Upon upgrading the software of EX2300 and EX3400 switches, administrators may observe the disappearance of logs after the upgrade maintenance windows. This article aims to address this issue and provide potential solutions.

• After upgrading the software on EX2300 and EX3400 switches, administrators may find that the logs are no longer available. This occurs specifically after the upgrade maintenance windows.
• One possible cause for this issue is the disabling or deletion of the "set system services ftp" command. Although the command may persist after the upgrade maintenance windows, it is necessary for transferring the JunOS image using WinSCP or FileZilla.
• It is likely that the logs were cleared to free up storage space, as discussed in the article "[EX] Not enough storage while upgrading Junos EX2300 and EX3400." These logs are valuable for identifying who enabled or configured FTP.
• Furthermore, it is possible that the logs were cleared by entering the command "request system storage cleanup" on any switch.

To mitigate the impact of log loss and ensure the preservation of valuable data, administrators are strongly advised to proactively implement the following measures:

1. Back up the /var/log/ directory both before and after significant hardware, software, or configuration changes carried out during maintenance windows. This step ensures data preservation and provides a fallback in case logs are inadvertently cleared.
2. Explore alternative file transfer methods to overcome potential limitations. Two recommended approaches are as follows:
   1. Secure file transfer using the shell command "scp": An example command is: "scp /var/tmp/RSI.txt [email protected]:/var/directory." This method allows administrators to securely transfer files and backup configurations to an archive site using SCP. How to back up a configuration to an archive site using SCP
   2. Uploading files directly to the Juniper support portal using SFTP: This method proves useful when dealing with large files and facilitates the process of sharing data with JTAC support. Detailed instructions for utilizing this approach can be found in the article titled "How to upload large files to a JTAC support case using SFTP."

By adopting these recommended practices and exploring alternative file transfer methods, administrators can proactively safeguard logs, maintain a comprehensive record of system activities, and effectively address the challenges associated with log loss following software upgrades on EX2300 and EX3400 switches.

06-30-2023: KB created