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Table of Contents

Installing the Switch

Installing the Switch

Note The information in this chapter applies to all Catalyst 5000 series switches unless otherwise noted.

This chapter describes how to install the Catalyst 5000 series switch in a rack and verify its operation. For first-time installations, perform the procedures in the following sections in the order listed.

Note Before starting the installation procedures in this chapter, use the site planning checklist in Chapter 3, "Site Planning," to verify that all site planning activities were completed.

Safety Overview

This section provides safety information that should be read and understood to ensure a safe switch installation.

Ensuring Safety

Use the following guidelines to ensure your safety and protect the equipment. This list is not inclusive of all potentially hazardous situations that you may be exposed to as you install the switch, so be alert.

 
Warning Before working on equipment that is connected to power lines, remove jewelry (including rings, necklaces, and watches). Metal objects will heat up when connected to power and ground and can cause serious burns or weld the metal object to the terminals.

Working Safely with Electricity

The redundant supervisor engine module, power supplies, fan assembly, and switching modules are designed to be removed and replaced while the system is operating without presenting an electrical hazard or damage to the system. Before removing a redundant power supply, ensure that the other supply is powered on.

Follow these basic guidelines when working with any electrical equipment:

 
Warning Do not work on the system or connect or disconnect cables during periods of lightning activity.

Unpacking the Switch

Note If you need to reseat or install modules, use a wrist strap or other grounding device to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage. See Appendix C, "Preventing ESD Damage," for ESD details including the locations of the ESD connectors on the Catalyst 5000 series switches.

Unpacking instructions are provided in the document Unpacking Instructions, which is attached to the outside of the shipping container. Read that document and follow the procedures to unpack your switch. Proceed to the next section, "Checking the Contents," to verify that you have received all required contents.

Note Do not discard the shipping container when you unpack the switch. Flatten the shipping cartons and store them with the pallet. You will need these containers if you need to move or ship the switch in the future. Repacking instructions are provided in Appendix D, "Repacking a Switch."

Checking the Contents

Perform the following steps to check the contents of the shipping container:

Step 1 Check the contents of the accessories box against the Accessories Box Components Checklist and the packing slip. Verify that you received all listed equipment, which should include the following:

Step 2 Check the switching modules in each slot. Ensure that the configuration matches the packing list and that all the specified interfaces are included.

Step 3 To begin installation, proceed to the section "Rack-Mounting the Switch."

Rack-Mounting the Switch

Note The Catalyst 5000 series switches (including the Catalyst 5500) can be mounted in two-post telco-type racks or four-post racks. The rack-mount kits include hardware for mounting the switches in a two-post rack and the installation procedures are for two-post rack-mounting.

A standard rack-mount kit is included for mounting the switch in a standard 19-inch (48.3 cm) equipment rack with two unobstructed outer posts, with a minimum depth (between the front and rear mounting posts) of 19.25 inches (48.9 cm) and a maximum depth of 32 inches (81.3 cm). This kit is not suitable for use with racks with obstructions (such as a power strip) that could impair access to switch field-replaceable units (FRUs).

 
Caution Before installing the chassis in a rack, read the section "Safety Overview" in this chapter to familiarize yourself with the proper site and environmental conditions. Failure to read and follow these guidelines could lead to an unsuccessful installation and possible damage to the system and components.  
Warning To prevent bodily injury when mounting or servicing this unit in a rack, you must take special precautions to ensure that the system remains stable. The following guidelines are provided to ensure your safety:  
Warning To prevent the switch from overheating, do not operate it in an area that exceeds the maximum recommended ambient temperature of 104°F (40°C). To prevent airflow restriction, allow at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) of clearance around the ventilation openings.

Following Rack-Mounting Guidelines

Before rack-mounting the switch, ensure the following:

Using Installation Tools

The following tools and equipment are required to install the chassis:

The following tools and equipment are required to install the chassis in a rack:

Lifting the Chassis Safely

The chassis is not intended to be moved frequently. Before you install the switch, ensure that your site is properly prepared so that you can avoid having to move the chassis later to accommodate power sources and network connections.

Two people are required to lift a Catalyst 5000, Catalyst 5505, or Catalyst 5500 chassis. Whenever you lift the chassis or any heavy object, follow these guidelines:


Figure 4-1: Unsafe Lifting Practices

Getting Started

Proceed to the rack-mount installation procedure for the type of switch you are installing:

Rack-Mounting the Catalyst 5002

Use this procedure to install the Catalyst 5002 in a rack.

Note The procedures are the same for both the AC- and DC-input power supply models. The figures shown in this section reflect the AC-input power supply model.

Step 1 Prepare for installation as follows:


Table  4-1: Catalyst 5002: Rack-Mount Kit Checklist
Quantity Part Description Received
2 L brackets
4 M4 Phillips pan-head screws
6 12-24 x 3/4-inch Phillips binder-head screws
Note Figure 4-2 illustrates how to attach the front of the switch to the rack. You can also attach the rear of the switch to the rack, depending on the configuration of your rack.

Step 2 The L brackets connect the chassis to the rack. You can mount the L brackets to the front or rear mounting holes of the chassis, depending on which end is in the front of the rack.

Note Some equipment racks provide a power strip along the length of one of the rear posts. If your rack has this feature, consider the position of the strip when planning fastener points, and before you install the L brackets on the chassis, determine whether you will install the chassis from the front or the rear of the rack.

Attach the left and right L brackets using the four M4 Phillips pan-head screws provided in the rack-mount kit (see Figure 4-2).



Figure 4-2: Catalyst 5002: Attaching the L Brackets



Step 3 Install the chassis in the rack as follows:

Step 4 From the rear of the chassis, do the following:

Step 5 The Catalyst 5002 powers on when you connect the power supply cords (do not power on the supplies at this point).


Figure 4-3: Catalyst 5002: Installing the Switch in the Rack

Rack-Mounting the Catalyst 5000 and Catalyst 5505

Use this procedure to install the Catalyst 5000 or Catalyst 5505 in a rack.

Step 1 Prepare for installation as follows:


Table  4-2: Catalyst 5000 and Catalyst 5505: Rack-Mount Kit Checklist
Quantity Part Description Received
2 L brackets (left and right)
6 M4 Phillips countersunk-head screws
8 12-24 x 3/4-inch Phillips binder-head screws
8 10-32 x 3/4-inch slotted binder-head screws

Step 2 The L brackets connect the chassis to the rack. Install the L brackets as follows:
Figure 4-4: Catalyst 5000 and Catalyst 5505: Attaching the L Brackets
Figure 4-5: Catalyst 5000 and Catalyst 5505: Attaching the Cable Guide

Step 3 Install the chassis in the rack as follows:

Note You should have a third person on hand to assist in this step.
  
Warning Two people are required to lift the chassis. Grasp the chassis underneath the lower edge and lift with both hands. To prevent injury, keep your back straight and lift with your legs, not your back. To prevent damage to the chassis and components, never attempt to lift the chassis with the handles on the power supplies. These handles were not designed to support the weight of the chassis.
Figure 4-6: Catalyst 5000 and Catalyst 5505: Installing the Switch in the Rack

Step 4 From the rear of the chassis, do the following:

Step 5 Connect the power supplies to the site power following the procedures in the "Removing and Replacing the Power Supply" section in Chapter 7, "Removal and Replacement Procedures." (Do not power-on the supplies at this point.)

Rack-Mounting the Catalyst 5500

Use this procedure to install the Catalyst 5500 in a rack.

Step 1 Prepare for installation as follows:


Table  4-3: Catalyst 5500: Rack-Mount Kit Checklist
Quantity Part Description Received
2 L brackets
10 M4 Phillips countersunk-head screws
10 12-24 x 3/4-inch Phillips binder-head screws
10 10-32 x 3/4-inch Phillips binder-head screws
2 Shelf brackets
1 Cross-bar bracket
2 M3 Phillips pan-head screws

Step 2 The two shelf brackets support the weight of the chassis in the rack. Install the shelf brackets as follows:

 
Caution If the rack is on wheels, ensure that the brakes are engaged or that the rack is otherwise stabilized.
Note No shelf is required with this assembly; the shelf brackets support the chassis in the rack.

Figure 4-7: Catalyst 5500: Installing the Shelf Brackets

Step 3 The L brackets connect the chassis to the rack. Install the L brackets by attaching the left and right L brackets using the ten M4 Phillips countersunk-head screws provided in the rack-mount kit (see Figure 4-8).

Note Some equipment racks provide a power strip along the length of one of the rear posts. If your rack has this feature, consider the position of the strip when planning fastener points, and before you install the L-brackets on the chassis, determine whether you will install the chassis from the front or the rear of the rack.
Note If you are installing cable guides, place the cable guides inside the L brackets, between the L bracket and the chassis. Secure the cable guides to the chassis using the same screws (and chassis holes) as the L brackets (see Figure 4-8). The cable guides and screws are provided in the cable management kit.

Figure 4-8: Catalyst 5500: Attaching L Brackets and Cable Guides

Step 4 Install the chassis in the rack as follows:

Note You should have a third person on hand to assist in this step.
 
Warning Two people are required to lift the chassis. Grasp the chassis underneath the lower edge and lift with both hands. To prevent injury, keep your back straight and lift with your legs, not your back. To prevent damage to the chassis and components, never attempt to lift the chassis with the handles on the power supplies. These handles were not designed to support the weight of the chassis.
Figure 4-9: Catalyst 5500: Installing the Switch in the Rack

Step 5 Check the ejector levers to ensure that the supervisor engine and all switching modules are securely installed.

Step 6 Tighten any loose captive installation screws on the supervisor engine and switching modules.

Step 7 Connect the power supplies to the site power by following the procedures in the "Removing and Replacing the Power Supply" section in Chapter 7, "Removal and Replacement Procedures." (Do not power-on the supplies at this point.)

Connecting a Terminal to the Console Port

This section describes how to connect a terminal to the supervisor engine CONSOLE port. See Chapter 2, "Switch Description," for detailed information on this port and Appendix B, "Cabling Specifications," for port pinouts.

Connecting Supervisor Engines I and II

Note Supervisor Engines I and II do not support modem control or hardware flow control.

The CONSOLE port located on the front panel of Supervisor Engines I and II, is shown in Figure 4-10.


Figure 4-10: Supervisor Engines I and II: Console Port Connector

The CONSOLE port is a DCE DB-25 receptacle, which supports a DCE EIA/TIA-232 interface. EIA/TIA-232 supports unbalanced circuits at signal speeds up to 64 kbps.

Use a null-modem cable to connect the switch to a remote DCE device, such as a modem or data service unit (DSU). Use a straight-through cable to connect the switch to a DTE device, such as a terminal or PC. See Figure 4-11 for DCE and DTE cable connectors.


Figure 4-11: EIA/TIA-232 Adapter Cable Connectors, Network End



See the "Configuring a Terminal for Attachment to the CONSOLE Port" section for port configuration details.

Connecting Supervisor Engine III

Note The Supervisor Engine III AUX port is currently not supported.

The CONSOLE and AUX ports, located on the front panel of Supervisor Engine III, are shown in Figure 4-12.


Figure 4-12: Supervisor Engine III: CONSOLE and AUX Port Connectors

The CONSOLE port, which is an EIA/TIA-232 asynchronous serial port with an RJ-45 connector, is a full-featured DTE connection and has hardware flow control.

Connect the terminal using a thin, flat, RJ-45-to-RJ-45 cable (looks like a telephone cable) and an RJ-45-to-DB-9, RJ-45-to-D-subminiature female, or RJ-45-to-D-subminiature male adapter.

Note An RJ-45-to-RJ-45 cable and adapters are provided in the console port accessory kit shipped with your Catalyst 5000 series switch.

See the "Configuring a Terminal for Attachment to the CONSOLE Port" section for port configuration details.

