This section explains the procedure of regular maintenance (patch application or firmware update) of network devices.
Use the following procedure when performing maintenance operations while continuing operations using the network devices of redundancy configurations by switching between active and standby.
When there is no description, the following operations are performed by an infrastructure administrator.
Announce that regular maintenance operations are being started.
Confirm that the network device that is the target of regular maintenance is in standby status, by directly logging in to the network device.
Back up the current network device configuration file from the network device with standby status.
When the management function for network device configuration files is used
If the content of the configuration file is up to date, this step is not required.
If the content is not up to date, back up the configuration file using the rcxadm netdevice cfbackup command.
The date and time of backup can be checked using the rcxadm netdevice cflist command.
When the management function for network device configuration files is not used
Back up the configuration files from network devices.
For information about the backup method, refer to the network device manuals.
Change the target network device in standby status to "maintenance mode".
A hardware maintenance person performs the regular maintenance operations for network devices (batch application or firmware update).
Back up the current network device configuration files from the network devices with operational status.
When the management function for network device configuration files is used
If the content of the configuration file is up to date, this step is not required.
If the content is not up to date, back up the configuration file using the rcxadm netdevice cfbackup command.
The date and time of backup can be checked using the rcxadm netdevice cflist command.
When the management function for network device configuration files is not used
Back up the configuration files from network devices.
For information about the backup method, refer to the network device manuals.
Check that there are no differences between the network device configuration files backed up in 3. and those backed up in 6.
When the management function for network device configuration files is used
Export the configuration file using the rcxadm netdevice cfexport command, and check for any differences. When there is difference that is a problem, log in to the network device with standby status, and resolve the difference.
When the management function for network device configuration files is not used
When the management function for network device configuration files is not used. When there is difference that is a problem, log in to the network device with standby status, and resolve the difference.
For information about how to export, refer to the network device manuals.
For information about login to network devices, refer to the network device manuals.
Release the network device from "maintenance mode", after checking that problems with network devices with standby status have been solved.
Switch over the network device in active status that is the target of regular maintenance and the network device of the redundancy configuration which is in standby status.
Then change the status of the remaining network device that is the target of regular maintenance from operational status to standby status, and perform steps 3. to 8.
Announce that maintenance operations are complete.
See
For details on how to configure and release the maintenance mode, refer to "22.1 Switchover of Maintenance Mode" in the "User's Guide for Infrastructure Administrators (Resource Management) CE".
For details on the rcxadm netdevice command, refer to "3.8 rcxadm netdevice" in the "Reference Guide (Command/XML) CE".
Note
Regular maintenance may not be able to be performed using the described procedure depending on the maintenance details for individual network devices. Before performing regular maintenance operations, ensure you check the information provided from the network device vendors regarding the maintenance operations of network devices.
Confirm the following items, using the manuals of network devices, in advance.
The operations for network devices (status check, switchover and backup methods)
Environmental differences which become problems due to redundancy configurations
When performing regular maintenance for multiple network devices of redundancy configurations simultaneously, perform replacement operations in units of the same redundancy configurations.
