Software installation in a multi-chassis network device

• US 8,370,831 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Eng, Wing, Mahajan, Pallavi, Shafer, Philip A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kang, Insun
• Assistant Examiner(s): KRETZMER, ERIKA A
• Application Number:
  US12/825,675
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0863 by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0873 Checking configuration conflicts between network elements

Abstract

A multi-chassis router allows an administrator to install software from a single user interface. The multi-chassis router automatically forwards the software to each chassis within the multi-chassis router when given a single command to install the software from an administrator. The multi-chassis router also automatically validates the software on each chassis. After reporting the results of the validations, the multi-chassis router may wait for the administrator to issue a commit command before committing each chassis within the multi-chassis router to the software. Alternatively, in response to a failed validation or for other reason, an administrator can issue a single ROLLBACK command. This allows each chassis within the multi-chassis router to have the same software during all stages of a software installation and ensures software on each chassis is compatible with software on every other chassis.

Claims

1. A method for installing software in a multi-chassis router comprising:

receiving with a control node associated with the multi-chassis router a command to install software on the multi-chassis router, wherein the multi-chassis router includes a plurality of chassis, wherein each of at least two of the plurality of chassis comprises a set of network interface cards and at least one of the plurality of chassis comprises a switch fabric for routing data among the network interface cards;

automatically downloading the software from the control node to the plurality of chassis in response to the command;

receiving a software validation result from each of the plurality of chassis after downloading the software from the control node to the plurality of chassis in response to the command, wherein the software validation results represent comparisons of current configurations of each of the plurality of chassis with compatibility of the software;

after receiving the validation result from each of the plurality of chassis, sending a commit command to the plurality of chassis from the control node to commit the software on each of the plurality of chassis when each of the validation results received from the plurality of chassis are successful software validation results; and

after receiving the validation result from each of the plurality of chassis, sending a rollback command to the plurality of chassis to cancel the software installation when at least one of the validation results received from the plurality of chassis is a failed software validation result.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a compiled result representing the validation results from each of the plurality of chassis in accordance with a format of a standalone router.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein committing the plurality of chassis to the software comprises:

moving the software into a directory of the plurality of chassis; and

installing the software on each of the plurality of chassis.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a group of commit confirmations, wherein the group of commit confirmations includes a commit confirmation from each of the plurality of chassis; and

producing a compiled response representing the group of commit confirmations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically downloading the software from the control node to the plurality of chassis in response to the command includes copying the software to each of the plurality of chassis sequentially.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a management daemon included in a routing engine in a first chassis of the plurality of chassis.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by an administrative device, wherein the administrative device is connected to the multi-chassis router via a network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving either the commit command or the rollback command from an administrator.

9. A multi-chassis router comprising:

a plurality of chassis, wherein each of at least two of the plurality of chassis comprises a set of network interface cards and at least one of the plurality of chassis comprises a switch fabric for routing data among the network interface cards; and

a control node coupled to the plurality of chassis by communication links;

wherein the control node receives a command to install software on the multi-chassis router, and automatically downloads the software to the plurality of chassis in response to the command,

wherein the control node receives a software validation result from each of the plurality of chassis after downloading the software from the control node to the plurality of chassis in response to the command

wherein the control node is configured to send a commit command to the plurality of chassis to commit the software when a successful validation result is received from each of the chassis,

wherein the successful validation results represent comparisons of current configurations of each of the plurality of chassis with compatibility of the software, and send a rollback command to the plurality of chassis to cancel the software installation when a failed software validation result is received from at least one of the plurality of chassis,

wherein the failed software validation result represents a comparison of a current configuration of at least one of the plurality of chassis with compatibility of the software.

10. The multi-chassis router of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of chassis validates its respective portion of the software.

11. The multi-chassis router of claim 9, wherein the control node outputs a compiled result representing the validation results from each of the plurality of chassis in accordance with a format of a standalone router.

12. The multi-chassis router of claim 9, wherein, in response to the commit command from the control node, the plurality of chassis are each configured to:

move the software into an active directory, and

perform an in service software upgrade to install the software.

13. The multi-chassis router of claim 9, wherein the control node receives either the commit command or the rollback command from an administrator.

14. The multi-chassis router of claim 9, wherein the control node is within a routing engine in a first chassis of the plurality of chassis.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a programmable processor in a network device to:

receive a command to install software on a multi-chassis router, wherein the multi-chassis router includes a plurality of chassis, wherein each of at least two of the plurality of chassis comprises a set of network interface cards and at least one of the plurality of chassis comprises a switch fabric for routing data among the network interface cards;

automatically download the software to the plurality of chassis without manual intervention in response to the command;

receive a software validation result from each of the plurality of chassis after downloading the software to the plurality of chassis in response to the command, wherein the software validation result represents a comparison of a current configuration of at least one of the plurality of chassis with compatibility of the software;

after receiving the validation result from each of the plurality of chassis, send a commit command to the plurality of chassis to commit the software when a successful validation result is received from each of the plurality of chassis; and

after receiving the validation result from each of the plurality of chassis, send a rollback command to the plurality of chassis to cancel the software installation when a failed software validation result is received from at least one of the plurality of chassis.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, comprising further instructions that cause each of the plurality of chassis to validate its respective portion of the software.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, comprising further instructions that cause the programmable processor to output a compiled result representing the validation results from each of the plurality of chassis in accordance with a format of a standalone router.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, comprising further instructions that cause the programmable processor to receive either the commit command or the rollback command from an administrator.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the commit command comprises instructions that cause the programmable processor to:

move the software into a directory in each of the plurality of chassis; and

install the software on each of the plurality of chassis.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, comprising further instructions that cause the programmable processor to:

receive a group of commit confirmations, wherein the group of commit confirmations includes a commit confirmation from each of the plurality of chassis; and

produce a compiled response representing the group of commit confirmations.