Configuring a Terminal for Attachment to the CONSOLE Port

Note The CONSOLE port is an asynchronous serial port; any device connected to this port must be capable of asynchronous transmission.

Before connecting the CONSOLE port, check the terminal documentation to determine the baud rate. The baud rate of the terminal must match the default baud rate (9600 baud) of the CONSOLE port. Set up the terminal as follows:

Connecting to the Supervisor Engine Interface Ports

Note For module-specific cabling procedures, refer to the Catalyst 5000 Series Module Installation Guide.

This section provides port connection procedures for the supervisor engine interface ports:

Interface cables and equipment, such as Ethernet transceivers, should already be in place. If necessary, see Chapter 3, "Site Planning," for specific requirements.

Connecting 100BaseTX (RJ-45 MDIX or 40-Pin MII Connectors)

The RJ-45 MDIX port cable connector is shown in Figure 4-13. The 40-pin MII cable connector is shown in Figure 4-14.

Note The MDIX ports are crossed over internally. For an MDI-to-MDI or MDIX-to-MDIX connection, use a cross-over cable. For an MDI to MDIX connection, use a straight-through cable. This allows the TX pins to connect with the RX pins.

Figure 4-13: 100BaseTX RJ-45 Connector Type
Figure 4-14: 100BaseTX MII Connector Type

Connecting 100BaseFX (Single-Mode or Multimode Fiber-Optic Connectors)

Use SC fiber-optic connectors (see Figure 4-15) to connect to the 100BaseFX and 1000BaseSX ports. Always keep caps and plugs on the fiber-optic connectors on the cable and the switch when they are not in use.


Figure 4-15: SC Fiber-Optic Connector Type

  
Warning Invisible laser radiation may be emitted from the aperture ports of the 100BaseFX single-mode supervisor engine module. Avoid exposure and do not stare into open aperture.

Powering On and Verifying System Operation

When all interfaces are connected, check all connections, and then perform the following steps to power on the system and verify that it is operational:

Note Supervisor Engine III--You can modify the configuration register boot field to specify the method that the switch uses to load a system image upon startup. Instead of using the default system image to start up, you can specify a particular system image for the switch to use. For detailed information, see Chapter 5, "Configuring the Switch."

Step 1 Ensure the following before powering on the system:

Note Catalyst 5500 only--Each AC-input power supply operating at 120 VAC requires a dedicated 20A service and 20A plug and receptacle. It is not acceptable to power the Catalyst 5500 from a 15A line cord because of the safety ratings under which the Catalyst 5500 has been certified.

Step 2 Check the console terminal and make sure it is on.

Step 3 Turn the power supplies ON (connect the power to the Catalyst 5002).

Step 4 Verify the LEDs on the power supplies are green (does not apply to Catalyst 5002). Verify that the appropriate PS1 and PS2 LEDs on the supervisor engine front panel are green.

Step 5 Listen for the system fans and ensure that the fan LED on the supervisor engine module is green.

Step 6 While the system initializes, check that the SYSTEM STATUS LED on the supervisor engine is orange until the boot is complete.

Some interface LEDs might go on or blink for a short time. Some LEDs, such as the LINK LED, stay on during the entire boot process. If an interface is already configured, the LEDs might be on steadily as they detect traffic on the line. Wait until the system boot is complete before attempting to verify the switching module LED indications.


Note Catalyst 5505 and Catalyst 5500--If you have a redundant supervisor engine (Supervisor Engine II or III), see the section "Configuring Supervisor Engine Redundant Operation" in this chapter for a detailed description of supervisor engine operation in a redundant configuration. By default the supervisor engine in slot 1 is the active supervisor; the second supervisor in slot 2 is the standby supervisor.
Note Many of the switching module LEDs are not ON until you configure the interfaces.

Step 7 When the system boot is complete (it takes a few seconds), the supervisor engine begins to initialize the switching modules.

During this initialization, the LEDs on each switching module behave differently (most flash on and off). The STATUS LED on each switching module goes on when initialization is complete, and the console screen displays a script and system banner.


