Installing Software Using the Boot Helper
Last Updated: September 7, 2010
This chapter provides the procedures for installing a new version of the Cisco Video Management and Storage System application software using the boot helper.
To use this clean installation process, the system must be offline while you download the new software files. The clean installation erases the hard drive before loading the new files in memory. You must back up and restore your configuration files before you start this process. Both an FTP/SFTP server and a TFTP server are required.
This chapter contains the following sections:
•Boot Loader and Boot Helper
•Task List
•Prerequisites
•Downloading the Software Files
•Entering Configuration Parameter Values
•Installing the Software Image Files
Boot Loader and Boot Helper
Before you install the Cisco Video Management and Storage System software, opening a session brings up the boot loader. The boot loader is a small set of system software that runs when the system first powers up. It loads the operating system from the local disk drive or the network, which loads and runs the Cisco Video Management and Storage System application. The boot loader may optionally load and run the boot helper. After you install the software, you can open a session to the module.
The boot helper is a small subset of the system software that runs on the module. It boots the module from the network and assists in software installation and upgrades, disaster recovery, and other operations when the module cannot access its software.
The application image contains the network module user functionality software. The application image is based on the Cisco Video Management and Storage System software.
Media preservation is an option with the boot helper. Boot helper installations are considered destructive installs that completely erase the drive. To prevent losing the archives from the storage partition, you can choose the option to preserve the media partition and only format the other partitions during the installation process.
Task List
Table 3 lists the tasks required for installing a new software image.
Prerequisites
•Cisco SM-SRE module is currently installed and operational.
•Cisco Video Management and Storage System application is running properly.
•You know the Cisco.com download site of the Cisco Video Management and Storage System software.
•The TFTP and FTP/SFTP servers are configured and active. If your TFTP server and FTP/SFTP server reside on the same computer, ensure that the TFTP and FTP/SFTP programs are both activated.
•The following information is available:
–FTP/SFTP server IP address
–FTP/SFTP server user ID
–FTP/SFTP server password
–Software package name
•You have checked to make sure that you can ping the Cisco SM-SRE module from your TFTP and FTP/SFTP servers.
Downloading the Software Files
Review the prerequisites listed in Table 3 to ensure that all servers and modules are active and available.
SUMMARY STEPS
1. Log in and go to the Cisco Software Center website and click Download Software.
2. Click ISR Video Surveillance-VMSS and download the following Cisco Video Management and Storage System software files and copy them to your FTP/SFTP server:
•vmss-boothelper.sme.version
•vmss-full-k9.sme.version.prt1
•vmss-installer-k9.sme.version.prt1
•vmss-k9.sme.version.pkg
3. Copy the other software files to your FTP/SFTP server.
DETAILED STEPS
Step 1 Log in and go to the Cisco Software Center website and click Download Software.
Step 2 Click ISR Video Surveillance-VMSS and download the following Cisco Video Management and Storage System software files and copy them to your FTP/SFTP server:
•vmss-full-k9.sme.version.prt1
This is the package payload containing all data and executable files for a full installation of the Cisco Video Management and Storage System on Cisco SM-SRE modules.
•vmss-installer-k9.sme.version.prt1
This is the package payload containing all data and executable files for the installer subsystem associated with the Cisco Video Management and Storage System on Cisco SM-SRE modules.
•vmss-k9.sme.version.pkg
This is the main package for installing the Cisco Video Management and Storage System on Cisco SM-SRE modules.
Step 3 Download the helper software file to your TFTP server.
•vmss-boothelper.sme.version
This is the Cisco Video Management and Storage System boot helper image. The helper software aids application installation on Cisco SM-SRE modules when necessary..
Step 4 Copy the other software files to your FTP/SFTP server.
What to Do Next
•Back up your configuration files. See Appendix A: Backing Up Files.
•After you back up the files, configure several parameter values. See the "Entering Configuration Parameter Values" section.
Entering Configuration Parameter Values
You must configure several parameters in the server so that you can download the Cisco Video Management and Storage System software files.
SUMMARY STEPS
1. reload
2. To enter boot loader mode, type "***."
3. config
4. Enter the values for the following parameters:
–Gateway module IP address
–Subnet mask
–TFTP server address
–Gateway router address
–Ethernet interface
–Default helper image
–Default boot setting
–Default boot loader is primary
5. Use the boot helper to boot the network module.
DETAILED STEPS
Step 1 To restart the system, enter reload.
Step 2 To enter the boot loader mode, enter "***."
Step 3 To enter configuration mode, enter config.
Tip You must configure the boot loader before you can ping it.
Step 4 Enter the values for the following parameters (make sure you save the configuration parameters; the module will not become operational without the proper parameters saved):
•Gateway module IP address
•Subnet mask
•TFTP server address
•Gateway router address
•Ethernet interface
•Default helper image
•Default boot setting: disk
•Default boot loader: primary
Note We recommend that you use the primary boot loader as the default when upgrading.
Step 5 To begin the installation, enter boot helper. This will load the installer.
What to Do Next
Install the software files. See the "Installing the Software Image Files" section.
Installing the Software Image Files
After you download the software files and back up your configuration files, you can install the software image files.
