The request system software validate command is designed to validate a ​candidate image against the current configuration on devices running Junos OS before upgrading the software code. However when the command is executed, it results in upgrade failure on QFX10000 Series platforms.

This article gives the reason for the upgrade to fail and provides a recommendation on what must be done.

When a customer attempts to upgrade a QFX10000 device and executes the request system software validate command before running the request system software add command, the first command succeeds but causes the subsequent upgrade command to fail.

root@jtac-QFX> request system software validate /var/tmp/jinstall-host-qfx-10-f-flex-x86-64-17.3R3-S3.3-secure-signed.tgz
Verified jinstall-host-qfx-10-f-flex-x86-64-17.3R3-S3.3-secure-signed signed by PackageProductionEc_2018 method ECDSA256+SHA256
Pushing Junos image package to the host...
Installing /var/tmp/install-media-qfx-10-junos-17.3R3-S3.3-secure.tgz
Extracting the package ...
total 1164064
-rw-r--r-- 1 20607 758 236920480 May 15 15:46 jinstall-qfx-10-junos-17.3R3-S3.3-secure-linux.tgz
-rw-r--r-- 1 20607 758 955069453 May 15 15:47 jinstall-qfx-10-junos-17.3R3-S3.3-secure-app.tgz

============================================
Current Host kernel version : 3.14.52-rt50-WR7.0.0.9_ovp
Package Host kernel version : 3.14.52-rt50-WR7.0.0.9_ovp
Current Host version        : 3.0.5
Package Host version        : 3.0.5
Min host version required for applications: 3.0.5
Skipping Host OS upgrade!
============================================

Setting up Junos host applications for installation ...

JUNOS OS upgrade staged. Reboot the system to complete installation!

Initializing...
Mounting os-libs-10-x86-64-20180911.6c98660_builder_stable_10
Mounting os-runtime-x86-64-20180911.6c98660_builder_stable_10
Mounting os-zoneinfo-x86-64-20180911.6c98660_builder_stable_10
Mounting os-libs-compat32-10-x86-64-20180911.6c98660_builder_stable_10
Mounting os-compat32-x86-64-20180911.6c98660_builder_stable_10
Mounting py-extensions-x86-32-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting py-base-x86-32-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting os-vmguest-x86-64-20180911.6c98660_builder_stable_10
Mounting os-crypto-x86-64-20180911.6c98660_builder_stable_10
Mounting junos-net-prd-x86-64-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting junos-libs-x86-64-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting junos-libs-compat32-x86-64-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting junos-runtime-x86-32-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting junos-runtime-qfx-x86-32-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting junos-platform-x86-32-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting junos-platform-qfx-x86-32-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting junos-modules-x86-64-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting junos-modules-qfx-x86-64-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting junos-dp-crypto-support-qfx-x86-32-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting junos-daemons-x86-64-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting junos-daemons-qfx-x86-64-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting jsdn-x86-32-17.3R3-S3.3
Mounting jsd-x86-32-17.3R3-S3.3-jet-1
Mounting jpuppet-3.6.1_3.0_x86-32
Mounting jpfe-qfx-x86-32-x86-32-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting jpfe-common-x86-32-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting jfirmware-x86-32-17.3R3-S3.3
Mounting jdocs-x86-32-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting fips-mode-x86-32-20190110.142452_builder_junos_173_r3_s3
Mounting chef-11.10.4_2.0_x86-32
Hardware Database regeneration succeeded
Validating against /config/juniper.conf.gz
mgd: commit complete
Validation succeeded

{master:0}
root@jtac-QFX> 

{master:0}
root@jtac-QFX> request system software add /var/tmp/jinstall-host-qfx-10-f-flex-x86-64-17.3R3-S3.3-secure-signed.tgz
Verified jinstall-host-qfx-10-f-flex-x86-64-17.3R3-S3.3-secure-signed signed by PackageProductionEc_2018 method ECDSA256+SHA256
Pushing Junos image package to the host...
ERROR: There is a pending upgrade. upgrade_in_progress=appupgrade_stage
ERROR: Please reboot the system to complete the installation or rollback before attempting another upgrade
ERROR: Failed to add jinstall-host-qfx-10-f-flex-x86-64-17.3R3-S3.3-secure-signed.tgz

The upgrade command fails because request system software validate is currently not supported on QFX10000 and QFX5200 Series devices. See PR1319002 .

It is recommended not to use the request system software validate command on QFX10000 and QFX5200 Series devices.

Note that the same command will be removed from platform CLI command lines in Junos OS releases 18.1R1, 17.2X75-D42, 18.2X75-D5, 17.3R4, 17.4R3, and later.