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Firmware Upgrade using NCM/TFTP: issue with subfolders

Hello Team,
I am new to the THWACK community, so sorry for my stupid question.
I am trying to perform a firmware update for a C2960 switch using the predefined template with build-in TFTP server.
TFTP is working fine (means I can perform a write net from CLI to the tftp-server). The firmware images are stored on the TFTP server in a common
directory and this is the root of the TFTP server.

When starting the firmware upgrade the script tries to access subfolders on the tftp-Server:
copy flash:c2960s-universalk9-mz.152-2.E9.bin t172.16.10.123/.../

However, this subfolder doesn´t exist and I don´t want to use subfolders on my TFTP server.
So where is the ${SubFolder} variable set ? I tried to remove it from the script manually, but
then its not saved, so its still in.

Any idea what to do ?

Thanks
Alfred

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sum_giais

Take a look at the firmware upgrade requirements of NCM, link below. It explicitly states "The storage location cannot be the same as the TFTP or SFTP/SCP root folders.". I'm not sure why though and probably best to stick with that recommendation... but the ${SubFolder} variable is coming from the firmware upgrade template you're using, link below on managing them. It's possible to remove it if needed.

https://documentation.solarwinds.com/en/success_center/ncm/content/ncm-set-up-the-storage-location-and-firmware-repository.htm

https://documentation.solarwinds.com/en/success_center/ncm/content/ncm-firmware-upgrade-templates.htm

alfpohl

Hi @sum_giais ,
many thanks for your reply. I understood that the firmware repository path and the tftp-server root path should not be the same.
But I still do not understand how this will work. Lets consider my example:
1) The firmware repository is on the Solarwinds-Server c:\firmware and I´ve put there the new image-file from CCO.
2) The TFTP-Server is the build-in Solarwinds service and I set the root-directory to c:\
3) I want to upgrade my C2960S Switch from 12.2(55) to 15.2(2), the new image is in the firmware repository.

When starting the Upgrade job from NCM, data collection works, but then the old image is copied to an not-existing directory
on the tftp-server, which doesn´t work.

See NCM logfile:
Upgrade Operation Started at 11/23/2023 9:01:04 AM
_______________________________________________________________________________

Upgrading node WS-C2960S-24TS-L
Writing config to NvRAM...
write memory
Building configuration...
[OK]
Backup Running config...
Running config backed up successfully
Backup Startup config...
Startup config backed up successfully
Backup Exisitng Firmware Image flash:c2960s-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE3.bin...
copy flash:c2960s-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE3.bin t172.16.10.123/.../
Address or name of remote host [172.16.10.123]?
Destination filename [qjeigzrl.riz/c2960s-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE3.bin]?
TFTP: error code 1 received - 17263
%Error opening t172.16.10.123/.../c2960s-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE3.bin (No such file or directory)
ERROR: Downloaded firmware image filename "c2960s-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE3.bin" not found on server
_______________________________________________________________________________

Upgrade Error on node WS-C2960S-24TS-L. Operation interrupted

sum_giais

NCM creates the ${SubFolder} dynamically tearing them up/down as needed. I'm not familiar with backing up existing firmware images though, probably same concept just opposite way and may not tear it down after since it's backing it up.

Considering this scenario when your tftp'ing the software to your switch...

TFTP Root --> C:\TFTP_Root
NCM Repository --> C:\firmware --> \\myservername\firmware

NCM will copy the required firmware file from your NCM repository into a temp directory inside your TFTP_Root directory, e.g. "C:\TFTP_Root\qjeigzrl.riz\c2960s-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE3.bin", and tell your switch to download that, once completed, delete it.

You may want to check your file level permissions of the NCM repository AND the TFTP_Root, and UNC share permissions of the NCM repository as well (remember it has to be a UNC share). Ensure that the computer account, account running the service, and credentials defined in the NCM repository configuration all have the required read-write permissions.