HP 10500 Switch Series - HP 10500-CMW710-R2105-B Release Notes

Appendix B Upgrading software

Software upgrade enables you to have new features and fix bugs. Before performing an upgrade, use

the release notes for the new software version to verify software and hardware compatibility and

evaluate upgrade impacts.

Software types

The following software types are available:

 BootWare image—A .bin file that contains a basic segment and an extended segment. The basic

segment is the minimum code that bootstraps the system. The extended segment enables hardware

initialization and provides system management menus. You can use these menus to load

application software and the startup configuration file or manage files when the device cannot start

up correctly.

 Comware image—Includes the following image subcategories:

 Boot image—A .bin file that contains the Linux operating system kernel. It provides process

management, memory management, file system management, and the emergency shell.

 System image—A .bin file that contains the minimum feature modules required for device

operation and some basic features, including device management, interface management,

configuration management, and routing. To have advanced features, you must purchase

feature packages.

 Feature package—Includes a set of advanced software features. Users purchase feature

packages as needed.

 Patch packages—Irregularly released packages for fixing bugs without rebooting the device. A

patch package does not add new features or functions.

Comware software images that have been loaded are called "current software images."

Comware images specified to load at the next startup are called "startup software images."

BootWare image, boot image, and system image are required for the system to work. These images

might be released separately or as a whole in one .ipe file. If an .ipe file is used, the system automatically

decompresses the file, loads the boot and system images and sets them as startup software images.

Typically, the BootWare and startup software images for the device are released in an .ipe file.

Software file naming conventions

Software image file names use the chassis-comware version-image type-release format, for example,

10500-CMW710-SYSTEM-A0035P13.bin and 10500-CMW710-BOOT-A0035P13.bin. This document

uses boot.bin and system.bin as boot and system image file names for simplicity.

Upgrade methods

You can use one of the following methods to upgrade software: