Upgrade and Downgrade Instructions for Junos OS Release 10.3 for M Series, MX Series, and T Series Routers
This section discusses the following topics:
- Basic Procedure for Upgrading to Release 10.3
- Upgrading a Router with Redundant Routing Engines
- Upgrading Juniper Routers Running Draft-Rosen Multicast VPN to Junos OS Release 10.1
- Upgrading the Software for a Routing Matrix
- Upgrading Using ISSU
- Upgrading from Junos OS Release 9.2 or Earlier on a Router Enabled for Both PIM and NSR
- Downgrade from Junos OS Release 10.3
Basic Procedure for Upgrading to Release 10.3
In order to upgrade to Junos OS 10.0 or later, you must be running Junos OS 9.0S2, 9.1S1, 9.2R4, 9.3R3, 9.4R3, 9.5R1, or later minor versions, or you must specify the no-validate option on the request system software install command.
When upgrading or downgrading the Junos OS, always use the jinstall package. Use other packages (such as the jbundle package) only when so instructed by a Juniper Networks support representative. For information about the contents of the jinstall package and details of the installation process, see the Junos OS Installation and Upgrade Guide.
![]() | Note: You cannot upgrade by more than three releases at a time. For example, if your routing platform is running Junos OS Release 9.6 you can upgrade to Junos OS Release 10.2 but not to Junos OS Release 10.3 As a workaround, first upgrade to Junos OS Release 10.2 and then upgrade to Junos OS Release 10.3. |
![]() | Note: With Junos OS Release 9.0 and later, the compact flash disk memory requirement for Junos OS is 1 GB. For M7i and M10i routers with only 256 MB memory, see the Customer Support Center JTAC Technical Bulletin PSN-2007-10-001 at https://www.juniper.net/alerts/viewalert.jsp?txtAlertNumber=PSN-2007-10-001&actionBtn=Search. |
![]() | Note: Before upgrading, back up the file system and the currently active Junos configuration so that you can recover to a known, stable environment in case the upgrade is unsuccessful. Issue the following command: user@host> request system snapshot The installation process rebuilds the file system and completely reinstalls the Junos OS. Configuration information from the previous software installation is retained, but the contents of log files might be erased. Stored files on the routing platform, such as configuration templates and shell scripts (the only exceptions are the juniper.conf and ssh files) might be removed. To preserve the stored files, copy them to another system before upgrading or downgrading the routing platform. For more information, see the Junos OS System Basics Configuration Guide. |
The download and installation process for Junos OS Release 10.3 is the same as for previous Junos OS releases.
If you are not familiar with the download and installation process, follow these steps:
- Using a Web browser, follow the links to the
download URL on the Juniper Networks Web page. Choose either Canada and U.S. Version or Worldwide
Version:
- https://www.juniper.net/support/csc/swdist-domestic/ (customers in the United States and Canada)
- https://www.juniper.net/support/csc/swdist-ww/ (all other customers)
- Log in to the Juniper Networks authentication system using the username (generally your e-mail address) and password supplied by Juniper Networks representatives.
- Download the software to a local host.
- Copy the software to the routing platform or to your internal software distribution site.
- Install the new jinstall package on the
routing platform.

Note: We recommend that you upgrade all software packages out of band using the console because in-band connections are lost during the upgrade process.
Customers in the United States and Canada use the following command:
user@host> request system software add validate reboot source/jinstall-10.3R1.9-domestic-signed.tgzAll other customers use the following command:
user@host> request system software add validate reboot source/jinstall-10.3R1.9-export-signed.tgzReplace source with one of the following values:
/pathname—For a software package that is installed from a local directory on the router.For software packages that are downloaded and installed from a remote location:
ftp://hostname/pathnamehttp://hostname/pathnamescp://hostname/pathname(available only for Canada and U.S. version)
The validate option validates the software package against the current configuration as a prerequisite to adding the software package to ensure that the router reboots successfully. This is the default behavior when the software package being added is a different release.
Adding the reboot command reboots the router after the upgrade is validated and installed. When the reboot is complete, the router displays the login prompt. The loading process can take 5 to 10 minutes.
Rebooting occurs only if the upgrade is successful.
![]() | Note: After you install a Junos OS Release 10.3 jinstall package, you cannot issue the request system software rollback command to return to the previously installed software. Instead you must issue the request system software add validate command and specify the jinstall package that corresponds to the previously installed software. |
![]() | Note: Before you upgrade a router that you are using for voice traffic, you should monitor call traffic on each virtual BGF. Confirm that no emergency calls are active. When you have determined that no emergency calls are active, you can wait for nonemergency call traffic to drain as a result of graceful shutdown, or you can force a shutdown. For detailed information on how to monitor call traffic before upgrading, see the Junos OS Multiplay Solutions Guide. |
Upgrading a Router with Redundant Routing Engines
If the router has two Routing Engines, perform a Junos OS installation on each Routing Engine separately to avoid disrupting network operation as follows:
- Disable graceful Routing Engine switchover (GRES) on the master Routing Engine and save the configuration change to both Routing Engines.
