RMAUG Professional Development Series About Avaya Firmware.

RMAUG Professional Development Series

About Avaya Firmware

Avaya Firmware Updates

– What is firmware?– Why does FW need updating?– When should we apply new FW?– What devices are able to be updated?– How do I perform FW updates?– How do I keep up with new FW updates?

Background Information and Voice Infrastructure Snapshot

• Jeff Lusby, 303-813-3943, [email protected]

• Grant Thornton LLP, Denver Office

• Former Avaya Employee, 24 years in telecommunications

• Support 50 offices (mix of S8700, S8500, S8300/G700, and ProLogix) with 4 regionalized Modular Messaging systems.

• All sites connected via H.323 trunks using DCS+ or QSIG (in process of converting remaining DCS to QSIG)

• Most offices are entirely 6400 DCP sets but the newest sites have 2400 DCP sets (FW upgradeable). We also have one office with 46xx IP telephones (400 phones) and half of one office (350 phones on one floor) using 9630 IP sets.

What is Firmware?

Wikipedia defines firmware as software that is embedded in a hardware device.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firmware

Whatis.com defines firmware as programming that is inserted into programmable read-only memory (programmable ROM), thus becoming a permanent part of a computing device.

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci212127,00.html

Firmware interacts with both software and hardware; it is the interface between the two.

Why does Firmware need updating?

The primary reasons that Avaya releases new FW are:

• To correct known issues (which is why the TSO sometimes tells us to call back after updating our FW)

• Provide new and enhanced features and functionality (primarily in telephones, either IP or DCP)

I found the following statement on Avaya's support site regarding FW updates on Media Gateways after writing the aforementioned reasons:

This firmware download capability allows for enhancements and bug fixes without swapping out media modules, or motherboards.

When should we apply new FW?

If all new FW releases fixed issues and never created new ones, this would be easy. But as most of us know, new releases of FW, at times, have fixed one issue and created another.

So when should new FW be applied?

– You encounter one of the dreaded "known issues", normally known only to Avaya. Check the readme files before calling Avaya if you want to go farther than "update your FW and call back". If you are on FW V15 on your CLAN and nothing in V16 or 17's readme says your issue is fixed, then you may get someone to troubleshoot your problem without having to update your CLAN's.

– Prior to a software upgrade that requires a certain minimum version of FW for the purpose of compatibility. See the Avaya CM SW-FW Compatibility Matrix at the link below:

http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/comm_mgr/CM_SW_FW_Compatibility_Matrix_061204.doc

Also keep in mind an adage: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

So if everything is working and nothing is changing, why risk introducing a problem with a new version of firmware?

What – TN Circuit PacksThe P at the end of a Circuit Pack Code tells you that it is

"Programmable"

Pay attention to the HW Vintage; there may be different FW for different vintages. For example the TN2302AP HV3 versus the TN2302AP HV11 (and above) have a different DSP chipset on the board, thus 2 different versions of FW.

Use list configuration to see HW/FW information

What – TN Circuit Packs

In this case different HW Vintages use the same FW

New in Avaya CM R3 is an option to perform a list configuration by circuit pack code

What – TN Circuit Packs

The readme file contains important information regarding compatibility and included fixes in the section titled "Statement

of Applicability"

For instance this snippet from the TN2302AP HV11 readme file regarding compatibility:This version of firmware is applicable to all TN2302AP Hardware Vintage (HV) 11 and greater IP Media Processor boards. Some features are release dependent. This version of firmware is NOT compatible with TN2302AP Hardware Vintage 3.

As well as the fixes:TN2302AP HW11+ firmware vintage 111 (FV111) provides the following fixes and enhancements relative to firmware vintage 110. Improved T.38 fax reliability under heavy load. Previously, when a call using voice compression switched to pass-through mode, a race condition could occur and cause one way or no-way talk paths. Previously, if a DSP was reset and then released, gain and companding parameters returned to their defaults (e.g. u-law companding) and might not be corrected for 10-30 minutes. This has been fixed.

What – IP Telephones

list registered-ip-stations list registered-ip-stations ext 32709 count 10

In both instances I have cropped the output to exclude the internal IP addresses on our network. The FW is shown under Prod Rel; older versions of CM may not accurately reflect the exact version of FW or even contain the field. Early versions (Pre-R2 ACM) simply show you a list of extension numbers.

What version of FW are my IP phones?


You can use SNMP to query an IP phone; the actual FW filename is reported back as the value for the OID "endptAPPNAME" which comes from the Avaya MIB.


You can also view the FW filename on an idle telephone (if allowed) by pressing "mute" 8439 (spells VIEW) followed by the # sign. The view option shows important parameters in the telephone display, most importantly what version of FW is installed (the filename can be referenced in the readme file). This works for 46xx series phones, I have not tested it with the new 96xx series telephones. If your system supports the new telephones then the SAT command "list registered-ip-stations" or "status station xxxx" will show you the FW version.

What – 2400 Series DCP Telephones

Step by step instructions are in the Avaya CM Administration Guide, starting with how to configure a CLAN for connectivity to your network, downloading the FW file from a TFTP server, and ending with how to push the FW to a range of phones.

How – TN Circuit Packs

I recommend creating a folder for every type of object that is FW upgradeable. This is where I keep the FW and associated ReadMe files for several versions.


Prior to R3.0 the command to enable a CLAN for FTP access is "enable filesystem" followed by several required identifiers. A sample command might look like this:

enable filesystem board 1a04 login jeff rmaug1

Now, the command is "enable filexfer" and is much more user friendly.


Sample FTP "put" to a CLAN card

Check the file size after the FTP to insure it is intact; a bad file transfer will usually show 1Kb for the file size

Don't forget to use "binary" mode


The table below is from Avaya's CM R2 and earlier Firmware Download Instructions :

ftp://ftp.avaya.com/incoming/Up1cku9/tsoweb/firmware/TNpackFirmware_08182003.pdf

Important to note is that a CLAN and VAL board must be the Source and Target when performing FW upgrades.


A FW update within the same PN will go faster than across Port Networks

In R3 you can have 4 different downloads running or scheduled.

How – IP Telephones

Here is the root directory for our TFTP application.


I recommend a TFTP server that runs as a Windows Service if using a Windows OS


We added 9630 IP Telephones which required a HTTP server for the settings file download as well as FW upgrades.


The folder location for the "Default Web Site" files


Logs from the TFTP and HTTP

servers

How – 2400 DCP Telephones

This screen assumes a CLAN card TN799C or greater is already administered for IP access and the node name "tftpserver" has

been administered in "change node-names ip".

Since I have already entered this information prior to the screenshot above, a file status appears. The first time you enter this screen you will have none of the fields below "File to Retrieve:"

How – 2400 DCP Telephones

status firmware station-download

change firmware station-download

I realize I left out the Avaya H.248 Media Gateways; I apologize but could not find the time to add them to this presentation. We do have several locations using G700's and am very familiar with them from prior jobs. I am happy to put together a presentation for them that includes updating the firmware.

Questions?

Comments?

Suggestions?

Thank You for your time today.

RMAUG Professional Development Series About Avaya Firmware.

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