Upgrading Software; Overview; Software Types; Software File Naming Conventions - HP 10500 Series Configuration Manual

Upgrading software

This chapter describes types of software and how to upgrade software from the CLI. For a comparison of
all software upgrade methods, see

Overview

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 .btw file that contains a basic segment and an extended segment. The basic
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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 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, and file system management.
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
images.
Feature image—A .bin file that contains advanced software features. Users purchase feature
images as needed.
Patch image—A .bin file irregularly released for fixing bugs without rebooting the device. A
patch image 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 package file. If an .ipe file is used, the system
decompresses the file automatically, loads the .bin 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 named main.ipe.

Software file naming conventions

Software image file names use the chassis-comware version-image type-release format, for example,
10500-CMW710-SYSTEM-R21 1 1.bin and 10500-CMW710-BOOT-R21 1 1.bin. This document uses
boot.bin and system.bin as boot and system image file names.
"Upgrade methods."
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