Step 8 Your hardware installation is now complete. See Chapter 5, "Configuring the Switch," for default configuration information for the supervisor engine and switching modules, and commands to change the default configuration. Refer to the Catalyst 5000 Series Software Configuration Guide and the Catalyst 5000 Series Command Reference publication for complete software configuration instructions.

Configuring Supervisor Engine Redundant Operation

Note Supervisor Engines II and III support redundant operation in the Catalyst 5505 and Catalyst 5500 switches. Each switch supports either two Supervisor Engine IIs or two Supervisor Engine IIIs. Redundancy is supported only with like supervisor engines.
Note You must install supervisor engines in slots 1 or 2. If you have only one supervisor engine, you can install it in slot 1 or 2. However, slot 1 is a dedicated slot; therefore, if you have only one supervisor engine and it is in slot 2, you must keep slot 1 empty.

Supervisor Engines II and III have separate hardware that supports switching and network management, allowing the hardware-based switching ASIC to forward packets across the switching bus even if the network management processor fails. Supervisor Engines II and III have fault-detection logic that communicates with a second supervisor engine over a dedicated serial channel.

When two supervisor engines are installed, the first supervisor module to initialize becomes the active module (by default, the supervisor engine in slot 1) and the second supervisor module enters standby mode. After switchover to the redundant supervisor, the system continues to operate with the same configuration, and the CONSOLE port on the standby supervisor module is inactive. All network management functions, such as SNMP, Command-line Interface (CLI), Telnet, Spanning-Tree Protocol, Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP), and Virtual Trunk Protocol (VTP), take place on the active supervisor module.

Powering-Up Sequence

Note The information in this section applies to all supervisor engines. See the section "Synchronizing Supervisor Engine III Flash Images" in this chapter for information specific to Supervisor Engine III.

The active supervisor engine module sends information to the standby supervisor engine module to keep the nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM) configuration on the standby supervisor engine current. If the software images on the active and standby supervisor engine modules are different, the active supervisor engine module downloads its image to the standby supervisor engine module. When the active supervisor engine module fails, the standby supervisor engine takes over within a minute.

At power-up, both supervisor engine modules run through initial module-level diagnostics. Assuming both modules pass this level of diagnostics, the two modules communicate over the backplane, allowing them to cooperate during switching-bus diagnostics. The module in slot 1 then becomes active, and the module in slot 2 enters standby mode. At this point, if the software versions of the two modules are different, the active supervisor engine automatically downloads its software image to the standby supervisor engine. If the NVRAM configuration on the two modules is different, the active supervisor engine automatically downloads its configuration to the standby supervisor engine.

If the background diagnostics on the active supervisor engine detect a major problem or an exception occurs, the active supervisor engine resets. The standby supervisor engine detects that the active supervisor engine is no longer running and becomes active. The standby supervisor engine also can detect if the active supervisor engine is not functioning and can force a reset, if necessary. Once the reset supervisor engine comes up, it behaves as if a hot swap occurred, eventually entering the standby mode.

In the case of a just-inserted supervisor engine module, the newly inserted module communicates with the active supervisor engine after completing its initial module-level diagnostics. Because the active supervisor engine is already switching traffic on the backplane, no switching-bus diagnostics are run for the just-inserted supervisor engine. Running diagnostics would disrupt normal traffic. The just-inserted supervisor engine goes immediately into standby mode. At this point, the active supervisor engine downloads software and configuration information to the standby supervisor engine, if necessary.

Redundant supervisor engine module switchover can occur in five seconds, depending on the number and type of modules in the chassis. Switchover takes place without downloading the code or running diagnostics on line modules. The diagnostics were already run when the previously active supervisor engine brought up the switching modules. Instead, the switching modules perform a soft reset. All supported modules are included in the switchover. If for some reason a module does not support the fast switchover, it resets after the switchover takes place.

This switchover time does not include spanning-tree convergence time.

Viewing Diagnostic Test Results

To view the diagnostic test results for both the standby and active supervisor engines, enter the show test command.

