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Personality Upgrade Process

Understanding the Personality Upgrade Process for a Device

Personality of a device can be defined as a combination of the purpose of the device and the solution that the device provides. For instance, a switch is a Layer 2 (Data Link Layer) device that is designed to connect two or more networking devices on a network. Most switches (except a few Layer 3 switches) act as bridge devices that receive data packets from a source device, process the data, and forward it to a destination device within the same network. A router, in contrast, connects multiple networks. It is typically a Layer 3 (Network Layer) device because its primary function is to forward packets destined either for its own network or for other networks.

Starting in Junos OS Release 18.2R1, you can upgrade the personality of a device from the installed personality to a new personality without having to upgrade the entire device.

The build image loaded on a device defines the personality of the device. For instance, suppose you purchase a core router such as a PTX10008. The build image loaded on the router indicates its installed personality—that is, PTX10008. You can upgrade its personality and use it as an edge router such as an MX10008, in which case the device personality changes to MX10008. Similarly, you can change the device personality from an MX10008 to a PTX10008. You can also alternate between a switch (for example, QFX10002-60C) and a router (say, PTX10002-60C) by simply upgrading the device personality.

To upgrade the device personality from one device to another, you need certain common hardware components supported by both the devices. In the case of an MX10008 and a PTX10008, the presence of the common Routing and Control Board (RCB)—JNP10K-RE1—and the eight-slot universal chassis—JNP10008—enables you to upgrade from one device to the other seamlessly.

Note:

When you order a spare JNP10K-RE1 RCB, the image of the MX10008 build is installed on that RCB. The spare JNP10K-RE1 also contains an image of the PTX10008 build at the /var/tmp location. You can upgrade an MX10008 router to an PTX10008 by using that image.

Benefits of Personality Upgrade

  • Reuse—The same device (universal chassis) can be used as an edge router or a core router or a switch.

  • Time-saving—You can quickly deploy the new device personality in the network.

  • Lower capital expenditure and operating costs—You can upgrade the device personality instead of purchasing a new device.

  • Network Growth management—Upgrading the personality of your device helps you manage the network growth when growth forecasts are discouraging.

  • Lower inventory and storage costs for distributors.

Guidelines and Restrictions

This section describes the guidelines to consider when you upgrade the personality of a device:

  • If you attempt to upgrade the personality of the device without using the recommended CLI command, the device can become inaccessible and unstable.

  • There are no in-built restrictions or checks to validate the image that you plan to install on the device.

  • Verify that the installed image supports the required command to upgrade to the new personality. If it does not, upgrade to a later version of the image before you upgrade to the new personality.

  • When you upgrade the personality of the device, the configuration present in the device is migrated to the new personality. This is similar to a Junos OS upgrade. Therefore, any configuration that is not supported on the new personality must be deleted before you upgrade the personality. If any unsupported configuration is retained in the device after it reboots with the new image, the device returns to the factory-default configuration.

  • Retain the minimum configuration required on the device, so the management interface is accessible.

Note:

Juniper Networks does not support using the request vmhost software rollback command to revert to the previously installed personality.

Supported Personality Upgrades

Table 1 displays the various combinations of device personality upgrades that are supported by Junos OS.

Table 1: Supported Personality Upgrades on Junos OS

Installed Personality

New Personality

Initial Junos OS Release

Common HW Component

MX10008

PTX10008

18.2

Routing and Control Board (JNP10K-RE1)

PTX10008

MX10008

18.2

Routing and Control Board (JNP10K-RE1)

QFX10002-60C

PTX10002-60C

18.2

PTX10002-60C

QFX10002-60C

18.2

MX10016

PTX10016

18.4

Routing and Control Board (JNP10K-RE1)

PTX10016

MX10016

18.4

Routing and Control Board (JNP10K-RE1)

You can upgrade the personality of the device to a new personality by:

  • Using the USB flash drive

  • Using the Junos OS CLI

  • Using the PXE boot server

Upgrading the Personality of a Device by Using a USB Flash Drive

The build image loaded on the device defines the personality of the device. You can change the personality of the device by upgrading it.

In a USB upgrade, the content of the SSDs are erased and the image is installed from the USB flash drive to both the primary and secondary disks. Based on the image used, the device comes up as a PTX10008 or an MX10008. This is irrespective of the previously installed personality of the device.

Note:

When you order a spare JNP10K-RE1 RCB, the image of the MX10008 build is installed on that RCB. The spare RCB also contains an image of the PTX10008 build at the /var/tmp location. You can upgrade an MX10008 router to an PTX10008 by using that image.

To upgrade the personality of the device by using a USB flash drive:

  1. Insert the external USB flash drive. The external flash drive is detected.
  2. Reboot the device.
  3. When prompted, unplug the USB flash drive after the system reboots.
Note:

Juniper Networks does not support using the request vmhost software rollback command to revert to the previously installed personality.

Upgrading the Personality of a Device by Using CLI

The build image loaded on the device defines the personality of the device. You can change the personality of the device by upgrading it.

You can upgrade the personality of the device by using CLI configuration on devices running Junos OS.

Note:

When you order a spare JNP10K-RE1 RCB, the image of the MX10008 build is installed on that RCB. The spare RCB also contains an image of the PTX10008 build at the /var/tmp location. You can upgrade an MX10008 router to an PTX10008 by using that image.

How to Upgrade the Personality of a Device on Junos OS

Use the following CLI procedure to upgrade the personality of a device running Junos OS.

