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Testing a new firmware image

Testing a new firmware image

You can test a new firmware image before installing it by temporarily running that firmware image from memory, without saving it to disk. By keeping your existing firmware on disk, if the evaluation fails, you do not have to re-install your previous firmware. Instead, you can quickly revert to your existing firmware by simply rebooting the FortiVoice Gateway.

To test a new firmware image
  1. Connect your management computer to the FortiVoice Gateway console port using an RJ-45 to DB-9 serial cable or a null-modem cable.
  2. Initiate a connection from your management computer to the CLI of the FortiVoice Gateway.
  3. Connect port1 of the FortiVoice Gateway directly or to the same subnet as a TFTP server.
  4. Copy the new firmware image file to the root directory of the TFTP server.
  5. Verify that the TFTP server is currently running, and that the FortiVoice Gateway can reach the TFTP server.

    To use the FortiVoice Gateway CLI to verify connectivity, enter the following command:

    execute ping 192.168.2.99

    where 192.168.2.99 is the IP address of the TFTP server.

  6. Enter the following command to restart the FortiVoice Gateway:

    execute reboot

  7. As the FortiVoice Gateway starts, a series of system startup messages are displayed.

    Press any key to display configuration menu........

  8. Immediately press a key to interrupt the system startup.
  9. Caution You have only 3 seconds to press a key. If you do not press a key soon enough, the FortiVoice Gateway reboots and you must log in and repeat the execute reboot command.

    If you successfully interrupt the startup process, the following messages appears:

    [G]: Get firmware image from TFTP server.

    [F]: Format boot device.

    [B]: Boot with backup firmware and set as default.

    [I]: Configuration and information.

    [Q]: Quit menu and continue to boot with default firmware.

    [H]: Display this list of options.

    Enter G,F,B,I,Q,or H:

  10. Type G to get the firmware image from the TFTP server.

    The following message appears:

    Enter TFTP server address [192.168.2.99]:

  11. Type the IP address of the TFTP server and press Enter.

    The following message appears:

    Enter Local Address [192.168.2.99]:

  12. Type a temporary IP address that can be used by the FortiVoice Gateway to connect to the TFTP server.

    The following message appears:

    Enter File Name [image.out]:

  13. Type the firmware image file name and press Enter.

    The FortiVoice Gateway downloads the firmware image file from the TFTP server and displays a message similar to the following:

    Save as Default firmware/Backup firmware/Run image without saving:[D/B/R]

  14. Type R.

    The FortiVoice Gateway image is loaded into memory and uses the current configuration, without saving the new firmware image to disk.

  15. To verify that the new firmware image has been loaded, log in to the CLI and type:

    get system status

  16. Test the new firmware image.
    • If the new firmware image operates successfully, you can install it to disk, overwriting the existing firmware, using the procedure Installing the firmware.
    • If the new firmware image does not operate successfully, reboot the FortiVoice Gateway to discard the temporary firmware and resume operation using the existing firmware.

Testing a new firmware image

Testing a new firmware image

You can test a new firmware image before installing it by temporarily running that firmware image from memory, without saving it to disk. By keeping your existing firmware on disk, if the evaluation fails, you do not have to re-install your previous firmware. Instead, you can quickly revert to your existing firmware by simply rebooting the FortiVoice Gateway.

To test a new firmware image
  1. Connect your management computer to the FortiVoice Gateway console port using an RJ-45 to DB-9 serial cable or a null-modem cable.
  2. Initiate a connection from your management computer to the CLI of the FortiVoice Gateway.
  3. Connect port1 of the FortiVoice Gateway directly or to the same subnet as a TFTP server.
  4. Copy the new firmware image file to the root directory of the TFTP server.
  5. Verify that the TFTP server is currently running, and that the FortiVoice Gateway can reach the TFTP server.

    To use the FortiVoice Gateway CLI to verify connectivity, enter the following command:

    execute ping 192.168.2.99

    where 192.168.2.99 is the IP address of the TFTP server.

  6. Enter the following command to restart the FortiVoice Gateway:

    execute reboot

  7. As the FortiVoice Gateway starts, a series of system startup messages are displayed.

    Press any key to display configuration menu........

  8. Immediately press a key to interrupt the system startup.
  9. Caution You have only 3 seconds to press a key. If you do not press a key soon enough, the FortiVoice Gateway reboots and you must log in and repeat the execute reboot command.

    If you successfully interrupt the startup process, the following messages appears:

    [G]: Get firmware image from TFTP server.

    [F]: Format boot device.

    [B]: Boot with backup firmware and set as default.

    [I]: Configuration and information.

    [Q]: Quit menu and continue to boot with default firmware.

    [H]: Display this list of options.

    Enter G,F,B,I,Q,or H:

  10. Type G to get the firmware image from the TFTP server.

    The following message appears:

    Enter TFTP server address [192.168.2.99]:

  11. Type the IP address of the TFTP server and press Enter.

    The following message appears:

    Enter Local Address [192.168.2.99]:

  12. Type a temporary IP address that can be used by the FortiVoice Gateway to connect to the TFTP server.

    The following message appears:

    Enter File Name [image.out]:

  13. Type the firmware image file name and press Enter.

    The FortiVoice Gateway downloads the firmware image file from the TFTP server and displays a message similar to the following:

    Save as Default firmware/Backup firmware/Run image without saving:[D/B/R]

  14. Type R.

    The FortiVoice Gateway image is loaded into memory and uses the current configuration, without saving the new firmware image to disk.

  15. To verify that the new firmware image has been loaded, log in to the CLI and type:

    get system status

  16. Test the new firmware image.
    • If the new firmware image operates successfully, you can install it to disk, overwriting the existing firmware, using the procedure Installing the firmware.
    • If the new firmware image does not operate successfully, reboot the FortiVoice Gateway to discard the temporary firmware and resume operation using the existing firmware.