From 7.4.x disruptively with "firmwaredownload -s"

 

A disruptive upgrade means that all ports will go offline/online during upgrade.

 

 

 

Upgrade Procedure

Step 1: Turn off firewall.

Turn off firewall on Windows machine where you will install Filezilla FTP server.
 

Step 2: Configure FTP server

Download Filezilla FTP server for windows here.

Install Filezilla FTP server. Just run the installer GUI and accept the defaults. You may find there are third party software embedded with Filezilla, decline first two and then click next to install FTP server. Once installed. Click Edit, Click Settings. Select following. Setup timed out value to 9999.

 

Enable logging, so that you can see brocade is connecting to FTP server:

Create an anonymous user account and set password to none / "blank":

Set shared folder location and click "Set as home dir":

 

Actual location of firmware in my PC. Don't forget to unzip all the files:

 

Step 3: Test FTP connectivity

Now install Filezilla client and test connectivity. You can download it here.

 

Step 4: Upgrade Firmware in Switch Brocade

Open Putty, Type IP address of the brocade switch. leave the default port 22.

 

 

Log on to brocade fabric using root or another admin and enter the credentials and type the following:

• firmwaredownload
• IP address: IP address of your PC where you configured Filezilla FTP server
• Username: blank or Hit enter I am using anonymous FTP. No need to type username
• Path: /v7.1.2b or the path where you saved firmware
• Password: blank Hit enter I am using anonymous FTP. No need to type password

• Do you want to continue? [y/n]: y

 

Close putty session now. This procedure will reboot the Brocade switch and you are done.

Once Brocade Fabric is rebooted, reconnect using putty, log on and type the command to see the current version of firmware:

• firmwareshow

If you would like to upgrade from v7.1.2b to v7.3.0c directly use the following command (This is a disruptive upgrade procedure):

• firmwareDownload -s
• IP address: IP address of your PC where you configured Filezilla FTP server
• Username: blank or Hit enter I am using anonymous FTP. No need to type username
• Path: /v7.3.0c or the path where you saved firmware
• Password: blank Hit enter I am using anonymous FTP. No need to type password
• Do you want to continue? [y/n]: y
• Do Auto-Commit after Reboot [Y]: y
• Reboot system after download [N]: y

Firmware is being downloaded to the switch. This step may take up to 30-45 minutes to complete. Have a drink and relax. That's it!

Thanks for reading. See you next time!