Upgrading SteelHead xx50 Appliances

You can upgrade SteelHead xx50 appliances within their platform family to increase the appliance optimization and storage capacities. This chapter includes the following sections:

Note: After upgrading an appliance, you must reapply the desired admission control overrides relative to the default admission control values of the new model.

Note: When you replace memory modules, you must wear a grounded ESD antistatic strap to protect the system hardware against electrostatic discharge. Make sure that the strap makes skin contact prior to handling equipment. For details, see Electrostatic discharge guidelines.

Note: You must use approved hardware for the system to function properly. Installation of unapproved hardware can result in boot failure. To order Upgrade Kits, contact Riverbed Support at https://support.riverbed.com.

A model upgrade enables you to add a license and hardware to an existing SteelHead xx50 appliance to increase the capacity and model number of the SteelHead within its platform family.

Model upgrades increase the WAN capacity and total number of optimized TCP connections for the appliance. RAID model upgrades also increase the size of the data store.

Model upgrades require a license and, in some cases, the installation of additional hard disk drives and memory modules. Licenses can be installed using the command-line interface (CLI) or the SteelHead Management Console. Upgrades that require the installation of additional hardware don’t preserve the data store. Model upgrades always preserve the configuration of the appliance.

Basic model upgrades require RiOS software 4.1.9d, 5.0.7e, 5.5.2d, or later. RAID model upgrades require RiOS software 5.0.9, 5.5.4, or later. Model upgrades always require a license and, in some cases, require the installation of additional hard disk drives and memory modules.

The following section describes the model upgrades available within an appliance family, the minimum required RiOS software version, and the impact on the appliance data store, RSP and PFS data.

The following table describes the platform requirements for basic model upgrades.

Source model	Destination model	Upgrade requirements	Minimum RiOS version	Impact on data store	Impact on configuration	Reboot required
250L	250M	License only	4.1.9d 5.0.7e 5.5.2d	None	None	No
250L	250H	License only	4.1.9d 5.0.7e 5.5.2d	None	None	No
250M	250H	License only	4.1.9d 5.0.7e 5.5.2d	None	None	No
550M	550H	License only	4.1.9d 5.0.7e 5.5.2d	None	None	No

Model upgrades always require a license and, in some cases, require the installation of hard disk drives and memory modules. This section lists the contents of the Upgrade Kits, including hardware for basic upgrades and RAID upgrades.

• Model upgrade licenses - Model upgrade licenses are installed using the CLI or the Management Console. For instructions on installing upgrade licenses, see Installing licenses and activating specifications.

• Basic model upgrade kit hardware contents - Some model upgrades require the installation of hardware. The hardware required for your model upgrade is contained in the Upgrade Kit shipped to you.

• RAID model upgrade kit hardware contents - RAID model upgrades require the installation of hardware. The hardware required for your RAID model upgrade is contained in the RAID Upgrade Kit shipped to you.

You must install Riverbed-approved hardware for the system to function properly. This table lists the minimum hardware requirements for each model.

Model	Minimum RAM	Minimum # of HDDs
250L	1 x 1 GB (1 GB)	N/A
250M	1 x 1 GB (1 GB)	N/A
250H	1 x 1 GB (1 GB)	N/A
550M	1 x 2 GB (2 GB)	N/A
550H	1 x 2 GB (2 GB)	N/A

Note: RSP requires a license and an additional 2-GB of memory. For detailed information about RSP, see the Riverbed Services Platform Installation Guide. Contact Riverbed Support at https://support.riverbed.com for information about ordering RSP.

You perform the following steps to upgrade a model:

1. Install the model upgrade license - The model upgrade license can be installed in the CLI or the Management Console. For detailed information, see Installing licenses and activating specifications. After the license is installed, the system indicates the model specifications available and if hardware is required for activation.

2. Stop the service - The SteelHead optimization service must be halted to activate a model upgrade specification.

3. Activate the specification - The model upgrade specification can be activated in the CLI or the Management Console. For detailed information, see Installing licenses and activating specifications.

Note: For model upgrades that require additional hardware, the specification can’t be activated until the required hardware is installed.

4. Reboot the system (if needed) - For model upgrades that require additional hardware, the system won’t notify you that a reboot is necessary. The SteelHead reboots automatically after the required hardware is installed and the specification is activated in the CLI or Management Console.

5. Restart the service - The system doesn’t reboot for upgrades that don’t require the addition of hardware. License-only upgrades switch immediately to the new model after the license is installed, the SteelHead service is halted, and the specification is activated. Restart the service after activating the upgrade specification.

This section describes how to install model upgrade licenses and activate model specifications using the CLI (RiOS software 4.1.9d, 5.0.7e, 5.0.9, 5.5.2d, 5.5.4, and later) or the Management Console (RiOS software 5.0.7e, 5.0.9, 5.5.2d, 5.5.4 and later).

After you install a model upgrade license, you must stop the SteelHead service to activate the model specification.

This section describes how to install a model upgrade license and activate a specification using the CLI. The CLI can be used to install licenses and activate specifications with RiOS software 4.1.9d, 5.0.7e, 5.0.9, 5.5.2d, 5.5.4, and later.

For detailed information about using the CLI, see the Riverbed Command-Line Interface Reference Manual.

3. Enter configuration mode; at the system prompt, enter the configure terminal command:

4. View current and available model specifications; enter the show hardware spec command:

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5. Install the model upgrade license, enter the license install <license-key> command:

amnesiac (config) # license install LIC-EXAMPLE1050_MR-0000-0000-0-000X-0XX0

Important: We recommend you write the license to memory after it has been installed.

6. Write the model upgrade license to memory; enter the write memory command:

7. View licenses installed on the appliance; enter the show licenses command:

8. View the available model upgrade specification; enter the show hardware spec command:

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amnesiac (config) # no service enable
Terminating optimization service.......

Note: You must stop the optimization service prior to model upgrade activation.

10. Activate the model specification; enter the hardware spec activate <model-number> command:

Note: License only upgrades switch immediately to the new model after the license is installed, the SteelHead service is halted, and the specification is activated.

11. Restart the optimization service for model upgrades that don’t require a reboot; enter the restart command:

Note: Specifications requiring additional hardware can’t be activated until the hardware is installed.

Note: Upgrades that require additional hardware reboot automatically after the hardware is installed and the model upgrade specification is activated.

Note: After upgrading a model, desired admission control overrides must be reapplied relative to the default admission control values of the new model.

This section describes how to install a model upgrade license and activate the specification using the SteelHead Management Console. Using the Management Console to install licenses and activate specifications requires RiOS software 5.0.7e, 5.0.9, 5.5.2d, 5.5.4, or later. For more information about using the Management Console, see the SteelHead User’s Guide.

The model specifications appear at the bottom of the page. The current specification appears in bold. Hardware specifications that will be available for the appliance after the license or required hardware have been installed are included in the list but are dimmed.

Figure: Model specifications appear in the Licenses page of the Management Console

If a model specification requires an appliance reboot after activation, the message activation reboots appliance appears.

Upgrades that require additional hardware reboot automatically once you install the hardware and activate the model upgrade specification.

6. If your model upgrade doesn’t require the installation of additional hardware, click the Restart icon to restart the optimization service.

When the upgrade is complete, the appliance is transformed into the new model. The model number appears on the appliance banner in the upper-right corner of the screen. The appliance retains its original serial number.

Note: After upgrading a model, desired admission control overrides must be reapplied relative to the default admission control values of the new model.