Updating firmware on Dell Powerconnect 6248p Stack

Question

Hi,

I need to upgrade the firmware on the switches on my stack, the stack consists of 3 Powerconnect 6248p switches all currently running firmware version 3.2.1.3.

I am planning on stacking in a 4th switch which is currently running 3.3.1.10 so I need to update my existing stack prior to doing this.

I would like to use automatic update and upgrade the firmware on the master switch which will then upgrade the rest of the stack but the issue I am having is that the Dell documentation tells me to enable firmware synchronization using the command "boot auto-copy-sw" from the cli, however this does not seem to exist at all?

Can anyone advise ?

Thanks

Steve

sketchy00 · Accepted Answer

Out of practical experience from doing this task you describe, here is what I've done - which has worked very well.  If you have a stand alone switch that you will be adding to a stack, just do a firmware update on that  first in order to get up to the latest.  Then, when your maintenance window allows, go ahead and update the firmware on the existing stack.  The last step is to add the standalone switch to the stack.

Kedzz · Answer

That's great thanks for the advice guys,Sketchy00 - just out of curiosity wouldn't it be better adding the switch to stack on the same firmware as it is now then just doing the whole stack firmware upgrade in one go ?

For info the switch I am adding into the stack is currently live in our enviroment as a standalone satellite switch at the moment - which brings me to another question, will the existing configuration on the "new" switch be overwritten once its added to the stack ? or should I restore it to factory setting prior to adding it ?

Thanks very much for your help so far.

sketchy00 · Answer

Well, it's not all that much different. The thinking for getting the latest standalone switch up to the latest firmware, then get the stack up to the latest, then adding it to the stack, is that if the firmware updates address issues with stacking (not uncommon), then it conceivably reduced the possibility of introducing issues. Again though, it's not all that much different.

I my case, I went with this approach because I also wanted to solidify our internal documentation so that if someone else had to do the same thing (either firmware updates, or adding a switch to a stack), they could get a predictable result. You will find adding a switch to the stack quite easy, and non disruptive. After following the good Dell docs for adding a switch to the stack, your new switch might need a tweak to get it to be recognized in the stack. Blank out the config on the new switch, then do the following to the standalone switch:

config

stack

stack-port 1/xg1 stack

stack-port 1/xg2 stack

exit

copy running-config startup-config

Kedzz · Answer

Thanks again SKETCHY00 - However I have hit another stumbling block

When I change the ports to stack as per your post above and copy the running config to startup I end up with this...

# show stack-port

Configured Running

Stack Stack Link Link

Unit Interface Mode Mode Status Speed (Gb/s)

---- ---------------- ---------- ---------- ------------ ------------

1 xg1 Stack Ethernet Link Down Unknown

1 xg2 Stack Ethernet Link Down Unknown

1 xg3 Ethernet Ethernet Link Down Unknown

1 xg4 Ethernet Ethernet Link Down Unknown

I then reload the switch and it comes back up with the default configuration

# show stack-port 
Configured  Running 
Stack      Stack      Link       Link 
Unit    Interface       Mode       Mode       Status     Speed (Gb/s) 
---- ---------------- ---------- ---------- ------------ ------------ 
1    xg1              Ethernet   Ethernet   Link Down    Unknown 
1    xg2              Ethernet   Ethernet   Link Down    Unknown 
1    xg3              Ethernet   Ethernet   Link Down    Unknown 
1    xg4              Ethernet   Ethernet   Link Down    Unknown 
 
so i'm worried that when I add this to the stack its not going to recognise it as it keeps reverting back to Ethernet
 
Any ideas?
 
Thanks

Kedzz · Answer

Cheers Daniel that's what I was hoping to hear !

Networking General

Updating firmware on Dell Powerconnect 6248p Stack

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