Table Of Contents
Managing Cisco Media Gateway Software
Software Management Change Process
Making a Baseline of Your Software Library
Synchronizing the Images in Your Software Library
Creating an Approver List
Checking for Outstanding Software Defects
Performing Software Upgrades
Planning the Upgrade
Getting Software Images
Directions for Browsing and Downloading from the Web
Retrieving Software Images Using the Cisco.com FTP
Setting Up a Software Image Upgrade
Setting Up a Device Upgrade
Job Control
Rescheduling an Upgrade
Tracking a Scheduled Software Upgrade
Verifying the Upgrade
Managing Cisco Media Gateway Software
This appendix includes the following topics:
•
Software Management Change Process
• Making a Baseline of Your Software Library
• Synchronizing the Images in Your Software Library
• Creating an Approver List
• Checking for Outstanding Software Defects
• Performing Software Upgrades
• Planning the Upgrade
• Determining the Impact of an Upgrade
• Determining the Prerequisites for the Upgrade
• Determining the Upgrade Sequence and Timing
• Running the Upgrade Analysis Report
• Running the Library Upgrade Analysis
• Getting Software Images
• Getting Backup Images for the Rollback Option
• Software Downloading Processes
• Directions for Browsing and Downloading from the Web
• Retrieving Software Images Using the Cisco.com FTP
• Setting Up a Software Image Upgrade
• Setting Up a Device Upgrade
• Job Control
• Rescheduling an Upgrade
• Tracking a Scheduled Software Upgrade
• Verifying the Upgrade
Software Management Change Process
The following sections describe a typical software management workflow. The network administrator should perform the necessary steps to set up, identify, plan, and execute a software upgrade for a group of devices.
Setting up your environment is crucial to successfully updating your software. Setting up your environment includes:
• Making a Baseline of Your Software Library
• Synchronizing the Images in Your Software Library
• Creating an Approver List
• Checking for Outstanding Software Defects
Making a Baseline of Your Software Library
You need to create a baseline of your software library to ensure that you have all of the software images required to run your network.
The Add Image to Library function lets you import images from all Software- Management-supported devices in your network into the software image library. This function shows the images running on the network and the devices running each image. You can select any image to import into the software image library.
Use this function and the Synchronize Report option to ensure that the images running on your network always exist in the software image library.
If you want to add images running on devices on your network image library, use the following procedure to create a baseline of your software library:
Step 1 Select Tasks> Software Management> Add Image to Library:
Step 2 Select Network, then click Next.
The Select device Type dialog box displays network options.
•Cisco IOS—Cisco IOS software
•Catalyst—Cisco modular switching system software
Step 3 Select the device type, then click Next.
The Network Baseline Status Summary displays the valid software images and devices on which they are running.
Step 4 Click Update to display summary status progress, until devices processed are completed.
Step 5 Click Next.
The Network Baseline dialog box displays a summary of valid software images and the devices on which they are running.
Step 6 Click Next.
The Verify Network Baseline dialog box appears.
Click Next to continue.
The Job Control Information dialog box appears.
Step 7 Enter the job description, optional e-mail address, and download time, then Click Finish.
The Import Summary appears.
Step 8 Make a note of the job identification number. You will use this number to track the job progress.
Step 9 Click Browse Job Status to display the Job Status Report.
Step 10 Click the job identification number for this job to display job details.
Use this report to move the images to the software image library.
Step 11 Click Close to close the report.
Synchronizing the Images in Your Software Library
The Schedule Synchronization Job option allows you to specify the time and frequency of the software synchronization job. This job finds Software Management supported devices that are running software images not in the software image library.
To synchronize the running images and the software image library, you need to schedule a synchronization job. This job generates a report of devices that are running images not in the library. You can then optionally add these images to the library.
To schedule the synchronization job, perform the following steps:
Step 1 Select Admin > Software Management> Schedule Synchronization Job.
The Schedule Periodic Job for Synchronization Report dialog box appears.
Select from the pull-down menu:
•The time (hours and minutes) and date the job begins
•The frequency (daily, weekly, or monthly)
•The e-mail address to which results are sent
Step 2 Click Finish. A confirmation message appears.
Creating an Approver List
You can assign different people to perform different steps of the software upgrade process. This is done using the Create Approver List option to create one or more Make Checker approver lists. The Maker Checker feature allows you to require job upgrade approvals before running a scheduled job. It enforces the approval process by sending upgrade job requests by e-mail to the individuals who authorize network changes. Examples of roles and scenarios are listed below:
•The system administrator sets the Maker Checker Options.
