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Upgrading the i40e NVM Firmware on Routing Engines with VM Host Support

Starting in Junos OS Release 21.4 R1, in order to install VM Host image based on Linux WR LTS19, you have to upgrade the i40e NVM firmware to version 7.0 or later. . However, if the Junos OS version is upgraded to 21.4R1 or later using the standard Junos OS upgrade process, the i40e NVM firmware upgrade is done automatically during the upgrade process. The corresponding i40e driver version to support i40e NVM version 7.0 will be version 2.8.43 (or later).

Note:

i40e NVM version 6.01 is the prerequisite to install a LTS19 based image, else image installation will fail.

The i40e NVM firmware downgrade is not supported if the Junos OS version running on the system is downgraded from Junos OS 21.4R1. Hence, it is required to install a Junos OS version which supports the corresponding i40e NVM firmware version installed in the Routing Engine.

The following table lists the Junos OS releases contain both i40e driver version 2.8.43 and i40e driver version 2.4.3 to support both i40e NVM firmware version 6.01 and i40e NVM firmware version 7.0. Hence, they could be used on the Routing Engine which is running i40e NVM firmware version 6.01 or 7.0.

For JUNOS images prior to the listed versions below, i40e NVM firmware version 7.0 is not supported.

Table 1: Junos OS Releases that Support i40e NVM Firmware Version 6.01 and i40e NVM Firmware Version 7.0.

19.3

19.4

20.1

20.2

20.3

20.4

21.1+

19.3R2-S6

19.4R1-S4

20.1R2-S2

20.2R2-S3

20.3R1-S2

20.4R1-S1

21.1R1 and higher

19.3R3-S2

19.4R2-S4

20.1R3

20.2R3

20.3R2

20.4R2

  
 

19.4R3-S2

   

20.3R2-S1

   
 

19.4R3-S3

   

20.3R3

   
       

20.3X75-D10

   

Starting in Junos OS Release 19.3R1, in order to install VM Host image based on Linux WRL9, you have to upgrade the i40e NVM firmware to version 6.01.

Table 2 lists the Junos OS releases which support i40e NVM firmware upgrade.

Table 2: Junos OS Releases that Support i40e NVM Firmware Upgrade

Platform

15.x

16.x

17.x

18.x

19.x

21.x

EX9208

15.1F6-S11

15.1F6-S11

17.1R3 / 17.2R3 / 17.3R3 / 17.4R2

18.1R1 / 18.2R1 / 18.3R1 / 18.4R1

19.1R1 or later

PTX5000

15.1F6-S11

16.1R7

17.1R3 / 17.2R3 / 17.3R3 / 17.4R2

18.1R1 / 18.2R1 / 18.3R1 / 18.4R1

19.1R1 or later

PTX3000

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

18.2R3 / 18.3R3 / 18.4R2

19.1R2 / 19.2R1

MX240 / MX480 / MX960 / MX2010 / MX2020

15.1F6-S11

16.1R7

17.1R3 / 17.2R3 / 17.3R3 / 17.4R2

18.1R1 / 18.2R1 / 18.3R1 / 18.4R1

19.1R1 or later

MX2008

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

18.2R3 / 18.3R3 / 18.4R2

19.1R2 / 19.2R1

MX10016/MX10008 PTX10016/MX10008

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

18.2R3 / 18.3R3 / 18.4R2

19.1R2 / 19.2R1

SRX5400/ SRX5600/ SRX5800

(Supported only on SRX5K-RE3-128G)

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

21.4
Note:

The following Junos OS Releases support automatic i40e NVM firmware upgrade from version 4.26 to version 7.00. This allows you to upgrade devices directly from older Junos OS Releases like 18.2 to Junos OS Releases 21.4 and higher.