Note On a Supervisor Engine III, the show test command provides information about onboard ASICs that are used to connect two switching buses to support full-rate forwarding between the two buses (the following display is from a Supervisor Engine II). 
Console> (enable) show test 2
Network Management Processor (NMP) Status: (. = Pass, F = Fail, U = Unknown)
  ROM:  .   RAM:  .   DUART: .   Flash-EEPROM: .   Ser-EEPROM: .   NVRAM: .
  FAN:  .   Temperature: .
  PS (3.3V)  .     PS (12V): .   PS (24V): .
 
8051 Diag Status for Module 2(. = Pass, F = Fail, N = N/A)
 CPU         : .    Ext Ram 0: .    Ext Ram 1: .    Ext Ram 2: N
 DPRAM       : .    LTL Ram 0: .    LTL Ram 1: N    LTL Ram 2: N
 BootChecksum: .    CBL Ram 0: .    CBL Ram 1: N    CBL Ram 2: N
 Saints      : .    Pkt Bufs : .    Repeaters: N    Sprom    : .
 SAINT Status :
  Ports 1  2  3
  --------------
        .  .  .
Packet Buffer Status :
  Ports 1  2  3
  --------------
        .  .  .
System Diagnostic Status : (. = Pass, F = Fail, N = N/A)
 Module 2: MCP
 EARL Status :
        NewLearnTest:         .
        IndexLearnTest:       .
        DontForwardTest:      .
        MonitorTest           .
        DontLearn:            .
        FlushPacket:          .
        ConditionalLearn:     .
        EarlLearnDiscard:     .
 PMD Loopback Status :
  Ports 1  2  3 
  --------------
        .  .  . 
Console> (enable)

Resetting Supervisors

If the standby supervisor detects irregularities in the active supervisor, the standby supervisor takes control and resets the system. Once the active supervisor comes up again, it enters standby mode.

To switch from the active to the standby supervisor engine, enter the reset mod_num command:

Console> (enable) reset 1
----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8
This command will force a switch-over to the standby supervisor module
and disconnect your telnet session.
Do you want to continue (y/n) [n]? y
Connection closed by foreign host.
host%

Identifying the Active Supervisor

To determine which supervisor engine is active, enter the show module command. The following example shows the display for the second supervisor module when you enter the show module command:

Note On a Supervisor Engine III, the show module command provides information about the encoded address recognition logic (EARL) and uplink modules (the following display is from a Supervisor Engine II).

Console> show module

----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8

Mod Module-Name Ports Module-Type Model Serial-Num Status

--- -------------------- ----- ------------------- -------- ---------- ------

1 Supervisor 2 100BaseTX Supervisor WS-X5006 001040409 ok

2 Supervisor 2 100BaseTX Supervisor WS-X5006 001040410 standby

5 Management 12 100BaseFX Ethernet WS-X5111 000023012 ok

8 Marketing 24 10BaseT Ethernet WS-X5010 012304930 ok

13 ATM BackBone 1 MM OC-3 ATM WS-X5155 000459238 ok

Mod MAC-Address(es) Hw Fw Sw

--- ---------------------------------------- ------ ------ -------------

1 00-40-0b-90-00-24 thru 00-40-0b-90-04-23 1.3 3.1.2 4.1

2 00-40-0b-90-04-24 thru 00-40-0b-90-08-23 1.3 1.4 4.1

5 00-40-0b-92-9e-04 thru 00-40-0b-92-9e-0f 1.1 1.1 4.1

8 00-40-0b-92-9e-fc thru 00-40-0b-92-9f-13 1.0 1.1 4.1

13 00-40-0b-05-01-48 1.7 2.1 4.1

Console>

Identifying Active Ports

To determine which supervisor engine ports are active, enter the show port command. The following example shows the display for the second supervisor module when you enter the show port command. The ports on the standby supervisor indicate a status of standby.


