READ ME
AlteonWebSystems
Last update: 6/11/01


This ZIP file contains a few files.  You will need to check the file type (MP - BOOT - BIN) 
and the hardware suffix (.180 - .180E - .184 - .700) to ensure you have the correct files.  
(These examples are using 8.0.49 & 7.0.43 versions, version numbers will vary.)

These files are used to perform a standard TFTP upgrade:

8049_mp.180		This is the TFTP image for the AD2/180/180+
8049_mp.180E		This is the TFTP image for the AD3/180e
8049_mp.184		This is the TFTP image for the AD4/184
7043_mp.700		This is the TFTP image for the 708
8049_boot.180		This is the BOOT file for the AD2/180/180+
8049_boot.180E		This is the BOOT file for the AD3/180e
8049_boot.184		This is the BOOT file for the AD4/184
7043_boot.700		This is the BOOT file for the 708

This file is used for the SERIAL/BINARY upgrade only:

8049_bin.180		This is the BINARY file for the AD2/180/180+ - use with caution.
8049_bin.180E		This is the BINARY file for the AD3/180e - use with caution.
8049_bin.184		This is the BINARY file for the AD4/184 - use with caution.
7043_bin.700		This is the BINARY file for the 708 - use with caution.

The 7.x software is only for the 708 chassis based switch.  You can not run this version on 
the stackable 180 or ACEdirector switches.  Also, you can not run any version other than 7.x 
on the 708 switch.


The TFTP upgrade needs to follow a specific path.  If you are upgrading across versions, the 
TFTP upgrade becomes a multi-step process.   The TFTP upgrade path is as follows:  

4.0 > 5.0 > 5.2 > 5.2.99 > 6.0 > 8.0 > 8.1 > 8.3 > 9.0 


If you have any questions concerning these instructions, you can contact our support group at:

Toll Free Phone (U.S. only):  1-888-ALTEON0
International: +1-408-360-5695
Email: support@alteon.com



TFTP UPGRADE

The switch can store two different software images, called image1 and image2. If your active
image is the image1, then you must load the new software to image2. There is also a boot 
image bank - this is the partition to which the boot file is downloaded.

 Procedure

1. Download the image file and place it in a folder in C:/tftpboot.

2. Start TFTP Server software, e.g. Cisco or 3Com TFTP Server software downloadable from 
their web sites.

3. Confirm/configure TFTP server root directory. If you are using a Cisco TFTP Server 
software, go to View-> Options -> TFTP Server Root Directory. Here enter the directory path 
where you have placed the image, i.e. c:\tftpboot 

4. Connect a Laptop/PC to the Switch using a straight- through Cat 5 UTP cable. Test 
connectivity by pinging switch to PC and vice versa. 

5. Connect a console cable to the console port of the switch. Via HyperTerminal login to 
the switch. 

6. Save the switch active configuration commands:  
/cfg/ptcfg  <tftp server IP address>  <filename>  
This will backup your switch configuration in a file called <filename>

7. Now proceed to TFTP the image that you had downloaded onto your PC in steps 1-3 above 
as follows: 

>> Boot Options# tftp

Enter name of switch software image to be replaced ["image1"|"image2"|"boot"]:  (This will 
depend on which image is currently running and if you are updating the BOOT (boot) or 
MP (image1 or image2).

Enter hostname or IP address of TFTP server: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (This will be IP address of 
your PC)

Enter name of file on TFTP server: 8049_mp.180E (File name of the image. This will differ 
according to the code version.) 

8. After a successful TFTP, reset the switch from the command line interface by issuing 
the command: /boot/reset

9. Load the backed up configuration file back into the switch as follows:  
/cfg/gtcfg  <tftp server IP address> <filename>
where the file is the configuration file you saved using step 6 above. Ensure that the TFTP 
server is running before you execute this command.

In some situations, such as a cross-version upgrade, you will want to update the boot code 
as well as the switch image.  Do this using the same procedure as above, but on step 7 do 
the boot code first, then the mp file, and then proceed to step 8.  There is not always a 
boot file for each software revision.  In this case, any boot file in the same version will 
work fine.  For instance, an 8.0.30 boot code can be used to boot 8.0.49, but not 8.1.21.


SERIAL (aka BINARY) UPGRADE

Please save your current configuration electronically and on paper before a binary upgrade.  
Your current configuration is lost when you do a binary upgrade.  Use the binary upgrade 
path only when recommended by Tech Support.  

Procedure (must use xxxx_bin.xxx image)

1. Connect a serial cable from the DB-9 connector on the switch to a PC. Use either COM1 
or COM2 port on the PC.

2. On the PC running WINDOWS-95/98/NT, launch HyperTerminal.  Start a new session with 
9600/8/N/1 defined for speed, stop bits, parity, and no flow control.

3. The HyperTerminal window will serve as your switch console.

4. Login to the switch as password "admin". (or Admin-level password if user has changed it)

5. You should have saved the "bin" image into a directory on your "C" drive of the console.

6. To activate serial download, power cycle the switch. As soon as the power is recycled, 
watch the console window. When you see it skip a line, hit "Shift-F" on your keyboard. 
(you could have the shift key depressed ahead of time and hit f as soon as it skips a line 
- if you see the Boot version, you waited too long)  If you are successful in interrupting 
the boot, you will receive a message such as "Xmodem flash download v 1.0x".  If you do not 
see this message, repeat step 6.

7. Change line speed on your console connection from 9600 baud to 57600 baud. (Hyperterminal
 - file, properties, configure)

8. On your "Transfer" menu on the hyperterminal session, choose Send.  Enter the pathname 
of the "bin" file or (Browse to get to your directory, Select the file and click open). 
You need to ensure that the download protocol is "Xmodem"

9. The download will take about 5 minutes.

10. Once the download completes, wait about a minute for the EEPROM code to finish 
programming the FLASH. Then go ahead and RESET the switch by power-cycling it.

11. Disconnect your current hyperterminal session. Reset the BAUD rate to 9600 and you 
should be able to see the "enter password" string after reconnecting.

This type of upgrade will reset the switch to factory default condition, including 
configuration and passwords.  It is generally used for disaster recovery after software 
corruption and certain other problems.  It can also be used to jump from an old version to 
a new version without going through the TFTP upgrade path.  