- Install the new Junos OS release on the backup Routing Engine while keeping the currently running software version on the master Routing Engine.
- After making sure that the new software version is running correctly on the backup Routing Engine, switch over to the backup Routing Engine to activate the new software.
- Install the new software on the original master Routing Engine that is now active as the backup Routing Engine.
For the detailed procedure, see the Junos OS Installation and Upgrade Guide.
Upgrading Juniper Routers Running Draft-Rosen Multicast VPN to Junos OS Release 10.1
In releases prior to Junos OS Release 10.1, the draft-rosen multicast VPN feature implements the unicast lo0.x address configured within that instance as the source address used to establish PIM neighbors and create the multicast tunnel. In this mode, the multicast VPN loopback address is used for reverse path forwarding (RPF) route resolution to create the reverse path tree (RPT), or multicast tunnel. The multicast VPN loopback address is also used as the source address in outgoing PIM control messages.
In Junos OS Release 10.1 and later, you can use the router’s main instance loopback (lo0.0) address (rather than the multicast VPN loopback address) to establish the PIM state for the multicast VPN. We strongly recommend that you perform the following procedure when upgrading to Junos OS Release 10.1 if your draft-rosen multicast VPN network includes both Juniper Network routers and other vendors’ routers functioning as provider edge (PE) routers. Doing so preserves multicast VPN connectivity throughout the upgrade process.
Because Junos OS Release 10.1 supports using the router’s main instance loopback (lo0.0) address, it is no longer necessary for the multicast VPN loopback address to match the main instance loopback adddress lo0.0 to maintain interoperability.
![]() | Note: You might want to maintain a multicast VPN instance lo0.x address to use for protocol peering (such as IBGP sessions), or as a stable router identifier, or to support the PIM bootstrap server function within the VPN instance. |
Complete the following steps when upgrading routers in your draft-rosen multicast VPN network to Junos OS Release 10.1 if you want to configure the routers’s main instance loopback address for draft-rosen multicast VPN:
- Upgrade all PE routers to Junos OS Release 10.1 before
you configure the loopback address for draft-rosen Multicast VPN.

Note: Do not configure the new feature until all the PE routers in the network have been upgraded to Junos OS Release 10.1.
- After you have upgraded all routers, configure each router’s main instance loopback address as the source address for multicast interfaces. Include the default-vpn-source interface-name loopback-interface-name] statement at the [edit protocols pim] hierarchy level.
- After you have configured the router’s main loopback
address on each PE router, delete the multicast VPN loopback address
(lo0.x) from all routers.
We also recommend that you remove the multicast VPN loopback address from all PE routers from other vendors. In Junos OS releases prior to 10.1, to ensure interoperability with other vendors’ routers in a draft-rosen multicast VPN network, you had to perform additional configuration. Remove that configuration from both the Juniper Networks routers and the other vendors’ routers. This configuration should be on Juniper Networks routers and on the other vendors’ routers where you configured the lo0.mvpn address in each VRF instance as the same address as the main loopback (lo0.0) address.
This configuration is not required when you upgrade to Junos OS Release 10.1 and use the main loopback address as the source address for multicast interfaces.

Note: To maintain a loopback address for a specific instance, configure a loopback address value that does not match the main instance address (lo0.0).
For more information about configuring the draft-rosen Multicast VPN feature, see the Junos Multicast Configuration Guide.
Upgrading the Software for a Routing Matrix
A routing matrix can use either a TX Matrix router as the switch-card chassis (SCC) or a TX Matrix Plus router as the switch-fabric chassis (SFC). By default, when you upgrade software for a TX Matrix router or a TX Matrix Plus router, the new image is loaded onto the TX Matrix or TX Matrix Plus router (specified in the Junos OS CLI by using the scc or sfc option) and distributed to all T640 routers or T1600 routers in the routing matrix (specified in the Junos OS CLI by using the lcc option). To avoid network disruption during the upgrade, ensure the following conditions before beginning the upgrade process:
- A minimum of free disk space and DRAM on each Routing Engine. The software upgrade will fail on any Routing Engine without the required amount of free disk space and DRAM. To determine the amount of disk space currently available on all Routing Engines of the routing matrix, use the CLI show system storage command. To determine the amount of DRAM currently available on all the Routing Engines in the routing matrix, use the CLI show chassis routing-engine command.
- The master Routing Engines of the TX Matrix or TX Matrix Plus router (SCC or SFC) and T640 routers or T1600 routers (LCC) are all re0 or are all re1.
- The backup Routing Engines of the TX Matrix or TX Matrix Plus router (SCC or SFC) and T640 routers or T1600 routers (LCC) are all re1 or are all re0.
- All master Routing Engines in all routers run the same version of software. This is necessary for the routing matrix to operate.
- All master and backup Routing Engines run the same version of software before beginning the upgrade procedure. Different versions of the Junos OS can have incompatible message formats especially if you turn on GRES. Because the steps in the process include changing mastership, running the same version of software is recommended.
