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 +
Local Group Requirements:
Note: A local group of APs will be based on the following criteria:
- APs in the local group are all the same MR model
- Within the local group, APs share a gateway and can communicate with each other over the local area network
- A local group must consist of at least 2 APs and a maximum of 13.
Upgrade Process:
1. APs within a local group 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: 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.
Network-wide 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.
- 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
2. Select Wireless Network
3. Click Schedule upgrades
4. Select a firmware version greater than MR32.1.1
5. Click Next
6. Select Firmware Pre-download as the upgrade strategy
7. Click Next
8. Schedule an immediate firmware upgrade specify a date and time to minimize wireless network disruption.
9. Verify the firmware change summary and initate the upgrade.
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
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 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.