•The planner analyzes the images to be used during a software image upgrade.
•The network engineer uses the Distribute Images option to create a software upgrade job.
•The approver, who might be an IS Administrator, accesses the approval page by double-clicking the link in the upgrade notification e-mail.
•The job approver approves or rejects the job and provides comments.
To create an approver list, perform the following steps:
Step 1 Select Admin > Software Management > Create Approver List.
The Create Approver List dialog box appears.
Step 2 Assign a name to the list, then click Next.
Step 3 Use this dialog box to do the following functions:
•Add a name—Select the name from the User Name list box, then click Add.
•Delete a name—Select the name from the Selected Approver list box, then click Delete.
•Clear the Selected Approver List—Click Delete All.
Step 4 Select Finish.
Checking for Outstanding Software Defects
The Bug Toolkit is a set of integrated applications that can be used to identify, evaluate, and receive status defects that have real or potential impact on your network. You can find the Bug Toolkit and instructions for use here:
http://www.cisco.com/support/bugtools/
The Bug Toolkit consists of three tools: Bug Navigator, Bug Watcher, and Watcher Agents. Together these three tools allow you to locate (Navigator, ID Search), and subscribe to either specific defects (Watcher) or defects matching a network profile that you create (Alerts).
•Bug Navigator allows you to search for defects and to create the Alert Agents and Watcher Bins (see below) to constantly monitor your specific network situation. Once a Bin or Agent has been created, it can be edited at any time to change the alert conditions, the defects being watched, or the network profile.
•Bug Watcher allows you to create collections, or bins of defects, that you can use to monitor the status of specific defects. When the status of a defect changes (for example, when its fix is integrated into a software release), you can view the status of that defect in real time, or you can also opt to receive e-mail or fax notifications of those changes. Watcher Bins can also be continuously updated with new defects that match a specific Agent Profile by means of Bug Watcher Agents. When a new defect that matches an Agent Profile is received, it appears on your Watcher Bin display under the list of watched defects. You then have the option of selecting any of the new defects to watch.
•Bug Watcher Agents are linked with Watcher Bins to feed new defects that match your Agent Profile to the bins. Multiple agents can feed a single bin. Agents can be as specific or as generic as you like. Using agents, you can stay continuously updated on any new defect issues critical to your successful network operations.
Performing Software Upgrades
The software upgrade consists of the following steps:
• Planning the Upgrade
• Getting Software Images
• Setting Up a Software Image Upgrade
• Setting Up a Device Upgrade
• Job Control
Planning the Upgrade
During the planning phase, consider the following points:
• Determining the Impact of an Upgrade
• Determining the Prerequisites for the Upgrade
• Determining the Upgrade Sequence and Timing
Determining the Impact of an Upgrade
You can run the Cisco.com Upgrade Analysis and Library Upgrade Analysis Options to determine the impact of and prerequisites for deploying new software. These options allow you to compare your current network images to the images available on Cisco.com and show you the boot, Flash, RAM, and Telnet upgrades necessary for the devices you select.
Note You must have Cisco.com login privileges. If you do not have a user account and password on CCO, contact your channel partner or enter a request on the standard CCO web site (www.cisco.com).
Determining the Prerequisites for the Upgrade
You need to know the following information before you schedule your upgrades:
•ROM version numbers for the affected devices
•Board revisions
Use the Cisco Essentials Inventory options to determine the specifics.
Determining the Upgrade Sequence and Timing
Schedule your upgrades and reboots so that you do not compromise your device path. Ensure that you reboot from the bottom of the path up.
Schedule your upgrades so that you do not have too many devices out of service at one time. The recommended maximum number of devices you should schedule per job is 12. More than 12 devices out of service at a time could affect your network performance adversely.
Tools can help you plan the sequence and timing of your upgrade:
• Running the Upgrade Analysis Report
• Running the Library Upgrade Analysis
Running the Upgrade Analysis Report
To determine the sequence and timing of the upgrade, perform the following steps:
Step 1 Select Tasks > Software Management > CCO Upgrade Analysis.
The Select Filtering Criteria dialog box appears.
Step 2 Select any or all of the following filtering criteria, then click Next.
•Images newer than running image lists only images that have been released after the images running on your network.
•Same image feature subset as running image lists all subsets for your devices. Select this if you do not want to limit your list to the subsets currently running on the device.
•General deployment (GD) lists only images with the GD status.
•Latest maintenance release lists only the most recent maintenance release.
