Pre-download with Local Firmware Fetch
Overview
Introduced in MR 32.1.1, Pre-download with Local Firmware Fetch allows an AP to download firmware from Dashboard and distribute the image to other APs over the LAN, cutting down on download times and high load on both our backend infrastructure as well as the customer uplink. During the upgrade process, APs within a network are divided into groups based on uplink gateway. Within these groups, some APs are randomly selected to be servers. The server APs will securely download (HTTPS) the firmware image from Dashboard and share it with the client APs in their group.
Firmware
MR 32.1.1+
Requirements
A ‘local group’ of APs will be based on the following criteria:
- The APs are all the same MR model
- The APs share a gateway and can communicate with each other over the local area network
- Feature requires a wireless network at least 2 APs and maximum of 13.
Upgrade Process:
1. APs are randomly selected on the LAN to become server APs.
2. Server APs download firmware from Dashboard.
3. Client APs that share the same IPv4 or IPv6 gateway will attempt to curl the expected file from the server AP, on port 9359.
4. Client APs on the LAN will attempt for 3 minutes to retrieve the image before reverting to self upgrade procedure.
5. If a client AP is successful in retrieving the file from the server AP, client APs will complete the rest of the upgrade process as normal, and reboot.
Note: Requires networks to at minimum be running MR 32.1.1.
Note: Server APs are chosen based on node-connectivity rather than IP address. Nodes that share the same IPv4 or IPv6 wan uplink (ipv4 takes precedence over IPv6 if both are present) are placed into groups where servers are assigned randomly to the group.
Configuration
The default pre-download setting is used when upgrades are scheduled or rescheduled from the network-wide page or if the pre-download setting is not specified when the upgrade is scheduled, e.g. the predownloadFirmware parameter is not included in the API request).
- Navigate Network-wide > Configure General > Wireless Network Settings
- Enable Firmware Pre-download
Organization Firmware Upgrades
Dashboard will display the option to enable or disable image pre-download for all networks in an organization configured with the minimum firmware version.
1. Navigate Organization > Firmware Upgrades > Schedule upgrades > Schedule upgrades
Note: For all of the available networks in a organization, Dashboard displays the current firmware version running and the supported Pre-download version that it can be upgraded to.
Note: Dashboard will display the following message if some of the selected networks current firmware versions do not support Pre-download.
Note: Dashboard will display the following message if none of the selected networks current firmware versions support Pre-download.
API Configuration
Please note the API for Local firmware Fetch is in beta. Please call Support to have this configuration feature enabled for your organization.
Network Wireless Settings
Fetch and update the network-wide firmware Pre-download setting.
GET /networks/{networkId}/wireless/settings
PUT /networks/{networkId}/wireless/settings
Network Firmware Upgrades
Allows network admins to get network firmware information and update (schedule/reschedule) firmware upgrades (only handles upgrades to newer versions, not downgrades).
GET/networks/{networkId}/firmwareUpgrades
PUT /networks/{networkId}/firmwareUpgrades
Network Firmware Upgrades Rollback
API allows network admins to create or schedule firmware rollbacks to older firmware.
POST /networks/{networkId}/firmwareUpgrades/rollbacks
createNetworkFirmwareUpgradesRollback
Monitoring
The event logs of an AP can be referenced to ensure the image was successfully download from Dashboard and is stored within the AP.