This article describes the procedure to upgrade the Jloader (U-Boot) firmware on both U-Boot partitions of a QFX3500 switch running Junos. Since the QFX3500 maintains two U-Boot partitions for redundancy, both must be updated independently to ensure consistency and prevent a partition mismatch after a reboot or failover.

The article covers how to:

 - Identify the active Junos boot partition (/dev/da0s1a or /dev/da0s2a) using show system storage.
 - Determine the current U-Boot partition and Jloader version from shell mode using kenv | grep boot.
 - Perform the Jloader firmware upgrade on both U-Boot partitions to complete the process.

Use the commands below to determine the Junos partition that the device has booted from AND the jloader version. This information is needed for the next step.

This example shows that Junos partition is /dev/da0s2a and the current uboot partition is “0”.

1. 1. show system storage - this command tells us from which partition the Junos OS has booted from :

      {master:0}
root@rod-la-p-r> show system storage
fpc0:
———————————————————————————
Filesystem Size Used Avail Capacity Mounted on
/dev/da0s2a 457M 224M 196M 53% / =========== = >>>>> It has booted from /dev/da0s2a

   2. kenv | grep boot - Log into the QFX3500 Switch and enter shell mode <issue "<code> start shell" from cli prompt>.  Enter kenv | grep boot to find the current uboot partition. We recommend using a console connection.

       

      root@rod-la-p-r:RE:0% kenv | grep boot
boot.version="1.1.4" =========== >>>>>>> This shows the jloader version of the current uboot 0. (From this command, we will not know the uboot partition, we are assuming that, we are in uboot partition 0)

For additional details, please refer Solution section. 

Before you upgrade

1. Check the jloader version on uboot banks. For more information, refer to KB30796 - How to check the jloader version on uboot banks of QFX3500 [juniper.net] .
2. Confirm that the same version of Junos OS is running on the primary and backup partition.  To do this, run the following commands:
    
   root> show system storage
fpc0:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Filesystem Size Used Avail Capacity Mounted on
/dev/da0s2a 401M 191M 178M 52% /

root> show version
fpc0:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Model: qfx3500s
JUNOS Base OS boot [13.2X51-D35.3]
JUNOS Base OS Software Suite [13.2X51-D35.3]
JUNOS Kernel Software Suite [13.2X51-D35.3]
JUNOS Crypto Software Suite [13.2X51-D35.3]
JUNOS Online Documentation [13.2X51-D35.3]
JUNOS Enterprise Software Suite [13.2X51-D35.3]
JUNOS Packet Forwarding Engine Support (qfx-3) [13.2X51-D35.3]
JUNOS Routing Software Suite [13.2X51-D35.3]
JUNOS py-base-xlr [13.2X51-D35.3]
JUNOS loader upgrade [13.3-20130831_pr_branch_qfd.0]

root> show system snapshot slice alternate
fpc0:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information for snapshot on internal (da0s1)
Creation date: Mar 4 01:42:38 2016
JUNOS version on snapshot:
jbase : 13.2X51-D35.3
jcrypto: qfx-13.2X51-D35.3
jdocs : qfx-13.2X51-D35.3
jkernel: qfx-3-13.2X51-D35.3
jloader-qfx: 12.1-20120125_pr.0
jpfe : qfx-3-13.2X51-D35.3
jroute : qfx-3-13.2X51-D35.3
jswitch: qfx-3-13.2X51-D35.3
py-  base-xlr: 13.2X51-D35.3
    

Jloader Upgrade Procedure

Important Notes:

• The QFX3500 has two banks for the Jloader image and requires that both are upgraded. The procedure listed provides the steps for upgrading both banks.
• For Junos 11.3R1 and 11.3R2, the jloader image has to be installed using the no-validate option, or else the installation will fail with incompatible configuration error. This is not required for Junos 11.3R3 and above.
• Following the completion of the jloader upgrade for the first bank, the package will be deleted after the reboot and will need to be downloaded or copied from /var/sw/pkg so that it is available for the upgrade of the second bank.

Now, we have upgraded the jloader on the “uboot partition 1” to 1.1.8 and also booted from the “uboot partition 1”.