- For a routing matrix with a TX Matrix router, the same Routing Engine model is used within a TX Matrix router (SCC) and within a T640 router (LCC) of a routing matrix. For example, a routing matrix with an SCC using two RE-A-2000s and an LCC using two RE-1600s is supported. However, an SCC or an LCC with two different Routing Engine models is not supported. We suggest that all Routing Engines be the same model throughout all routers in the routing matrix. To determine the Routing Engine type, use the CLI show chassis hardware | match routing command.
- For a routing matrix with a TX Matrix Plus router, the SFC contains two model RE-DUO-C2600-16G Routing Engines, and each LCC contains two model RE-DUO-C1800-8G Routing Engines.
![]() | Note: It is considered best practice to make sure that all master Routing Engines are re0 and all backup Routing Engines are re1 (or vice versa). For the purposes of this document, the master Routing Engine is re0 and the backup Routing Engine is re1. |
To upgrade the software for a routing matrix, perform the following steps:
- Disable graceful Routing Engine switchover (GRES) on the master Routing Engine (re0) and save the configuration change to both Routing Engines.
- Install the new Junos OS release on the backup Routing Engine (re1) while keeping the currently running software version on the master Routing Engine (re0).
- Load the new Junos OS on the backup Routing Engine. After making sure that the new software version is running correctly on the backup Routing Engine (re1), switch mastership back to the original master Routing Engine (re0) to activate the new software.
- Install the new software on the new backup Routing Engine (re0).
For the detailed procedure, see the Routing Matrix with a TX Matrix Feature Guide or the Routing Matrix with a TX Matrix Plus Feature Guide.
Upgrading Using ISSU
Unified in-service software upgrade (ISSU) enables you to upgrade between two different Junos OS releases with no disruption on the control plane and with minimal disruption of traffic. Unified in-service software upgrade is only supported by dual Routing Engine platforms. In addition, graceful Routing Engine switchover (GRES) and nonstop active routing (NSR) must be enabled. For additional information about using unified in-service software upgrade, see the Junos High Availability Configuration Guide.
Upgrading from Junos OS Release 9.2 or Earlier on a Router Enabled for Both PIM and NSR
Junos OS Release 9.3 introduced NSR support for PIM for IPv4 traffic. However, the following PIM features are not currently supported with NSR. The commit operation fails if the configuration includes both NSR and one or more of these features:
- Anycast RP
- Draft-Rosen multicast VPNs (MVPNs)
- Local RP
- Next-generation MVPNs with PIM provider tunnels
- PIM join load balancing
Junos OS Release 9.3 introduced a new configuration statement that disables NSR for PIM only, so that you can activate incompatible PIM features and continue to use NSR for the other protocols on the router: the nonstop-routing disable statement at the [edit protocols pim] hierarchy level. (Note that this statement disables NSR for all PIM features, not only incompatible features.)
If neither NSR nor PIM is enabled on the router to be upgraded or if one of the unsupported PIM features is enabled but NSR is not enabled, no additional steps are necessary and you can use the standard upgrade procedure described in other sections of these instructions. If NSR is enabled and no NSR-incompatible PIM features are enabled, use the standard reboot or ISSU procedures described in the other sections of these instructions.
Because the nonstop-routing disable statement was not available in Junos OS Release 9.2 and earlier, if both NSR and an incompatible PIM feature are enabled on a router to be upgraded from Junos OS Release 9.2 or earlier to a later release, you must disable PIM before the upgrade and reenable it after the router is running the upgraded Junos OS and you have entered the nonstop-routing disable statement. If your router is running Junos OS Release 9.3 or later, you can upgrade to a later release without disabling NSR or PIM–simply use the standard reboot or ISSU procedures described in the other sections of these instructions.
To disable and reenable PIM:
- On the router running Junos OS Release 9.2 or earlier,
enter configuration mode and disable PIM:
[edit]
user@host# deactivate protocols pimuser@host# commit - Upgrade to Junos OS Release 9.3 or later software using the instructions appropriate for the router type. You can either use the standard procedure with reboot or use ISSU.
- After the router reboots and is running the upgraded Junos
OS, enter configuration mode, disable PIM NSR with the nonstop-routing
disable statement, and then reenable PIM:
[edit]
user@host# set protocols pim nonstop-routing disableuser@host# activate protocols pimuser@host# commit
Downgrade from Junos OS Release 10.3
To downgrade from Junos OS Release 10.3 to another supported release, follow the procedure for upgrading, but replace the 10.3 jinstall package with one that corresponds to the appropriate release.
![]() | Note: You cannot downgrade more than three releases. For example, if your routing platform is running Junos OS Release 9.3, you can downgrade the software to Release 9.0 directly, but not to Release 8.5 or earlier; as a workaround, you can first downgrade to Release 9.0 and then downgrade to Release 8.5. |
For more information, see the Junos OS Installation and Upgrade Guide.
Related Topics
- New Features in Junos OS Release 10.3 for M Series, MX Series, and T Series Routers
- Changes in Default Behavior and Syntax in Junos OS Release 10.3 for M Series, MX Series, and T Series Routers
- Issues in Junos OS Release 10.3 for M Series, MX Series, and T Series Routers
- Errata and Changes in Documentation for Junos OS Software Release 10.3 for M Series, MX Series, and T Series Routers
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