Software Updates

Modified on Tue, 26 Sep, 2023 at 8:37 AM

Software Updates¶

You may want to update the software running on the smartengines and smartdirector from time to time. This may be required for one of the following reasons -

Implement new feature or functionality
Resolve bugs in software version currently deployed
Support new hardware

The software update is provided as a single image that contains the entire functionality required for the smartengine. It includes the images required for smartdirector, smartengine as well as any firmware updates that may be required for the smartsensors.

To get a new software release, please contact the smartengine support team.

The software images are digitally signed, and upon upload the signature is verified before being installed.

Downgrade to unsigned versions

Software releases prior to REL-5.5.0 were not digitally signed, and so you cannot directly upload those versions. You will need to set up your smartengine or smartdirector in maintenance mode to install those images.

Preparing for Software Upgrade¶

A software update will cause minor temporary disruption as the lights get powered off and on back as the systems come up. Therefore, in larger installs, it is best practice to schedule a downtime during which the upgrades can be performed. A typical upgrade should take about 15 minutes to perform followed by time to walk through and perform any checks.

The following is a checklist of things to do as you get ready for the software upgrade -

Save a copy of the smartdirector (or smartengine if your cluster does not have a smartdirector) configuration on your local machine.
Notify the occupants of the scheduled downtime.
Download cluster information for baseline reference that you can fall back to if something were to go wrong.

Backing up Configuration and Image

The smartengine system will automatically save the current configuration as a snapshot so that you it can use that later if required.
The current active image is not overwritten during the upgrade process and will be available as a backup or inactive image on each system.

Upgrading the software¶

The software is available as a single image file for the smartdirector and for the smartengines. You cannot use the smartdirector image on a smartengine and vice versa. A software update on a cluster would require all cluster members to be updated to the same software version.

Updating software on cluster with smartengine as master

Perform the following steps on each smartengine:

Navigate to the Manage System application and use the Software Images section to upload the smartengine image file.
Follow the dialog steps to reboot each engine and activate the new image.

Updating software on cluster with smartdirector as master

In this case, you can use the smartdirector image to update the smartdirector first, and then update the software on the smartengines using the smartdirector. Perform the following steps on the smartdirector:

Navigate to the Manage System application and use the Software Images section to upload the smartdirector image file.
Follow the dialog steps to reboot the smartdirector and activate the new image. If the smartdirector reboot requires a disk check, then the reboot could take upto about 45 minutes.
Once the smartdirector has rebooted, and you navigate to back to the same page, the smartmanager will show you the status of the smartengines.
Follow the smartmanager cues to upload the software to the smartengines from the smartdirector and reboot them.
The smartengines will rejoin the smartdirector cluster when the software updates are completed.

If you are uploading an older software version, then the smartmanager will require an compatible configuration file to be used with it.

Note

The smartengine end points -- sensors, gateways or wall controllers have their own firmware which usually does not need to be updated. In the rare cases that they need to be updated for any bug fixes, the software is uploaded and activated on them from the smartengines they are connected to when they are discovered. Therefore, no manual intervention is required during this period.

Post Upgrade Actions¶

After the software upgrade is completed, it is recommended that you go around your site to ensure that all smartengine end points are operational. Check the health of the system as described in monitoring section. You may also perform a walk through inspection to check the space.

Establish a Post Upgrade Baseline

A best practice recommendation is to download cluster information after the software update is completed. This may be useful for future reference as a baseline after the software update was completed.