1. Download the loader software package from the Juniper Networks website and place the software package on an internal software distribution site or in a local directory on the switch. We recommend using /var/tmp as the local directory on the switch.
   NOTE: The jloader image can be downloaded from PSN-2011-05-258 link listed below.
2. Use the commands below to determine the Junos partition that the device has booted from AND the jloader version. This information is needed for the next step.
   
   This example shows that Junos partition is /dev/da0s2a and the current uboot partition is “0”.
   1. show system storage - this command tells us from which partition the Junos OS has booted from :

      {master:0}
root@rod-la-p-r> show system storage
fpc0:
———————————————————————————
Filesystem Size Used Avail Capacity Mounted on
/dev/da0s2a 457M 224M 196M 53% / =========== = >>>>> It has booted from /dev/da0s2a

   2. kenv | grep boot - Log into the QFX3500 Switch and enter shell mode <issue "<code> start shell" from cli prompt>.  Enter kenv | grep boot to find the current uboot partition. We recommend using a console connection.

       

      root@rod-la-p-r:RE:0% kenv | grep boot
boot.version="1.1.4" =========== >>>>>>> This shows the jloader version of the current uboot 0. (From this command, we will not know the uboot partition, we are assuming that, we are in uboot partition 0)

3. Upgrade the partition.
   TIP: We are upgrading the jloader from partition /dev/da0s2a. The jloader upgrades on the uboot, in the other partition.
   
   Don't worry about the Junos partition. As per our assumption the current uboot partition is “0”, then this upgrade actually happens for the jloader on the uboot partition 1.
   
   A reboot following the install will boot the device from uboot partition 1.
   A reboot after jloader upgrade is actually done to make it boot from the other uboot partition, in this case “uboot partition 1”.
   
   Enter the CLI from shell (type " cli " from shell prompt) and install the loader package:

   user@switch> request system software add package
   Replace package with one of the following paths:

   1. For a software package in the /var/tmp directory on the switch request system software add /var/tmp/jloader-qfx-11.3-20110510.0-signed.tgz no-validate
   2. For a software package on a remote server:
      • ftp://hostname/pathname/jloader-qfx-11.3-20110510.0-signed.tgz
      • http://hostname/pathname/jloader-qfx-11.3-20110510.0-signed.tgz

4. When prompted, reboot the device.
   
   TIP : Installation is complete and reboot is needed to activate the jloader in the respective partition.

   root@rod-la-p-r> request system reboot ================== >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The reboot can also be given directly on the command "request system software add /var/tmp/jloader-qfx-13.3-20130831_pr_branch_qfd.0.tgz reboot"
Reboot the system ? [yes,no] (no) yes

<<<< skipping the reboot messages an showing only the needed>>>>

Partition [1,0] =================================== >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It was in uboot 0 and now upgraded the jloader on uboot 1 and booting from uboot 1.
DRAM MATS Passed (Refer KB KB30796 )

U-Boot 1.1.6 (Build time: Aug 31 2013 - 12:36:40)

5. Verify the junos partition and the Jloader version of the bank from which the uboot has booted.

   root> show system storage
fpc0:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Filesystem Size Used Avail Capacity Mounted on
/dev/da0s1a 401M 191M 179M 52% / ======================= >>>>>>>>>>> booted from the other Junos partition.


root@rod-la-p-r:RE:0% kenv | grep boot
boot.version="1.1.8" =============================== >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> jloader version upgraded .

6. Upgrade the other Uboot Partition

   To upgrade the jloader on the “uboot partition 0”, give the upgrade command without a reboot.  The reason for no reboot is it will upgrade the jloader on the other uboot partition, so with this upgrade, it will install jloader on “uboot partition 0” and it will get activated the next time system is rebooted.

Qfabric node devices:

root> file list /var/sw/pkg/

/var/sw/pkg/:
jloader-qfx-12.1-20120125_pr.0-signed.tgz
jloader-qfx-13.3-20130831_pr_branch_qfd.0.tgz

2021-03-25: Updated the article terminology to align with Juniper's Inclusion & Diversity initiatives.

• PSN-2011-05-258: A batch of QFX3500-48S4Q-ACR units has been identified with a rare thermal edge condition.