Console> show port
----+----1----+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7----+----8
Port Name Status Vlan Level Duplex Speed Type
---- -------------------- -------- ---------- ------ ------ ----- ------------
1/1 Management Port connect 1000 high full 100 100 BASE-TX
1/2 InterSwitchLink connect trunk high full 100 100 BASE-TX
2/1 Management Port standby 1000 high full 100 100 BASE-TX
2/2 InterSwitchLink standby trunk high full 100 100 BASE-TX
...

Synchronizing Supervisor Engine III Flash Images

Note For the commands used to modify the Supervisor Engine III boot sequence, see the section "Modifying the Startup Configuration (Supervisor Engine III)" in Chapter 5, "Configuring the Switch."

The runtime image is the image that the ROM monitor uses to boot the Supervisor Engine III module. The boot image is the image listed in the BOOT environment variable that the ROM monitor will use to boot from the next time the system is reset. When the system is powered up or reset, both the runtime image and the boot image are the same. Synchronization ensures that the runtime and boot images on the standby and active supervisor engines are the same.

The Catalyst 5000 series supervisor engine boot image is stored differently in Supervisor Engine II and III modules. Supervisor Engine II modules use 8-MB onboard Flash memory to store a single boot image, and only one boot image can be stored at a time. However, the Supervisor Engine III module has two Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slots in addition to the onboard boot Flash memory; these slots can hold PCMCIA memory cards to store additional boot images.

In the Supervisor Engine II module, the runtime boot file image is always the image stored in the onboard boot Flash. However, since the Supervisor Engine III module has multiple boot devices, it needs to know the name of the runtime boot file image and its location in the Flash device in order to boot and synchronize properly.

The Supervisor Engine II module contains DRAM that is dedicated to storing the boot image. You can download this boot image by using a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) command or by Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) messages sent between the active and standby supervisor engine modules. The Supervisor Engine III module does not have memory dedicated to storing the boot image; rather, the boot image is read directly into the file system on the Flash devices.

Because the Flash memory is treated like a file system on Supervisor Engine III modules, the boot Flash file system is able to store multiple images. The Flash file system devices allow you to perform operations on the files stored in the Flash memory (such as copy, delete, undelete, and so on), and to store the boot image of the active supervisor engine in the standby supervisor engine boot Flash. The valid Flash devices are as follows:

Synchronizing the Runtime and Boot Image

When the system is powered up or reset, both the runtime image and the boot image are the same. After the system powers up, you can change the boot image to a different file by reconfiguring the BOOT environment variable. The boot image changes if the runtime image is deleted or overwritten.

The Supervisor Engine III module can have different runtime and boot images. For example, if the current boot image and runtime image are the same, and you change the BOOT environment variable or overwrite or destroy the current boot image on the Flash device that was used to boot the system, the runtime and boot images will not be the same. Whenever the boot image is reconfigured, the active supervisor engine always synchronizes its current boot image with that of the standby supervisor engine.

Understanding the Synchronization Process

Certain events initiate the synchronization of the runtime and boot images on the active and standby Supervisor Engine III modules. Some of these events are as follows:

The active supervisor engine synchronizes its runtime image with the standby supervisor engine if the timestamps of their respective runtime images differ when the system is booted or reset.
The active supervisor synchronizes its boot image with the standby supervisor engine if the timestamps of their respective boot images differ when the system is booted or reset, or if you change the BOOT environment variable.
If you overwrite the current boot image stored on one of the Flash devices, the file system management module detects this event and calls the Flash synchronization function. The active supervisor engine then synchronizes its new boot image to the standby supervisor engine.
If you change the BOOT environment variables to specify a different default boot image, the active supervisor initiates boot-image synchronization. The NVRAM module detects this event and calls the Flash synchronization function with the next probable bootfile name by looking at the boot configuration parameter.
If you change the Flash device on either the active or standby supervisor engine and the new Flash device contains a boot image that has the same name (but a different timestamp) as the boot image from the previous Flash device, the Flash file management module calls the Flash synchronization function.
If you delete the current runtime image from the Flash device, the Flash file management module prompts you to verify that you want to delete the current runtime image. If you confirm the deletion, the Flash file management module initiates the Flash synchronization function and informs the NVRAM configuration module of the change. The NVRAM configuration module then examines the BOOT environment variable to determine the next probable image to be booted. After finding the next probable image name, it calls the Flash synchronization function using the new image name.