Prerequisites
Installing the software image files requires the following information:
•Decide whether you want to use RAID 1, Linear RAID, or RAID 0 option for your local disk drives.
•TFTP server IP address
•FTP/SFTP server IP address
•FTP/SFTP server user ID
•FTP/SFTP server password
•Software package name
Note Back up your current system configuration files before you install new software.
SUMMARY STEPS
Starting from the module EXEC mode:
1. From the install menu, choose the first choice, Install software.
2. Before installation begins on the Cisco SM-SRE-900 module, you are asked if you want to use RAID 1, Linear RAID, or RAID 0 for your disk drives, all three are supported by the Cisco Video Management and Storage System application version 6.2.1 and later. Choose the RAID 1, Linear RAID, or RAID 0 option. If you are installing the application on Cisco SM-SRE-700 module, RAID is not an option.
3. Enter the package name, FTP/SFTP server address, username, and password.
4. To prevent losing the archives from the storage partition, choose the option to preserve the media partition and only format the other partitions during the installation process.
5. To begin the initial configuration in the post-installation configuration menu, enter y.
6. Enter y to restore the configuration saved on the local disk drive, or enter n to use your backup to restore your configuration.
DETAILED STEPS
Step 1 From the install menu, choose the first choice, Install software:
Welcome to Cisco Systems Service Engine Helper Software
Please select from the following
(Type '?' at any time for help)
Package name: vmss-k9.sme.eng_bld.pkg
cvmss-module#$mss-k9.sme.eng_bld.pkg script vmss-k9.sme.eng_bld.pkg.install.s$
Delete the installed Cisco Foundation Software and proceed with new installation? [no]:
yes
Loading pub/VMSS-RAID0/vmss-k9.sme.eng_bld.pkg.install.sre !
Please select RAID mode for storage partition (1 = RAID-1, 2 = Linear RAID, 3 = RAID-0): 3
If you are installing on a system which already has VMSS installed your media partition
may contain archives.
Would you like for the install to preserve this partition if it exists? Please note that
if you are changing
your RAID option from the previous install, the media partition will not be preserved.
Preserve? [n]:
Step 2 Before installation begins on the Cisco SM-SRE-900 module, you are asked if you want to use RAID 1, Linear RAID, or RAID 0 for your disk drives, all three are supported by the Cisco Video Management and Storage System application version 6.2.1 and later. Choose the RAID 1, Linear RAID, or RAID 0 option.
Note If you are installing the software application on Cisco SM-SRE-700, only one disk drive is available on the module and RAID is not an option. During the installation of Cisco SM-SRE-700, the RAID query does not appear.
Step 3 Enter the package name, FTP/SFTP server address, username, and password, as shown in the following example:
Server url: ftp://128.107.146.235/pub/VMSS-RAID0/
Downloading ftp vmss-k9.sme.eng_bld.pkg
Bytes downloaded : 683001
Validating package signature ... done
- Parsing package manifest files... complete.
No installed manifests found.
- Checking Package dependencies... complete.
- Checking Manifest dependencies for subsystems in the install candidate list...
Populating resource values from /etc/products/argus/mixed_raid_rsrc_file
Step 4 To prevent losing the archives from the storage partition, choose the option to preserve the media partition and only format the other partitions during the installation process.
The following partition can be preserved on install:
All data on the partition will be left intact.
Do you wish to preserve the partition? (y/n) [n] y
Caution
This step cleans the hard drive. If you choose not to preserve the archive partition, all data are lost after this step.
Step 5 To begin the initial configuration, enter y:
IMPORTANT:: Welcome to Cisco Systems Service Engine
IMPORTANT:: post installation configuration tool.
IMPORTANT:: This is a one time process which will guide
IMPORTANT:: you through initial setup of your Service Engine.
IMPORTANT:: Once run, this process will have configured
IMPORTANT:: the system for your location.
IMPORTANT:: If you do not wish to continue, the system will be halted
IMPORTANT:: so it can be safely removed from the router.
Do you wish to start configuration now (y,n)? y
Step 6 Enter y to restore the configuration saved on the local disk drive, or enter n to use your backup to restore your configuration. See the output below to determine your configuration needs.
IMPORTANT:: A Cisco Video Management and Storage System Module configuration has been
found in the local disk drive.
IMPORTANT:: You can choose to restore this configuration into the
IMPORTANT:: current image.
IMPORTANT:: A stored configuration contains some of the data from a
IMPORTANT:: previous installation, but not as much as a backup. For
IMPORTANT:: example: voice messages, user passwords, user PINs, and
IMPORTANT:: auto attendant scripts are included in a backup, but are
IMPORTANT:: not saved with the configuration.
IMPORTANT:: If you are recovering from a disaster and do not have a
IMPORTANT:: backup, you can restore the saved configuration.
IMPORTANT:: If you are going to restore a backup from a previous
IMPORTANT:: installation, you should not restore the saved configuration.
IMPORTANT:: If you choose not to restore the saved configuration, it
IMPORTANT:: will be erased from the local disk drive.
Would you like to restore the saved configuration? (y,n)
What to Do Next
Open a Cisco Video Surveillance Management Server (VSMS) session to the Cisco Video Management and Storage System application to verify that all configurations are preserved following the clean installation process.