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Administration Guide

System update

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System update

To update FortiNAC, download the most recent FortiNAC software distribution. Connection settings must be configured for access to the server where the download is hosted.

The database is automatically backed up during the update process.

High availability environment

To update your servers in a high availability environment note the following:

  • The primary server must be running and in control in order to update the system.
  • The secondary server(s) must be running.
  • The primary server must be able to communicate with the secondary server(s).
  • The primary server automatically updates the secondary server(s).
  • If the secondary server(s) is in control, FortiNAC prevents you from updating and displays a message with detailed instructions indicating that the Primary must be running and in control.

Update the primary server following the instructions shown here for a regular update.

If you have a FortiNAC Control Manager that manages your FortiNAC servers, you can run the update from the FortiNAC Control Manager and select all managed servers to propagate the update throughout your environment.

Configure settings

Configure the connection settings for the download location so the Auto-Def Synchronizer, Agent packages, and the Software Distribution Updates can be completed. You need to change the default settings if another server is used to host the auto-definition or updated distribution files.

  1. Click System > Settings.
  2. Expand the Updates folder.
  3. Select System from the tree.
  4. Go to the System Update Settings section of the screen.
  5. Use the table below to enter the update settings.
  6. Contact Customer Support for the correct login credentials.
  7. Click Test to check that the settings allow connection to the auto-definition directory and the product distribution directory.

    Note

    Refer to the System Update Settings section of the Release Notes on our website for information about the distribution directory for the specific version you wish to download and install.

  8. Once connection to the server is established, click Save Settings.
Settings

Field

Definition

Host

IP address, host name, or fully qualified name of the server that is hosting the updates.

Auto-Definition
Directory

The sub-directory where the weekly antivirus and operating system updates are located. Default setting for this field is a period (.). If you are downloading these files from a server on your network, specify the directory containing the updates.

If you prefer to download and install updates on a delayed schedule, you can choose system updates from one, two, three or four weeks ago by modifying this field with an additional sub-directory. For example, entering /week1 gives you an update that is one week old. Available directories are:

  • ./week1 contains updates that are one week old.
  • ./week2 contains updates that are two weeks old.
  • ./week3 contains updates that are three weeks old.
  • ./week4 contains updates that are four weeks old.

Product Distribution Directory

The sub-directory where the product software files are located. This field will vary depending on the version of the software being updated.

A forward slash (/) may be required in the path configuration. Click Test to confirm the configuration.

Refer to the FortiNACRelease Notes for information about the distribution directory for the specific version package you wish to download and install.

Agent Distribution Directory

The sub-directory where the Agent update files are located. This field will vary depending on the version of the software being updated. A forward slash (/) may be required in the path configuration. Click Test to confirm the configuration.

Refer to the FortiNACRelease Notes for information about the distribution directory for the specific version package you wish to download and install.

User

The user name for the connection.

Password

The password for the connection.

Protocol

  • HTTP
  • HTTPS
  • SFTP - This option has been deprecated and no longer works. It will be removed in a future release.
  • FTP
  • PFTP

Buttons

Test

Tests the connection between the FortiNAC program and the update server.

Revert To Defaults

Returns the window to the factory default settings.

Download

To update the software on the appliance, download the distribution files to the appliance.

  1. Click System > Settings.
  2. Expand the Updates folder.
  3. Select System from the tree.
  4. Click Download. FortiNAC automatically connects to the download server and retrieves a list of the files available for download. FortiNAC displays a warning message if no update files are found.
  5. Scroll through the list of files available for download. Select the most recent distribution file and then click Download. Available distribution files are listed in order by version number with the most recent number at the top of the list.
  6. Click Download to start the download process. This process runs in the background and closes automatically.

Install

Once the distribution files have been downloaded to the appliance, you must manually start the installation. Since the update process restarts the appliance, choose a time to install the update when it will have the least impact on services. The update takes several minutes.

  1. Click System > Settings.
  2. Expand the Updates folder.
  3. Select System from the tree.
  4. Click Install.
  5. Select the distribution file from the drop-down list and click Update.
  6. Verify that the update was successful by checking the version number for the currently installed version.

    From the admin UI:

    • Click the Help and select About.
    • Verify that the version number matches the update that was selected and installed.

    From the CLI:

    • Enter the following at the command line prompt:master; cat .version.
    • Verify that the build date matches the update that was selected and installed.

Show log

A log of the updates is maintained during installation. To view the logs, after installation, click Show Log and select the date of the installation.

In a high availability configuration, the update log files are located on the primary appliance, since the primary appliance must be in control during an update.

  1. Click System > Settings.
  2. Expand the Updates folder.
  3. Select System from the tree.
  4. Click Show Log.
  5. Select the Date from the list.
  6. The log detail displays in the view.
  7. Close the window.