Understanding Configuration Guidelines and Restrictions

Certain events cause image synchronization between redundant Supervisor Engine III modules to fail or to produce unexpected results. Some of these events are as follows:

When you download a new image to the active supervisor engine, it is copied to a file system (in boot Flash or on one of the Flash cards in the PCMCIA slots). Since you may or may not have configured this image as the boot image, the newly downloaded image is not copied to the standby supervisor engine automatically.
To initiate the synchronization function between the active and standby supervisor engines, you must configure this newly downloaded image as the boot image on the active supervisor engine and then reset the system.
If the active supervisor is unable to find the current runtime image on any of the Flash devices, it signals an error condition. In this case, if the standby supervisor is inserted or reset, Flash synchronization does not occur. In addition, the STATUS LED on the standby supervisor engine turns red and the system generates a syslog error message.
If you have a Supervisor Engine II and a Supervisor Engine III installed as the active and standby supervisor engines in the same chassis, their boot images are not synchronized because their images are in different formats.
If the active supervisor engine is in slot 2 and the standby supervisor engine is in slot 1 and you change the configuration to specify a new boot image and then reset the system, the supervisor engine in slot 1 becomes the active supervisor and loads its default boot image, cancelling the configuration changes you have just made. To avoid this problem, the system prompts you for Flash synchronization as soon as you change the boot file configuration.

Synchronizing the Runtime and Boot Image Examples

The following examples show what happens when the synchronization function encounters certain conditions. These examples are not intended to cover every possible condition.

Note In these examples, the number "1" following "bootflash:f1," for example, indicates the number of attempted TFTP boot retries. Supervisor Engine III does not support TFTP booting. The number is included in these examples to be consistent with Cisco IOS conventions.

Synchronizing the Runtime Image with the Bootstring

This section contains four examples in which the active supervisor engine runtime image attempts to synchronize with the standby supervisor engine.

Example 1: Runtime image not synchronized

The configuration for example 1 is as follows:

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1, 1
Bootflash: f1

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1, 1
Bootflash: f1
Example 2: File copied, bootstring changed, standby supervisor reset

The configuration for example 2 is as follows:

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1, 1
Bootflash: f1

Runtime image:

bootflash:f2
Boot string: bootflash:f2, 1
Bootflash: f2
Example 3: File not copied, bootstring changed, standby supervisor reset

The configuration for example 3 is as follows:

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1, 1
Bootflash: f1

Runtime image:

bootflash:f2
Boot string: bootflash:f2, 1
Bootflash: f1,f2
Example 4: Oldest bootflash file deleted, bootflash squeezed

The configuration for example 4 is as follows:

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1, 1
Bootflash: f1

Runtime image:

bootflash:f2
Boot string: bootflash:f2,1;
Bootflash: f2, f3, f4 (less than 1 MB left on device)

Synchronizing the Boot Image on the Active and Standby Supervisor Engine III Modules

This section contains four examples in which the bootstrings on the active and standby Supervisor Engine III modules are synchronized.

Example 1: Unable to allocate the boot image

The configuration for this example is as follows:

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1,1;
Bootflash: f1

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1,1;
Bootflash: f1
Example 2: File copied, bootflash modified, standby supervisor not reset

The configuration for this example is as follows:

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1,1;
Bootflash: f1,f2

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1,1;
Bootflash: f1
Example 3: File not copied, bootstring modified, standby supervisor not reset

The configuration for this example is as follows:

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1,1;
Bootflash: f1,f2

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1,1;
Bootflash: f1,f2
Example 4: File copied, oldest file deleted, bootflash squeezed, bootstring modified, standby supervisor not reset

The configuration for this example is as follows:

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1,1;
Bootflash: f1,f2

Runtime image:

bootflash:f1
Boot string: bootflash:f1,1;
Bootflash: f0,f1,f3 (less than 1 MB left on device)

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