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Migration, Upgrade, and Downgrade Instructions

This section contains the procedure to upgrade Junos OS, and the upgrade and downgrade policies for Junos OS for the MX Series. Upgrading or downgrading Junos OS might take several minutes, depending on the size and configuration of the network.

Starting in Junos OS 17.4R1 release, FreeBSD 11.x is the underlying OS for all Junos OS platforms which were previously running on FreeBSD 10.x based Junos OS. FreeBSD 11.x does not introduce any new Junos OS related modifications or features but is the latest version of FreeBSD.

The following table shows detailed information about which Junos OS can be used on which products:

Platform

FreeBSD 6.x-based Junos OS

FreeBSD 11.x-based Junos OS

MX5, MX10, MX40,MX80, MX104

YES

NO

MX240, MX480, MX960,

MX2010, MX2020

NO

YES

Basic Procedure for Upgrading to Release 23.2R1

Note:

Before upgrading, back up the file system and the currently active Junos OS configuration so that you can recover to a known, stable environment in case the upgrade is unsuccessful. Issue the following command:

The installation process rebuilds the file system and completely reinstalls Junos OS. Configuration information from the previous software installation is retained, but the contents of log files might be erased. Stored files on the routing platform, such as configuration templates and shell scripts (the only exceptions are the juniper.conf and ssh files might be removed. To preserve the stored files, copy them to another system before upgrading or downgrading the routing platform. For more information, see the Installation and Upgrade Guide.

For more information about the installation process, see Installation and Upgrade Guide and Upgrading Junos OS with Upgraded FreeBSD.

Procedure to Upgrade to FreeBSD 11.x-Based Junos OS

Products impacted: MX240, MX480, MX960, MX2010, and MX2020.

To download and install FreeBSD 11.x-based Junos OS:

  1. Using a Web browser, navigate to the All Junos Platforms software download URL on the Juniper Networks webpage:

    https://www.juniper.net/support/downloads/

  2. Select the name of the Junos OS platform for the software that you want to download.

  3. Select the release number (the number of the software version that you want to download) from the Release drop-down list to the right of the Download Software page.

  4. Select the Software tab.

  5. In the Install Package section of the Software tab, select the software package for the release.

  6. Log in to the Juniper Networks authentication system using the username (generally your e-mail address) and password supplied by a Juniper Networks representative.

  7. Review and accept the End User License Agreement.

  8. Download the software to a local host.

  9. Copy the software to the routing platform or to your internal software distribution site.

  10. Install the new jinstall package on the routing platform.

    Note:

    We recommend that you upgrade all software packages out of band using the console because in-band connections are lost during the upgrade process.

    All customers except the customers in the Eurasian Customs Union (currently composed of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia) can use the following package:

    • For 32-bit Routing Engine version:

    • For 64-bit Routing Engine version:

    Customers in the Eurasian Customs Union (currently composed of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia) can use the following package (Limited encryption Junos package):

    • For 32-bit Routing Engine version:

    • For 64-bit Routing Engine version:

    Replace source with one of the following values:

    • /pathname—For a software package that is installed from a local directory on the router.

    • For software packages that are downloaded and installed from a remote location:

      • ftp://hostname/pathname

      • http://hostname/pathname

      • scp://hostname/pathname

    Do not use the validate option while upgrading from Junos OS (FreeBSD 6.x) to Junos OS (FreeBSD 11.x). This is because programs in the junos-upgrade-x package are built based on FreeBSD 11.x, and Junos OS (FreeBSD 6.x) would not be able to run these programs. You must run the no-validate option. The no-validate statement disables the validation procedure and allows you to use an import policy instead.

    Use the reboot command to reboot the router after the upgrade is validated and installed. When the reboot is complete, the router displays the login prompt. The loading process might take 5 to 10 minutes.

    Rebooting occurs only if the upgrade is successful.

Note:

  • You need to install the Junos OS software package and host software package on the routers with the RE-MX-X6 and RE-MX-X8 Routing Engines. For upgrading the host OS on these routers with VM Host support, use the junos-vmhost-install-x.tgz image and specify the name of the regular package in the request vmhost software add command. For more information, see the VM Host Installation topic in the Installation and Upgrade Guide.

  • Starting in Junos OS Release 21.1R1, in order to install a VM host image based on Wind River Linux 9, you must upgrade the i40e NVM firmware on the following MX Series routers:

    • MX240, MX480, MX960, MX2010, MX2020, MX2008, MX10016, and MX10008

    [See https://kb.juniper.net/TSB17603.]
Note:

After you install a Junos OS Release 23.2R1 jinstall package, you cannot return to the previously installed Junos OS (FreeBSD 6.x) software by issuing the request system software rollback command. Instead, you must issue the request system software add no-validate command and specify the jinstall package that corresponds to the previously installed software.
Note:

Most of the existing request system commands are not supported on routers with the RE-MX-X6 and RE-MX-X8 Routing Engines. See the VM Host Software Administrative Commands in the Installation and Upgrade Guide.

