Brocade200e firmware upgrade...

[Anonymous]

Dear All

Sorry if this is posted in the wrong place.

I have a Brocade 200e which is at FOS v5.3.0 and I want to upgrade the firmware to the latest version which I believe is 6.2.2d?  I have read a lot of posts regarding the path to take and if I am reading it right I can go straight to the latest version form v5.3.0?

My question is 'How do I do it?'  I understand I have to download the firrmware form somewhere (bot sure where) then I dont know what to do next.  Please can someone advise the steps to take to perform the upgrade.

Thanks in advance

Nigel

[Anonymous]

download the required FOS codes from your support vendors web site. You will not find FOS code on the Brocade web site if you have no Brocade supplemental contract.

Setup an FTP server which the switch can access. Extract the gz or zip file with the fos code in the ftp root dir.

There are no differenence between the Unix or windows version of the FOS download files. It is only the compression type.

go to your switch and check if it is healthy. run the firmwaredownload command.

Somethink is tricky. you have to use a path to release.plist file but you will not find this file in the ftp directory. This is normal because the switch will route itself to the correct subfolder. Do not give the switch real path to that file.

Please have a look in the admin guides. there you can find detailed way how to update.

Don't worry.

Regards,

Andreas

[Anonymous]

Andreas, Thankyou very much.

I will give it a go and let you know how I get on

Nigel

[Anonymous]

I too have Brocade 200e's and have prepared for an upgrade from 5.2.1b to 6.2.2e. From what I researched and speaking to IBM (the switches are actually IBM 2005_B16's, rebranded Brocade 200e's), the steps required are as follows in order to get to 6.2.2e.

From 5.2.1b To 5.3.2c

From 5.3.2c To 6.0.1a

From 6.0.1a To 6.1.2c

From 6.1.2c To 6.2.2e

When I upgraded my Brocade 4100's (IBM 2005_B32's), it took about 10min per upgrade (the connection speed between your switch and the ftp server will affect this, it may take up to 30min on a slow link!).

As the previous poster mentioned, the tricky part is when it comes to specifying the path for the release.plist file. The switch will automajically find the correct location. I ran into this issue on the first phase and got through it by not specifying the "switch type" folder name.

I was doing this:

/v5.3.2c/SWBD32/release.plist

when it should have been this:

/v5.3.2c/release.plist

If you can, have a case already open with support. Should you have any issues, you can follow up on the already opened case and not waste time going through the "opening a case" process when you're in the middle of the upgrade.

HTH and good luck.

-danny

[Anonymous]

Thanks Danny

I am now faced with 'is it a Brocade or is it EMC with a Brocade badge.  Please can you aadvise how to determine where I should download teh firmware from.  I am happy to provide serial number if need be?

Thanks Again

Nigel

[Anonymous]

BTW, the reason I am upgrading the firmware is because I have a problem with port 4, no matter what I try I cant get it to come online.  I have tried every permitation imaginable, new cable\sfp etc so I thought OK start with a firmware upgrade.  I am not confident that the firmware upgrade will resolve the issue but I guess I need to start somewhere.  see screenshots..

any further help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Nigel

200e.png ‏23 KB

200e+port4.png ‏27 KB

[Anonymous]

I would suggest that you get in touch with your vendor and find out the details on the devices. If you can't get a hold of your vendor, I would try calling Brocade AND EMC and have them look up the device serial numbers in order to figure out who support is through. Before going through any upgrades, I'ld want to make sure I do have an active support contract.

I would think that when your storage system was sold to your company, it was sold as a complete package. So, if you bought EMC storage, then you may very well have EMC SAN switches (they're just rebranded Brocade). Either way, it seems like you're going to need to do some digging around.

Once you get those details, it should be downhill from there.

-danny

[Anonymous]

Thanks again Danny

Im chasing up the vendors as we speak/type!!

Nigel

[Anonymous]

Your port shows no Light.

This means the other side does not send out any light or the cable is broken.

[Anonymous]

Hi Andreas

Thanks for looking, I have tried a new cable and tried changing the other end to a working server.  I have tried everything I can think of and still no light!  That is why I am thinking upgrade the firmware but I am now struggling to get hold of the firmware!

Nigel