System update

To update FortiNAC, download the most recent FortiNAC software distribution. Connection settings must be configured for access to the server where the download is hosted.

The database is automatically backed up during the update process.

High availability environment

To update your servers in a high availability environment note the following:

  • The primary server must be running and in control in order to update the system.
  • The secondary server(s) must be running.
  • The primary server must be able to communicate with the secondary server(s).
  • The primary server automatically updates the secondary server(s).
  • If the secondary server(s) is in control, FortiNAC prevents you from updating and displays a message with detailed instructions indicating that the Primary must be running and in control.

Update the primary server following the instructions shown here for a regular update.

If you have a FortiNAC Control Manager that manages your FortiNAC servers, you can run the update from the FortiNAC Control Manager and select all managed servers to propagate the update throughout your environment.

Configure settings

Configure the connection settings for the download location so the Auto-Def Synchronizer, Agent packages, and the Software Distribution Updates can be completed. You need to change the default settings if another server is used to host the auto-definition or updated distribution files.

  1. Click System > Settings.
  2. Expand the Updates folder.
  3. Select System from the tree.
  4. Go to the System Update Settings section of the screen.
  5. Use the table below to enter the update settings.
  6. Contact Customer Support for the correct login credentials.
  7. Click Test to check that the settings allow connection to the auto-definition directory and the product distribution directory.

    Note

    Refer to the System Update Settings section of the Release Notes on our website for information about the distribution directory for the specific version you wish to download and install.

  8. Once connection to the server is established, click Save Settings.
Settings

Field

Definition

Host

IP address, host name, or fully qualified name of the server that is hosting the updates.

Auto-Definition
Directory

The sub-directory where the weekly antivirus and operating system updates are located. Default setting for this field is a period (.). If you are downloading these files from a server on your network, specify the directory containing the updates.

If you prefer to download and install updates on a delayed schedule, you can choose system updates from one, two, three or four weeks ago by modifying this field with an additional sub-directory. For example, entering /week1 gives you an update that is one week old. Available directories are:

  • ./week1 contains updates that are one week old.
  • ./week2 contains updates that are two weeks old.
  • ./week3 contains updates that are three weeks old.
  • ./week4 contains updates that are four weeks old.

Product Distribution Directory

The sub-directory where the product software files are located. This field will vary depending on the version of the software being updated.

A forward slash (/) may be required in the path configuration. Click Test to confirm the configuration.

Refer to the FortiNACRelease Notes for information about the distribution directory for the specific version package you wish to download and install.

Agent Distribution Directory

The sub-directory where the Agent update files are located. This field will vary depending on the version of the software being updated. A forward slash (/) may be required in the path configuration. Click Test to confirm the configuration.

Refer to the FortiNACRelease Notes for information about the distribution directory for the specific version package you wish to download and install.

User

The user name for the connection.

Password

The password for the connection.

Protocol

  • HTTP
  • HTTPS
  • SFTP - This option has been deprecated and no longer works. It will be removed in a future release.
  • FTP
  • PFTP

Buttons

Test

Tests the connection between the FortiNAC program and the update server.

Revert To Defaults

Returns the window to the factory default settings.

Download

To update the software on the appliance, download the distribution files to the appliance.

  1. Click System > Settings.
  2. Expand the Updates folder.
  3. Select System from the tree.
  4. Click Download. FortiNAC automatically connects to the download server and retrieves a list of the files available for download. FortiNAC displays a warning message if no update files are found.
  5. Scroll through the list of files available for download. Select the most recent distribution file and then click Download. Available distribution files are listed in order by version number with the most recent number at the top of the list.
  6. Click Download to start the download process. This process runs in the background and closes automatically.

Install

Once the distribution files have been downloaded to the appliance, you must manually start the installation. Since the update process restarts the appliance, choose a time to install the update when it will have the least impact on services. The update takes several minutes.

  1. Click System > Settings.
  2. Expand the Updates folder.
  3. Select System from the tree.
  4. Click Install.
  5. Select the distribution file from the drop-down list and click Update.
  6. Verify that the update was successful by checking the version number for the currently installed version.

    From the admin UI:

    • Click the Help and select About.
    • Verify that the version number matches the update that was selected and installed.

    From the CLI:

    • Enter the following at the command line prompt:master; cat .version.
    • Verify that the build date matches the update that was selected and installed.

Show log

A log of the updates is maintained during installation. To view the logs, after installation, click Show Log and select the date of the installation.

In a high availability configuration, the update log files are located on the primary appliance, since the primary appliance must be in control during an update.

  1. Click System > Settings.
  2. Expand the Updates folder.
  3. Select System from the tree.
  4. Click Show Log.
  5. Select the Date from the list.
  6. The log detail displays in the view.
  7. Close the window.