N2000 CPLD update

Hi,

It is recommended for everything to be at the latest version. It may work with the older CPLD and the newer firmware, but it would be better to have them all updated at the same time. Just updating the firmware to a version that doesn’t need the newest CPLD is the best option. 

We have three Dell Networking N2048 units in a stack. I upgraded from 6.3.2.3 --> 6.3.3.8 today. Going by the included PDF upgrading guide, I attempted to telnet into the stack and issue the command 'update cpld' to get from CPLD 13 --> CPLD 15. 

The console line showed that it was issuing the CPLD update command and after about a minute it printed a new line saying that it successfully issued the update command and returned me to my enable prompt.

However, when I go back into the console and issue 'show version' my CPLD version is still 13. I can't seem to get it to update the CPLD version to 15 from the stack master. Any help is appreciated.

Same issue with a stack of 2 N2024s. Connected by SSH.

Thanks so much for sharing. That is a great workaround for updating the CPLD remotely.

By manually setting the stanby unit you are able to control which unit will become the next master unit. This allows you the ability to cycle through each switch in the stack, updating each switch as they become the master of the stack. 

Your solution is good, but it will not work on stack with only 2 members. I can't demote the current Mgmt switch to standby. Example:

SWCORE_01_MRT02#show switch
    Management Standby   Preconfig     Plugged-in    Switch        Code
SW  Status     Status    Model ID      Model ID      Status        Version
--- ---------- --------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -----------
1   Stack Mbr  Cfg Stby  N3048         N3048         OK            6.1.0.6
2   Mgmt Sw              N3048         N3048         OK            6.1.0.6

Whenever i try to put switch2 as standby i get this message

SWCORE_01_MRT02#configure
SWCORE_01_MRT02(config)#stack
SWCORE_01_MRT02(config-stack)#standby 2
Error: Management unit cannot be set as Standby

 Maybe i'll have to deal with uploading the startup-config to a tftpd server, edit the "standby" line and download it again to startup-config.

Nwildner, With a two switch stack there is no need to manually set the standby unit. There will always be one master switch and one standby switch.

The process should look similar to this:

- Update the CPLD on switch2(master) and reboot.

- When switch 2 reboots, switch 1(standby) will take the master role.

- Update the CPLD on switch1(master) and reboot.

- When switch 1 reboots, switch 2(standby) will take the master role.

Now you have updates CPLD on both switches, with 2 being master and 1 being standby.

Use the "update cpld unit" when upgrading to newer firmwares.

update cpld 2

this will update switch 2 in the stack.

update cpld 3

this will update switch 3 in the stack.