J-series Upgrade and Downgrade Instructions

In JUNOS Release 8.5, the JUNOS software was extended to use FreeBSD version 6.1. As a result, the following requirements apply when you upgrade your router to JUNOS Release 8.5 and later:

• To upgrade with the JUNOS CLI, the minimum requirement for installation media (such as a CompactFlash card, internal flash disk, or PC Card) is 256 MB. To use the J-Web interface for an upgrade, you must have 512 MB or more.

• For J-series Services Routers with a 256-MB CompactFlash card:

  • You must perform the upgrade with the CLI. Do not use the J-Web interface for the upgrade.
  • Before upgrading to this release, see the important information in Special Instructions for J-series Routers with a 256-MB CompactFlash Card.
• When upgrading from JUNOS Release 8.2 or earlier, upgrade to an interim JUNOS Release 8.3 or later first. (Alternatively, you can use the no-validate option with the request system software add command, but we do not recommend this upgrade method.)

If the router is running a software version earlier than JUNOS Release 7.2R3 or 7.3R2, you might need to upgrade to one of these interim software releases before you can upgrade to JUNOS Release 8.3 or later.

This section contains the following topics:

• Upgrade and Downgrade Overview
• Before You Begin
• Downloading Software Upgrades from Juniper Networks
• Installing Software Upgrades with the J-Web Interface
• Installing Software Upgrades with the CLI
• Downgrade Instructions
• Special Instructions for J-series Routers with a 256-MB CompactFlash Card