Performing an In-Service Upgrade and Patch Loading for APs

Context

To upgrade the functions or versions of an existing WLAN, perform an in-service upgrade for APs or load patches on the WLAN.

In an in-service upgrade, an AP is in normal or ver-mismatch state. If the AP finds that its version is different from the version of the AP upgrade file specified on the AC, the AP starts to upgrade its version.

In an in-service upgrade, APs support several upgrade modes, including single AP upgrade, AP type-based upgrade, and AP group-based upgrade.

Upgrade of a single AP: allows you to upgrade a single AP to check whether the upgrade version can function properly. If the upgrade is successful, upgrade other APs in batches.
AP type-based upgrade: allows you to upgrade APs of the same type.
AP group-based upgrade: allows you to upgrade APs in the same AP group.
Channel group-based AP upgrade: allows you to upgrade APs in the same channel-based partition. To perform an in-service upgrade for all APs on the entire network, you can divide APs into different partitions based on channels and reset the APs by partition in sequence after loading the target version files to all APs. This prevents network service interruption caused by resetting a large number of APs. When APs are reset by partition, surrounding APs automatically fill coverage holes to ensure service continuity. For service continuity, ensure that at least two APs are deployed in one place.
APs with the same channel are grouped into the same channel-based partition. The details are as follows:
- If both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios of APs are enabled, divide APs based on the 5 GHz channel.
- If the 2.4 GHz radio of APs is disabled and the 5 GHz radio is enabled, divide the APs based on the 5 GHz channel.
- If the 2.4 GHz radio of APs is enabled and the 5 GHz radio is disabled, divide the APs based on the 2.4 GHz channel.
- If the two 5 GHz radios of APs are enabled, divide the APs based on the 5 GHz channel with a smaller radio ID.
- Add a central AP and all RUs connected to it to the same channel-based partition.
In dual-AC scenarios, when APs are upgraded by channel-based partition, you can specify the IP address of the AC with which APs re-establish links after the APs are reset.

Similar to the in-service upgrade, in-service patch loading allows you to load the patch for a single AP, APs of a specified type, or APs in a specified AP group.

In an in-service upgrade, if APs fail to load the upgrade file and are reset, APs are upgraded automatically.
Upgrading multiple APs in batches or loading patches in AC mode takes a long period of time. To reduce the service interruption time, you are advised to use the FTP or SFTP mode.
If the AP space is insufficient during an upgrade, the system automatically deletes redundant system software, patch files, and corefile folders from the AP. Run the display startup command on the AP to check the system software and patch files for the current and next startups. The system software and patch files that are not listed in the command output are redundant files.

Prerequisites

The AP version file has been uploaded to the AC, SFTP server, or FTP server.

Procedure

Run system-view
The system view is displayed.
Run wlan
The WLAN view is displayed.
Run the following commands as required:
- AC mode
  
  Run ap update mode ac-mode
  
  The AP upgrade mode is set to AC mode.
  
  The default upgrade mode is ac-mode.
  
  If the source AP version is V200R008 or earlier, the APs cannot be upgraded in AC mode.
- FTP mode
  1. Run ap update mode ftp-mode
    
    The AP upgrade mode is set to FTP mode.
    
    The default upgrade mode is ac-mode.
  2. Run ap update ftp-server ip-address server-ip-address ftp-username ftp-username ftp-password cipher ftp-password
    
    Basic FTP information is configured.
    
    By default, no IP address, user name, or password is configured for the FTP server.
  3. Run ap update ftp-server max-connect-number max-connect-number
    
    The maximum number of APs to be upgraded simultaneously is configured.
    
    By default, a maximum of 50 APs can be upgraded simultaneously in FTP mode.
    An external FTP server can be used, which is recommended. The AC can also function as the FTP server.
    When an external FTP server is used, the maximum number of APs that can be upgraded simultaneously is the configured max-connect-number.
    If an AC is used as the FTP server, a maximum of five APs can be upgraded simultaneously even if the specified number is larger than five.
    
    When the AC functions as the FTP server, run the ap update ftp-server max-connect-number max-connect-number command to set the maximum number of APs that can be upgraded simultaneously. The value of max-connect-number is an integer ranging from 1 to 5. During the upgrade, a maximum of 1 to 5 APs can be upgraded at a time until all APs are upgraded.
    
    If the configured number of APs to be upgraded simultaneously is larger than five, an error message will be displayed after the first five APs are upgraded. The remaining APs cannot be automatically upgraded. You have to repeat the command until all APs are upgraded.
    
    If there are n login VTY users, the maximum number of APs that can be upgraded simultaneously is subtracted by n - 1.
- SFTP mode
  1. Run ap update mode sftp-mode
    
    The AP upgrade mode is set to SFTP mode.
    