The Select Devices dialog box appears.
Step 3 Select the views and devices to display, then click Next.
Step 4 Select images, then click Finish.
The Upgrade Analysis Report displays upgrade recommendations.
Note You can switch between List Format and Table Format by clicking the appropriate button at the top of the report.
Step 5 Click Close to close the report.
Running the Library Upgrade Analysis
Before you continue with the upgrade, you want to ensure that you have satisfied all prerequisites for devices whose software you want to upgrade. To do this, you run the Library Upgrade Analysis option to show you the boot ROM, Flash memory, RAM, and Telnet upgrades necessary for your selected devices.
Step 1 Select Tasks > Software Management > Library Upgrade Analysis.
The Library Upgrade Analysis dialog box appears.
Step 2 Select the image to analyze from the pull-down menu, then click Next.
The Select Devices dialog box appears.
Step 3 Select the devices to upgrade, then click Next.
The Image Selection dialog box displays the images that are running on the selected devices.
Step 4 Click Finish.
Step 5 Click Close to close the report.
Getting Software Images
Perform the following tasks when getting software images:
• Getting Backup Images for the Rollback Option
• Software Downloading Processes
Getting Backup Images for the Rollback Option
If you want the rollback option to be available, you must check out a backup copy of the current software image for each device you want to back up into the software library. See "Retrieving Software Images" for more information.
If you decide later to use the previous software image, you can perform or schedule a device upgrade, specifying the old revision. See "Setting Up a Software Image Upgrade" for more information.
Software Downloading Processes
File downloads over the World Wide Web actually require the use of the underlying File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Almost all World Wide Web browsers support FTP to one degree or another and most should have no problem.
As of November 1995, Cisco.com offers a new FTP system called "Cisco Connection Online Electronic Software Distribution" (CCOESD). This new FTP server allows for normal, hierarchical FTP directories and for better user features and administrative control over the site.
The new process for downloading files follows a general procedure, although some files, such as controlled software releases and special access files, might require additional steps before you can perform the download.
Note You can now browse the Cisco.com Software Center either through the Web (which is preferred, because you can take advantage of hyperlinks for information) or by direct FTP access.
Directions for Browsing and Downloading from the Web
This is the preferred method for customers to view and download files from CCO, which takes full advantage of hypertext links, graphics, forms, and other offerings of the World Wide Web. The process for downloading from CCO on the Web does not change significantly with the advent of CCOESD.
Step 1 Enter Cisco.com either as a registered user or as an anonymous guest. Go to the Cisco home page (http://www.cisco.com) to enter Cisco Connection Online as a guest or as a registered user.
Guest users are granted limited access to the Cisco Software Image Library. Check with your Cisco service representative to obtain Special File privileges beforehand. Registered users with software service contracts will be granted full access privileges to the Software Center. If you do not have access to the Software Image Library, check the terms of your service contract before contacting Cisco (or your sponsoring Cisco partner, for PICA customers).
Step 2 Browse the Cisco.com Software Center on the Web to locate the topic that contains the files you need. Cisco.com allows users to navigate to the software image they want to download, using standard HyperText Markup Language (HTML) pages and forms.
•For Special Files Only—Enter the special access code in the field as instructed. There are some areas of the Software Center to which you can gain access only by entering a special access code. Special access codes are provided either through a postal letter (through electronic or regular mail) informing you of an upgrade's availability on Cisco.com, or through a conversation with authorized Cisco personnel.
•For Controlled Files only—Review all articles in the Software Update Planner before proceeding and then fill out the Software Release Checklist and select Execute.
After reviewing the Software Upgrade Planner, customers are next presented with the Software Release Checklist, which verifies information about the customer's hardware platform, to ensure that it meets minimal hardware and software compatibility requirements.
Step 3 Click the radio button of the file you wish to download from the list of available software images then select Execute.
The listing of available files includes the following information:
•Filename—Same as listed in the Cisco.com FTP directory.
–Files that end in ".bin" are binaries.
–Those with ".Z" in the filename are compressed images. ".Z" files can be uncompressed using the UNIX uncompress command or similar utilities on other platforms.
–Others ending in ".tar" are UNIX system archive images. These can be unarchived by using the untar command or similar utilities on other platforms.
–Files labeled ".EXE" are DOS/Windows executable programs.
•Description—Usually includes the hardware platform, feature set and version for software images.
•Release—The software release or version number.
•Size—The size of the file in bytes.
•File Checksum—The file checksum value listed is a 5-digit BSD UNIX checksum.