  • 21.4R3-S5 and higher

  • 22.1R3-S3 and higher

  • 22.2R3-S1 and higher

  • 22.3R3 and higher

  • 22.4R3 and higher

  • 23.1R2 and higher

  • 23.2R2 and higher

  • 23.3R1 and higher

  • 23.4R1 and higher

You can install older Junos OS images on the Routing Engine with an upgraded i40e NVM firmware as it supports i40e 2.4.3 driver versions. If you install an older version of the VM Host image, which is not listed in Table 3, using USB, the Routing Engine does not start up properly. In such a case, you can reinstall the VMHost image with a version which supports the new i40e NVM firmware.

Table 3: Junos OS Versions that Support i40e 2.4.3 Driver Versions

Platform

i40e-1.1.23/ NVM-4.26 Support

i40e-2.4.3/ NVM-6.01 Support

EX9208

15.1F3

15.1F6-S11

16.1R7

17.1R3 / 17.2R3 / 17.3R3 / 17.4R2

18.1R1 / 18.2R1 / 18.3R1 / 18.4R1

19.1R1 or later

PTX5000

15.1F3

15.1F6-S11

16.1R7

17.1R3/ 17.2R3 / 17.3R3/ 17.4R2

18.1R1 / 18.2R3 / 18.3R1 / 18.4R1

19.1R1 or later

PTX3000

16.1R4

Not applicable

16.1R7

17.3R3-S6 / 17.4R2-S7

18.2R3-S8 / 18.2R3 / 18.3R3 / 18.4R2

19.1R2/ 19.2R1

MX240/MX480/MX960

15.1F3

15.1F6-S11

16.1R7

17.1R3 / 17.2R3 / 17.3R3 / 17.4R2

18.1R1 / 18.2R1 / 18.3R1 / 18.4R1

19.1R1 or later

MX2010/MX2020

15.1F5-S1

15.1F6-S11

16.1R7

17.1R3 / 17.2R3 / 17.3R3 / 17.4R2

18.1R1 / 18.2R1 / 18.3R1 / 18.4R1

19.1R1 or later

MX2008

15.1F7

Not applicable

Not applicable

17.2R3 / 17.3R3 / 17.4R2

18.1R1 / 18.2R1 / 18.3R1 / 18.4R1

19.1R1 or later

MX10016/MX10008 PTX10016/MX10008

18.2R1

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

18.2R1 / 18.3R1 / 18.4R1

19.1R1 or later

i40e-NVM upgrade is optional for the following platforms:

  • MX10003

  • PTX10002-XX

  • QFX1000, QFX10002

  • QFX5000

Note:

  • You must upgrade i40e NVM firmware only under the direction of a Juniper Networks support representative. Once you upgrade the NVM firmware, a downgrade action is not supported. For latest update, you can refer https://kb.juniper.net/.

  • You must implement this procedure with a router console access. Also, you have to perform power cycling of the routing Engine multiple times during the firmware upgrade process.

Before you begin upgrading the firmware, check the current firmware version of the i40e NVM.

If the value of Current version is less than 6.01, then you can use the following procedure for the i40e NVM firmware upgrade.

To upgrade i40e NVM firmware on routers with single Routing Engine:

  1. Upgrade the device with the Junos OS image version which supports i40e NVM firmware upgrade. See Table 2.

    Copy and install the jfirmware-vmhost package to the device.

    If the file has been obtained from JTAC, use FTP or SCP to load the firmware file on the device. Save the file in the /var/tmp directory.

    user@host> request vmhost software add /var/tmp/jfirmware-vmhost-x86-64-19.2R1.tgz

  2. Upgrade the NVM firmware.

    To initiate the upgrade, use the following command:

    Monitor the upgrade status by using the show system firmware command. If the upgrade is initiated the output displays PROGRAMMING (0%) as the status. However, note that the status PROGRAMMING (0%) does not increment during the process.

  3. Reboot the device by using the request vmhost reboot command.
  4. Verfiy the progress of i40e NVM upgrade on the console. You may have to perform power recycle of the Routing Engine multiple times. When you are prompted for a power cycle on your console, use external power cycle for power cycling the Routing Engine.

    The following message is displayed on the console prompting you to perform a power cycle:

  5. After a successful upgrade, verify the version of the firmware.
    Note:

    The Current version is displayed as 6.1 instead of 6.01.

