DHCP Auto-Provisioning Using the Manifest File Option

Support for DHCP auto-provisioning using the manifest file option was introduced in FastIron 08.0.40.
The bundle of Image file, boot loader, and PoE firmware can be configured as a .txt file on the DHCP server using option 67. Auto-provisioning using the manifest file uses the following process.
Note: From FastIron 08.0.90 release onward, if the booted application image is not a Unified FastIron Image (UFI), the DHCP manifest upgrade will continue even if the image versions in flash image and Boot filename option image name are same.
  1. Once a lease is obtained from the server, the device uses the information from the DHCP server to contact the TFTP server to update the image file.
    The manifest file is downloaded.
  2. After downloading the manifest file, the device unzips the file and compares the file name of the requested flash image (for example, SPR08040q054.bin) and boot image (for example, spz10106b002.bin) with the images stored in flash memory. In a stacking configuration, the device compares the file name with the image stored in the Active Controller only.
  3. If the flash image matches, the DHCP client skips the flash image download. If auto-provisioning is enabled, the DHCP client proceeds with downloading the configuration files.
  4. If the flash image is different, the device downloads the new flash image from the TFTP server and checks for the boot image. If the boot image matches, the DHCP client skips the boot image. If the boot image does not match, the DHCP client downloads the new boot image from the TFTP server, and then writes the downloaded image to flash memory. In a stacking configuration, the device copies the flash and boot image to flash in all stack member units.
  5. The code determines which flash (primary or secondary) to use based on how the device is booted or based on the location specified in option 67. Refer to DHCP Auto-Provisioning Enhancements for more details.
  6. In a stacking configuration, the member units use the same flash as the Active Controller. Once the flash is updated with the newer flash image, the device is reloaded and all member units in a stacking configuration are reloaded as well. If auto-configuration is enabled, the DHCP client then proceeds to download the configuration files after the reload.
  7. If the DHCP client detects that the new image is older than the current running image, the device continues to reload after a syslog notification that the device is downgrading and may lose the configuration. The following example shows a syslog notification. 
    Downloaded boot-image ICXR07030F2b1.bin is downgraded version of ICXR08030F2b1.bin. 
Device is downgrading and the configuration may be lost.
Parent topic: DHCP Clients