•Router Checksum—This value should reflect what you see after loading the software into the router and performing a show flash detail command.
•MD5—This is an electronic fingerprint for the file. MD5 is the latest implementation of the internet Message Digest standard more fully described in RFC 1321: MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm and is useful for data security as well as for integrity.
Step 4 Review the information on the "Confirm FTP Get" page, including the information about work-arounds if the download does not work through your Web browser.
Step 5 Select the option in your browser to save the next link to your disk drive. For most files and browsers, this happens automatically, however, some files require manual intervention.
Examples:
•Netscape—Hold down the mouse button on the hyperlink and select "Save This Link As..."
•NCSA Mosaic—From the "Options" menu, select Load to Local Disk.
Step 6 Click the hyperlink that reads, "Please confirm the transfer of this file, {filename} by clicking here."
Retrieving Software Images Using the Cisco.com FTP
With the advent of CIO ESD's restructured File Transfer Protocol (FTP) services, users who are experienced with the more technical aspects of the Internet, FTP, and the Web can perform more direct access of the Cisco FTP directories. We recommend this only for advanced users, because it bypasses many of the features found in the Web interface for the Cisco Software Image Library, such as Software Upgrade Planners and Software Checklists.
To use the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) perform the following steps:
Step 1 Enter Cisco.com as a registered user or as an anonymous guest. Please go to the Cisco FTP site by connecting to ftp.cisco.com.
Step 2 To enter as a registered user, enter your CCO user id and password at the appropriate prompts. With a Web browser, enter the URL, "ftp://(user id) password, @ftp.cisco.com.
Note To be more secure, so passers-by will not see your password in the URL box of your Web browser, Netscape Navigator supports a feature so you can leave off "password" and then you will be prompted for the password separately.
Note To enter with a special access code, enter the special access code as a user ID, and type your e-mail address in the form of "user@host.domain" as a password.
Example: Bob smith has an email address of bsmith@bigcompany.com, and wants to retrieve a
file "smith_file.txt" which has been put on CCO with a special access code:
"bigcofiles".Bob would put the url of "ftp://bigcofiles:bsmith@ftp.cisco.com" into his web
browser.
Note To enter as an anonymous guest, enter "anonymous" as your user ID and enter your e-mail address in the form of "user@host.domain" as a password. In a Web browser, enter the URL "ftp://ftp.cisco.com". No user ID or password is needed.
Step 3 Read carefully the login and directory messages you see on the screen, as there will be banners as you FTP login to CCO or change directories within the FTP structure that might contain important notes regarding explanations, changes, or updates to our CCO FTP services and content.
Step 4 Use the ls or dir command to see files and directories in the FTP service. This command will list all files (including their file size and posting date) and subdirectories in the current directory you're in. If you are using a Web browser or graphical FTP client, you will automatically do a dir command that enters the directory and shows you the contents.
Step 5 Read the "README" document in each subdirectory to get additional information about the posted files. The README file (which is also aliased as "README.txt" lists the files by filename, description, version, file size, checksums, and MD5, as listed above.
Step 6 Do a get or mget command to download files to your computer. The get [filename] command copies a single file from CCO to your computer. The mget [filename] command can be used with a wildcard (**.bin, for example) to fetch multiple files at one time and download them to your computer.
Caution Be careful if you have a slow-speed network connection when invoking the
mget command, in case it ties up your computer doing a very long download. For graphical browsers, selecting the file with a keyboard command or click of the mouse should enable the download.
Setting Up a Software Image Upgrade
To set up an upgrade, perform the following steps:
Step 1 Select Tasks > Software Management > Distribute Images.
The Select Device Type dialog box appears.
Step 2 Select one of the following, then click Next.
•Cisco IOS
•Catalyst
Step 3 The Select IOS Devices dialog box appears. Select Device Family, Current Cisco IOS Versions, and Boot ROM Version from the view windows; click Query to add the items to the Devices list; then select the devices.
Step 4 Click Next.
If your CCO user name and password have not been added to the database, the CCO login dialog box appears. Enter your CCO user name and CCO password to update the user profile, then click Next. Click Skip if you do not want images from CCO included in the recommended images list.
The Recommended Image Upgrade dialog box appears.
To view the running status of the selected devices, (running image, Flash details, and so on) click Details. The Details report appears. Click Close to close the report.
Step 5 Select the devices to upgrade, then click Next.
