Data Center Switch : N7K flash recovery tool for 6.2(16) ??

[todd.hsieh]

Hi,

Recently we tried to run flash recovery tool to fix flash problem for our customer N7010 with single SUP2E.

It show the following message.

N7K-A# load volatile:n7000-s2-flash-recovery-tool.10.0.2.gbin
Loading plugin version 10.0(2)
Incompatible with running image version 6.2(16)

May I ask if this recovery tool can't run on 6.2(16) ?  Or there are other version for 6.2(16) ?

Thanks!

Todd

[Andrea Testino]

Hi Todd,

CSCus22805 is fixed in 6.2(16) so I would guess this is why the flash recovery tool is giving you the error (could also be the chassis is running an NPE image which the recovery tool does not support). Are you sure you are impacted by CSCus22805? If so, which specific scenario are you hitting? Here's a quite helpful guide written by the TAC:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/switches/nexus-7000-series-switches/200540-Nexus-7000-Supervisor-2-2E-Compact-Flash.html

Hope that helps!

[todd.hsieh]

Hi Andrea,

Thank you for your message.

Customer N7010 is not running NPE image. This is confirmed. 

When running with 6.2(16) we thought we should away from this issue. But when we saw the error message we knew it is happening again. And Cisco document show the bug affected from 6.1(1) to 6.2.(18). 

Field Notice_ FN - 63975 - Nexus 7000 Supervisor 2 and 2E Embedded Flash Write Error 

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/field-notices/639/fn63975.html

The strange is the recovery tool can't run on 6.2.(16).  So I am asking help if there is any new recovery tool for 6.2(16).

Thanks!

Todd

[Andrea Testino · Accepted solution]

Todd,

Thank you for the clarification. CSCus22805 is fixed in 6.2(14) and later; however, CSCvf36683 is not -- It is fixed in 6.2(20). Both of these defects are listed within the Field Notice you are referencing. The reason the flash recovery tool fails in your scenario is due to NX-OS 6.2(14) and later having automatic recovery built-in for CSCus22805  thus the Flash Recovery Tool is not needed (there are scenarios where recovery may not be possible.)

One of the workarounds for CSCus22805 is to use the Flash Recovery Tool (issue related to Unigen vendor), the workaround for the second bug, CSCvf36683, is a switchover or reload depending on the state of the switch (issue related to Smart vendor specifically). If you are seeing a "copy run start" issue in 6.2(16), it is likely you are seeing CSCvf36683 instead where the Flash Recovery Tool is not applicable.

You can use the following CLI to determine which vendor the SUPs have so you can determine which defect and workaround is applicable to you:

N7K-A-Admin# show system internal file /proc/scsi/scsi 
Attached devices:
Host: scsi0 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00
  Vendor: SMART    Model: eUSB             Rev: 8902
  Type:   Direct-Access                    ANSI  SCSI revision: 00
Host: scsi1 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00
  Vendor: SMART    Model: eUSB             Rev: 8902
  Type:   Direct-Access                    ANSI  SCSI revision: 00
<snip>

Hope this clarifies your doubts. 

P.S: To answer your question succinctly: No, there is not a new flash recovery tool for 6.2(16) and later.

[todd.hsieh]

Hi Andrea,

Thanks for the detail explanation. This is helpful.

Since it is a single SUP2E, we will borrow another SUP2E, perform switchover and upgrade to 6.2.(20).

Customer won't let us have any downtime. 

Thanks and Regards,

Todd