    Note:

    In case, you have run the request vmhost snapshot command with a Junos OS image which does not support i40e NVM firmware upgrade, (if the SSD recovery snapshot has a Junos OS version older than the Junos OS versions mentioned in Table 3) we recommend you to take a snapshot using the request vmhost snapshot command again. Hence, in case of a recovery process, the SSD recovery snapshot will have a Junos OS image which supports NVM 6.01.

On routers with dual Routing Engines, you must use the request chassis cb (offline | online) slot slot-number to power cycle the Routing Engine. Thereby, you can avoid using an external power cycler and avoid abrupt power cycling of backup RE, which may cause file system errors.

To upgrade i40e NVM firmware on routers with dual Routing Engines:

Note:

You must disable GRES before proceeding with the upgrade procedure. However, if you disable GRES in the beginning of the procedure, the device needs more number of switchovers for upgrading both the Routing Engines. Hence, to reduce the number of switchovers, it is recommended to upgrade the secondary Routing Engine first and then upgrade the primary Routing Engine .

  1. Upgrade the device with the Junos OS image version which supports i40e NVM firmware upgrade. See Table 2.

    Copy and install the jfirmware-vmhost package to the device.

    If the file has been obtained from JTAC, use FTP or SCP to load the firmware file on the device. Save the file in the /var/tmp directory.

    user@host> request vmhost software add /var/tmp/jfirmware-vmhost-x86-64-19.2R1.tgz

  2. Upgrade the NVM firmware.

    To initiate the upgrade, use the following command:

    Monitor the upgrade status by using the show system firmware command. If the upgrade is initiated the output displays PROGRAMMING (0%) as the status. However, note that the status PROGRAMMING (0%) does not increment during the process.

  3. Switch to the backup Routing Engine by using the request chassis routing-engine master switch command to switch primary role to other RE (i.e, RE1).

    Note:

    This step is necessary, because in Step 6 you have to power cycle the Routing Engine which is undergoing the NVM upgrade (i.e, RE0) from RE1

  4. Reboot the device by using the request vmhost reboot command from the Routing Engine which is undergoing the NVM upgrade (i.e, RE0).

  5. Monitor the console output. You may have to perform power recycle of the Routing Engine multiple times. When you are prompted for a power cycle on your console, use external power cycle for power cycling the Routing Engine. Or, you can use the command request chassis cb slot slot offline as described in Step 6.

    The following message is displayed on the console prompting you to perform a power cycle:

  6. From RE1, power cycle the RE0 using following command request chassis cb slot slot offline.

    To power off RE0, use the command request chassis cb slot 0 offline and to power on RE0, use the command request chassis cb slot 0 online.

  7. After a successful upgrade, verify the version of the firmware.

    Note:

    The Current version is displayed as 6.1 instead of 6.01.

    Note:

    In case, you have run the request vmhost snapshot command with a Junos OS image which does not support i40e NVM firmware upgrade, (if the SSD recovery snapshot has a Junos OS version older than the Junos OS versions mentioned in Table 3) we recommend you to take a snapshot using the request vmhost snapshot command again. Hence, in case of a recovery process, the SSD recovery snapshot will have a Junos OS image which supports NVM 6.01.

  8. Similarly, while upgrading i40e NVM on RE1, power cycle RE1 from RE0.

  9. You need to perform this step only if the image you downloaded does not contain debugfs based mechanism to stop LLDP.

    Download the lldp-patch-for-i40e-upgrade.tgz package. Copy and install the file in the /var/tmp/ directory on each Routing Engine.

  10. Reboot the device by using the request vmhost reboot command. The upgrade process is complete when the Routing Engine comes back online.

Change History Table

Feature support is determined by the platform and release you are using. Use Feature Explorer to determine if a feature is supported on your platform.

Release
Description
19.3R1
Starting in Junos OS Release 19.3R1, in order to install VM Host image based on Linux WRL9, you have to upgrade the i40e NVM firmware to version 6.01.