Step 6 For each device, select the desired image upgrade. Clear check boxes for any devices you do not want to upgrade. If you selected images located on CCO, a message informs you that the images will be downloaded to the software image library at the scheduled time before the device is upgraded. Click OK to continue.
Step 7 Verify that all the information is correct, then click Next.
The Verify Image Upgrade dialog box appears.
Step 8 Check the verification status, make any necessary changes by going back to the Image Dialog box, then click Next.
The Distribution Sequence dialog box appears if more than one upgrade is being scheduled.
Note The Job Control Information dialog box appears if only one upgrade is being scheduled.
Step 9 Move the upgrades up or down the distribution sequence list as desired, then click Next.
The Job Control Information dialog box appears.
Step 10 Enter the job description and optional e-mail address, schedule the job, then click Next.
The Work Order Report appears.
Step 11 Click Finish.
The Schedule Time Verification Box appears.
Step 12 Click Finish.
If the job was scheduled successfully, the Distribute Image Summary dialog box appears.
Step 13 Click Browse Job Status to see the job details and change schedule options, if required.
This report has two parts:
•The top part contains current job information, device information, and the Work Order report.
•The bottom part contains either the schedule change dialog box or the job log file, depending on the state of the job.
Step 14 You can optionally change the schedule, then close the report.
Note When the Make Checker option is on, you cannot change the upgrade time and date.
Setting Up a Device Upgrade
If you want to upgrade your devices, you need to have the approval of your network administrator. This procedures assumes that you have selected the appropriate Maker Checker options using Admin > Software Management> Edit Preferences.
To set up the upgrade, perform the following steps:
Step 1 Select Tasks > Software Management > Distribute Images.
The Job Approval Information dialog box appears.
Step 2 Select the Job Approver from the pull-down menu and add any comments, then click Next.
The Distribute Image Summary appears.
Step 3 Click Browse Job Status.
The Job Status Report appears.
The approver is then sent the request notification, which contains the URL used to launch the job request. The approver can open the request using any supported browser. The job request appears.
Step 4 After reviewing the request, the approver can scroll to the bottom of the page and click Approve or Reject.
The approval or rejection is sent to the job request originator.
Step 5 Click Close.
Job Control
The following job control tasks can be performed:
• Rescheduling an Upgrade
• Tracking a Scheduled Software Upgrade
• Verifying the Upgrade
Rescheduling an Upgrade
To reschedule upgrades, perform the following steps:
Step 1 Select Admin> Software Management> Browse Job Status
A new browser window displays the Job Status Report.
Step 2 Click on the underlined job number.
The Job Details Report displays information about the job and access to any tasks that might apply.
Note To sort the report contents, click a column heading. The column by which the report is sorted is highlighted.
Step 3 Click Browse Jobs to change another job, or click Close to close the report.
Tracking a Scheduled Software Upgrade
Change Audit lets you filter messages from Essentials applications. You can use Change Audit to filter messages from Software Management and thereby confirm that a scheduled upgrade occurred.
To track a scheduled upgrade, perform the following steps:
Step 1 Select Tasks > Change Audit > Search Change Audit.
The Change Audit - Filter Options dialog box appears.
Step 2 Select the views and devices, then click Next. A second Change Audit- Filter Options dialog box appears.
Step 3 Select All from the Applications pull-down menu, then select Custom and enter the date and time the upgrade is to occur.
The Change Audit - Searching report is displayed.
Step 4 Select highlighted Details text in the View Details column to view the details of a particular device.
Step 5 Select highlighted More Records text in the Grouped Records column to view records that stem from the same event.
Step 6 Click Close to close the report.
Verifying the Upgrade
After you upgrade device software images, you should check the status of your upgrades to verify that the process has been completed successfully.
The verification options are:
•Browse History, which summarizes the device software upgrade results stored in the history database for all devices on the network.
•Search History by device, which summarizes all software upgrades for selected devices.
•Search History by user, which summarizes all software upgrades performed by a particular user.
•Software Version Report, which summarizes software information for each device.
•Software Upgrade Report, which summarizes the device software upgrade results during the last 24 hours.
•To verify upgrades, perform the following steps:
Step 1 Select Tasks > Software Management > Search History by Device.
The Select Devices dialog box appears.
Step 2 In the devices field, enter the names of the devices for which you scheduled an upgrade, then click Next.
Step 3 Alternatively, select the view and the devices in the view for which you set up an upgrade, then click Next.
The Select Search Options dialog box appears.
Step 4 Select the date range and time, then click Finish.
The Software Modification History Report appears for the selected devices.
