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Upgrade Junos OS Software on Your Switch

You can upgrade the Junos OS version running on your switch from the Juniper Mist™ portal.

Before upgrading the Junos OS software running on your switch, ensure that the switch has the following:

  • The storage space required to accommodate the new image.

  • A stable SSH connection to the Mist cloud.

Free Up Storage Space on Your Switch

When you initiate the switch upgrade process, Juniper Mist™ runs the request system storage cleanup command on the switch before copying the software image. This process mostly ensures the availability of storage space to accommodate the software image in the /var/tmp folder on the switch. However, in the case of some switches, such as EX2300 and EX3400, the request system storage cleanup command doesn't clear the required space. In this case, you will need to free up more space.

Note:

  • To perform the steps listed in this topic, you must have the root password configured in the site settings on the Organization > Site Configuration page of the Juniper Mist portal.

  • Perform the steps listed in this topic only if your switch doesn't have the required space for the upgrade.

To free up storage space on your switch:

  1. On the Juniper Mist portal, click Switches to go to the list of switches.
  2. Locate the switch on which you want to perform the storage cleanup operation.
  3. Select Utilities > Remote Shell.
  4. Begin a shell session by entering the start shell user root command, followed by the root password.
    This step starts a shell session on the primary FPC member by default.
  5. Check the storage usage, by running the df -h command.

    Generally, the /dev/gpt/junos file system takes up most of the space.

  6. Run the following command to free up the space on the switch:
  7. Check the available storage, using the df -h command. The output now shows lesser space as used under /dev/gpt/junos.
  8. Exit the shell session to return to the CLI operational mode, and then check the storage usage from there.

In the case of a Virtual Chassis upgrade, the preceding steps free up the space only on the primary member (member 0). You also need to initiate a session with each of the other FPC members (such as member 1 and member 2) and repeat the storage cleanup steps. See the following example:

Upgrade the Junos OS Software on Your Switch

The Juniper Mist™ portal supports upgrading the Junos OS software on the following platforms: EX2300, EX3400, EX4100, EX4100-F, EX4300-P, EX4300-MP, EX4400, EX4600, EX4650, EX9200, QFX5110, QFX5120, and EX Series Virtual Chassis.

In the case of Virtual Chassis, you can only upgrade the mixed EX4300 Virtual Chassis, which combines EX4300 multigigabit model (EX4300-48MP) switches with any other EX4300 model switches. Juniper Mist does not support nonstop software upgrade (NSSU).

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, 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. Check Junos OS Dates and Milestones to see whether a release has reached EEOL.

To upgrade the Junos OS software on your switch:

  1. Click Switches on the left navigation pane in the Juniper Mist portal.
  2. Locate the switch to be upgraded, and ensure that it is connected (displays the Connected status).
    If the switch doesn't appear on Mist as connected, troubleshoot the issue as explained in Troubleshoot Your Switch.
  3. From the List tab, select the switches that require a software upgrade, and then click Upgrade Switches. You can select one or more switches for the upgrade.

    Alternatively, you can also upgrade the switch by using the Upgrade Firmware option on the Utilities drop-down list on the switch details page (see Switch Details).

  4. In the Upgrade Switch Firmware window, select the target software version from the Upgrade to Version drop-down list, and then click Start Upgrade. The drop-down list displays the suggested software version for the selected switch, along with all the applicable versions.

    If you don't see the software version you are looking for, write to support@mist.com. We will make the version available from 24 to 48 hours after receiving the request. See also: Junos Software Versions - Suggested Releases to Consider and Evaluate.

    Select the Reboot switch after image copy check box if you want the switch to reboot automatically after the image copy procedure is complete.

    • If you select this option, the switch boots up with the new image.

    • If you do not select this option, the switch remains in a state of pending reboot. In this case, do the following to complete the upgrade:

      1. Navigate to the switch details page (Switches > Switch Name).

      2. Reboot the switch from Utilities > Reboot Switch.

Once the upgrade starts, the Status column in the switch list view shows the switch status as Upgrading. The column also shows the progress of the upgrade.

If you don't see the Status column in the switch list view, click the hamburger menu in the upper right of the page. Select the Status check box to display the column.

You can also view the switch status (as Upgrading) on the switch details page and the Switch Insights page.

You can view the upgrade events in the Switch Events section of a Switch Insights page. To access the Switch Insights page, open a switch details page and click the Switch Insights link on the Properties tile.

The above image shows a Switch Insights page, which lists switch upgrade events. The Upgraded by User event indicates that a user has initiated the upgrade. The Upgraded event indicates that the upgrade operation is complete. This means that the new software image was copied and the switch was rebooted.

An upgrade will fail if:

  • The switch doesn't have an SSH connection to the Juniper Mist cloud or if an uplink port is flapping.

  • The switch doesn't have enough storage. If the upgrade fails because of insufficient space, the upgrade failure event is displayed on the Switch Insights page as shown below:

    See also: Free Up Storage Space on Your Switch

  • You initiate an upgrade to the same software version that is already running on the switch. In this case, the Switch Events section of the Switch Insights page shows this failure reason:

    Upgrade not needed. Please check current or pending version.

  • The time on the switch is incorrect. In this case, the Switch Events section of the Switch Insights page shows this failure reason:

    OC FWUPDATE WRITEFAILED. See also: [EX/QFX] Certificate errors - Cannot validate Junos Image : Format error in certificate.