Procedure to Upgrade to FreeBSD 6.x-Based Junos OS

Products impacted: MX5, MX10, MX40, MX80, MX104.

To download and install FreeBSD 6.x-based Junos OS:

  1. Using a Web browser, navigate to the All Junos Platforms software download URL on the Juniper Networks webpage:

    https://www.juniper.net/support/downloads/

  2. Select the name of the Junos OS platform for the software that you want to download.

  3. Select the release number (the number of the software version that you want to download) from the Release drop-down list to the right of the Download Software page.

  4. Select the Software tab.

  5. In the Install Package section of the Software tab, select the software package for the release.

  6. Log in to the Juniper Networks authentication system using the username (generally your e-mail address) and password supplied by a Juniper Networks representative.

  7. Review and accept the End User License Agreement.

  8. Download the software to a local host.

  9. Copy the software to the routing platform or to your internal software distribution site.

  10. Install the new jinstall package on the routing platform.

    Note:

    We recommend that you upgrade all software packages out of band using the console because in-band connections are lost during the upgrade process.

    • All customers except the customers in the Eurasian Customs Union (currently composed of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia) can use the following package:

    • Customers in the Eurasian Customs Union (currently composed of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia) can use the following package (Limited encryption Junos OS package):

    Replace source with one of the following values:

    • /pathname—For a software package that is installed from a local directory on the router.

    • For software packages that are downloaded and installed from a remote location:

      • ftp://hostname/pathname

      • http://hostname/pathname

      • scp://hostname/pathname

    The validate option validates the software package against the current configuration as a prerequisite to adding the software package to ensure that the router reboots successfully. This is the default behavior when the software package being added is a different release.

    Use the reboot command to reboot the router after the upgrade is validated and installed. When the reboot is complete, the router displays the login prompt. The loading process might take 5 to 10 minutes.

    Rebooting occurs only if the upgrade is successful.

Note:

After you install a Junos OS Release 23.2R1 jinstall package, you cannot return to the previously installed software by issuing the request system software rollback command. Instead, you must issue the request system software add validate command and specify the jinstall package that corresponds to the previously installed software.

Upgrading a Router with Redundant Routing Engines

If the router has two Routing Engines, perform the following Junos OS installation on each Routing Engine separately to avoid disrupting network operation:

  1. Disable graceful Routing Engine switchover (GRES) on the master Routing Engine, and save the configuration change to both Routing Engines.

  2. Install the new Junos OS release on the backup Routing Engine while keeping the currently running software version on the master Routing Engine.

  3. After making sure that the new software version is running correctly on the backup Routing Engine, switch over to the backup Routing Engine to activate the new software.

  4. Install the new software on the original master Routing Engine that is now active as the backup Routing Engine.

For the detailed procedure, see the Installation and Upgrade Guide.

Downgrading from Release 23.2R1

To downgrade from Release 23.2R1 to another supported release, follow the procedure for upgrading, but replace the 23.2R1 jinstall package with one that corresponds to the appropriate release.

Note:

You cannot downgrade more than three releases.

For more information, see the Installation and Upgrade Guide.

Upgrade and Downgrade Support Policy for Junos OS Releases and Extended End-Of-Life Releases

We have two types of releases, standard EOL and EEOL:

  • Standard End of Life (EOL) releases have engineering support for twenty four months after the first general availability date and customer support for an additional six more months.

  • Extended End of Life (EEOL) releases have engineering support for sixty months after the first general availability date and customer support for an additional six more months.

    Note:

    The sixty months of support for EEOL releases is introduced in Junos OS 23.2 release and is available for all later releases. For releases prior to 23.2, the support for EEOL releases continues to be thirty six months.

For both standard EOL and EEOL releases, you can upgrade to the next three subsequent releases or downgrade to the previous three releases. For example, you can upgrade from 21.2 to the next three releases – 21.3, 21.4 and 22.1 or downgrade to the previous three releases – 21.1, 20.4 and 20.3.

For EEOL releases only, you have an additional option - you can upgrade directly from one EEOL release to the next two subsequent EEOL releases, even if the target release is beyond the next three releases. Likewise, you can downgrade directly from one EEOL release to the previous two EEOL releases, even if the target release is beyond the previous three releases. For example, 21.2 is an EEOL release. Hence, you can upgrade from 21.2 to the next two EEOL releases – 21.4 and 22.2 or downgrade to the previous two EEOL releases – 20.4 and 20.2.

Table 1: EOL and EEOL Releases
Release Type End of Engineering (EOE) End of Support (EOS) Upgrade/Downgrade to subsequent 3 releases Upgrade/Downgrade to subsequent 2 EEOL releases
Standard End of Life (EOL) 24 months End of Engineering + 6 months Yes No
Extended End of Life (EEOL) 60 months End of Engineering + 6 months Yes Yes

For more information about standard EOL and EEOL releases, see https://www.juniper.net/support/eol/junos.html.

For information about software installation and upgrade, see the Installation and Upgrade Guide.