    The default upgrade mode is ac-mode.
  2. Run ap update sftp-server ip-address server-ip-address sftp-username sftp-username sftp-password cipher sftp-password
    
    Basic SFTP information is configured.
    
    By default, no IP address, user name, or password is configured for the SFTP server.
  3. Run ap update sftp-server max-connect-number max-connect-number
    
    The maximum number of APs to be upgraded simultaneously is configured.
    
    By default, a maximum of 50 APs can be upgraded simultaneously in SFTP mode.
    An external SFTP server can be used, which is recommended. The AC can also function as the SFTP server.
    When an external SFTP server is used, the maximum number of APs that can be upgraded simultaneously is the configured max-connect-number.
    If an AC is used as the SFTP server, a maximum of five APs can be upgraded simultaneously even if the specified number is larger than five.
    
    When the AC functions as the SFTP server, run the ap update sftp-server max-connect-number max-connect-number command to set the maximum number of APs that can be upgraded simultaneously. The value of max-connect-number is an integer ranging from 1 to 5. During the upgrade, a maximum of 1 to 5 APs can be upgraded at a time until all APs are upgraded.
    
    If max-connect-number is set larger than 5, an error message will be displayed after the first five APs are upgraded. The remaining APs cannot be automatically upgraded. You have to repeat the command until all APs are upgraded.
    
    If there are n login VTY users, the maximum number of APs that can be upgraded simultaneously is subtracted by n - 1.
Configure the in-service upgrade.
- Perform an in-service upgrade on a single AP.
  1. Run ap update load { ap-name ap-name | ap-mac ap-mac | ap-id ap-id } update-filename update-file-name
    
    The specified AP is upgraded.
  2. Run ap update reset { ap-name ap-name | ap-mac ap-mac | ap-id ap-id }
    
    The specified AP is reset for upgrade.
- Upgrade APs of the same AP type.
  1. Run ap update update-filename filename ap-type type-id [ ap-group ap-group-name ]
    
    The upgrade file name for APs of a specified type is specified.
  2. Run ap update multi-load ap-type type-id [ ap-group group-name | { ap-name ap-name | ap-id ap-id } &<1-10> ]
    APs of the same type are upgraded in batches.
  3. Run ap update multi-reset ap-type type-id [ ap-group group-name | { ap-name ap-name | ap-id ap-id } &<1-10> ]
    APs of the same type are reset in batches.
- Upgrade APs in the specified AP group in batches.
  1. Run ap update update-filename filename ap-type type-id [ ap-group ap-group-name ]
    
    The upgrade file name for APs in an AP group is specified.
  2. Run ap update multi-load ap-group group-name [ { ap-name ap-name } &<1-10> | { ap-id ap-id } &<1-10> ]
    APs in the specified AP group are upgraded in batches.
  3. Run ap update multi-reset ap-group group-name [ { ap-name ap-name } &<1-10> | { ap-id ap-id } &<1-10> ]
    APs in the specified AP group are reset in batches.
- Upgrade APs by channel-based partition.
  1. Run ap update update-filename filename ap-type type-id [ ap-group ap-group-name ]
    The upgrade file name for APs is specified.
  2. Run ap update multi-load ap-type type-id [ ap-group group-name | { ap-name ap-name | ap-id ap-id } &<1-10> ]
    Or
    
    ap update multi-load ap-group group-name [ { ap-name ap-name } &<1-10> | { ap-id ap-id } &<1-10> ]
    
    APs are upgraded in batches.
  3. Run ap update multi-reset { partition { all | partition-id partition-id } | ap-id ap-id } [ primary-access { ipv4 ipv4-address | ipv6 ipv6-address } ]
    APs are reset by channel-based partition, and the IP address of the AC to which the APs re-establish links is specified.
Perform in-service patch loading.
- Perform in-service patch loading for a single AP.
  
  Run ap-patch update load { ap-name ap-name | ap-mac ap-mac | ap-id ap-id } update-filename update-file-name
  
  The patch is loaded for the specified AP.
- Load the patch for APs of the same AP type.
  1. Run ap-patch update update-filename filename ap-type type-id [ ap-group ap-group-name ]
    
    The patch file name for APs of a specified type is specified.
  2. Run ap-patch update multi-load ap-type type-id [ ap-group group-name | { ap-name ap-name | ap-id ap-id } &<1-10> ]
    The patch is loaded for APs of a specified type.
- Load the patch for APs in the same AP group.
  1. Run ap-patch update update-filename filename ap-type type-id [ ap-group ap-group-name ]
    
    The patch file name for APs in an AP group is specified.
  2. Run ap-patch update multi-load ap-group group-name [ { ap-name ap-name } &<1-10> | { ap-id ap-id } &<1-10> ]
    The patch is loaded for APs in the same AP group.
To uninstall a patch, run the undo command of the preceding commands.