  • Verify that the installed image supports the required CLI command to upgrade to the new personality. If it does not, upgrade to a later version of the image before you upgrade to the new personality.

  • Delete any configuration that is not supported or is not compatible with the new personality before you upgrade the personality. If any unsupported configuration is retained in the device after it reboots with the new image, the device returns to the factory-default configuration.

To upgrade the device to a new personality by using the Junos OS CLI:

  1. In operational mode, verify the installed personality of the device. If you have purchased an MX10008 device, the installed personality of the device is displayed as mx10008. If you have purchased a PTX10008 device, the installed personality of the device is displayed as ptx10008.
  2. Download the software package or build image from https://www.juniper.net/support/. For information about downloading software packages, see Downloading Software (Junos OS). Save the software package to the /var/path/package-name directory on the router. For example, you can save the software package to the /var/tmp directory.
    Note:

    Download the software package specific to the personality you want to upgrade to. The software package for PTX Series routers is different from the software package for MX Series routers.

  3. In configuration mode, install the software package by using the request vmhost software add path/package-name command. Install the software package based on the new personality you want to upgrade to, as follows:
    Note:

    If you do not specify the no-validate option, the router displays the following error message: error: Upgrading to a different model is supported only with no-validate option.

  4. Reboot the router so the new package is loaded.
  5. Run the show version command to verify that the upgrade is successful. If you have upgraded the personality of the device to an MX10008 device, the new personality of the device is displayed as mx10008. If you have upgraded the personality of the device to a PTX10008 device, the new personality of the device is displayed as ptx10008.
Note:

Juniper Networks does not support using the request vmhost software rollback command to revert to the previously installed personality.

To ensure that all four partitions are upgraded to the same personality, follow these steps:

  1. Boot from the solid-state drive (SSD) Disk 2 by using the request vmhost reboot command.

  2. Upgrade to the new personality by using the upgrade-to-model and no-validate options. This command upgrades both partitions on the SSD Disk 1.

    If you are upgrading to PTX10008, include the package for the PTX Series routers and replace X with ptx10008 before the no-validate option. If you are upgrading to MX10008, include the package for the MX Series routers and replace X with mx10008 before the no-validate option.

  3. After the device boots up from SSD Disk 1, take a snapshot from SSD Disk 1 to Disk 2.

    This step ensures that both partitions on Disk 2 are upgraded to the new personality.

After you complete Step 1 through Step 3, all four partitions are upgraded to new personality.

Upgrading the Personality of a Device by Using a PXE Boot Server

The build image loaded on the device defines the personality of the device. You can change the personality of the device by upgrading it.

You can upgrade the personality of a device by using the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) boot server. A PXE boot prepares a client/server environment to boot devices by using a network interface that is independent of available data storage devices or installed operating systems. The image of the operating system is stored on a TFTP server. You can have a separate PXE boot server for each image.

Note:

When you order a spare JNP10K-RE1 RCB, the image of the MX10008 build is installed on that RCB. The spare RCB also contains an image of the PTX10008 build at the /var/tmp location. You can upgrade an MX10008 router to an PTX10008 by using that image.

To upgrade the personality of a device from the installed personality to the new personality by using the PXE boot server method:

  • Copy the image you want installed on the device to the PXE boot server.

  • Reboot the device to install the image.

Note:

If you have already copied the image to the PXE boot server, reboot the device to install the image.

To copy the image you want installed to the PXE boot server and install the image:

  1. Copy the downloaded installation media to the /var/tmp directory in the PXE boot server.

    For example:

  2. Log in to the PXE boot server and verify the installation file.

    For example:

  3. Extract the junos-vmhost-install-net TAR file.

    For example:

  4. Remove the previously installed files, if any, from the /tftpboot directory.
  5. Extract the network installation package.

    For example:

  6. Rename or delete the previously installed root file system/scripts from the /var/install directory. Create a new /var/install directory.
  7. Extract the installation package.

    For example, this sample output is specific to the PTX Series device installation package.

  8. Verify that the /var/install folder contains the attributes file. If the file does not exist in the specified location, copy the attribute file.
    Note:

    The attribute file consists of the personality information of the image. If the attributes file is not present, the device is unable to upgrade to the new personality even when the PXE boot server has the relevant image.

  9. Set permissions for the files in the /var/install and /tftpboot directories.
  10. Exit the PXE boot server.
  11. After you copy the image to the PXE boot server, to install the image on the device, reboot the device to install the image.

    The router boots from the PXE server and installs the image on both the SSDs.

If the device fails to reboot, you can use the USB disk installation option. However, after using USB disk installation, if the router fails to reboot or is not accessible, follow these steps on the console:

  1. Power cycle the chassis or remove the RCB (JNP10K-RE1) and plug it back in.

  2. Press the ESC button to go to the Boot Manager Menu.

  3. Select Boot Manager, and then press Enter.

  4. Select the ETH00 (xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx) option. A warning message is displayed. At the prompt, select y to install the image on both the primary and secondary disks.

  5. In operational mode, verify that the upgrade is successful. If you have upgraded the personality of the device to an MX10008, the new personality of the device is mx10008. If you have upgraded the personality of the device to a PTX10008, the new personality of the device is ptx10008.

Note:

Juniper Networks does not support using the request vmhost software rollback command to revert to the previously installed personality.

Related Documentation

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
18.2R1
Starting in Junos OS Release 18.2R1, you can upgrade the personality of a device from the installed personality to a new personality without having to upgrade the entire device.