Summary:
In PTP 820 radios from 10.0 version, if we downgrade the radios to any version, the configuration will be defaulted. In operational link we need to have backup file generated on the radio before upgrade.
In case, if we decide to downgrade, then we require the back-up file which was generated during the old version. If we don’t have the backup file of the radio on the downgrade version, then there is a workaround to create the backup file.
Cause:
If we don’t have the back-up file, then the operational links will be down. We must have local access to the radio and required to configure the radio manually.
Solution:
The document explains the option which are available if configuration defaulted during downgrade:
- Restore the configuration back-up file of the radio on the downgrade version.
- Manually configure the radio.
- Workaround to create the back-up file from a different radio.
It is always suggested to take a configuration back-up from each of the 820 radios before and after upgrading.
Procedure recommended for downgrade of PTP 820 radios:
- Before upgrade to version 10.x, generate a back-up file from the radio
- The back-up files to be uploaded are stored in in the radio restore point 1.
- If we need to downgrade the radio from 10.x version to an earlier release, a configuration file from the earlier release is required.
- After a software downgrade is completed, we should upload the saved configuration from server remotely.
- If the configuration file is not available, then we need to configure the radio manually.
Note: When the radio is defaulted due to downgrade, we can get the radio access back by the existing IP configuration. The IP address will not be changed.
To Manually configure the radio
- If there are no backup files stored in the radio. Then we must configure the radio manually or we need to add the backup file after editing.
Backup File (without any files in the restore points):
Notification when downgrade the radio from 10.0 version:
After downgrade the radio to 9.7 Version:
Note: The IP address will not be defaulted; however, the link configuration, license and SNMP/SNTP setting will be defaulted.
- After downgrade we will be able to get the access with the existing IP address; however, we need to have local access to the radio. The Link configuration will be defaulted.
Workaround to create the back-up file from a different radio
If we don’t have the backup file generated of the previous version. Then we have a workaround to create a configuration file and upload the files.
- When you export a configuration file, it is saved as a .zip file. Inside the zip there are three files:
- tar.gz - this is a binary version of the configuration, which is used to restore the configuration
- txt - this is a text version of the configuration that you can read
- txt - this is a normally empty script file where you can add CLI commands that will be run after an upgrade or downgrade
- We want to save off a configuration file from an 820 with the same part number that is running the software release you want to downgrade the target 820S/C/G.
- Once you have the configuration zip file, you can extract the cli_script.txt file and edit it.
- We want to change the Tx and Rx frequencies after downgrading, you could add the following lines to the cli_script.txt file:
radio slot 2 port 1
rf set tx-frequency <tx-frequency> local-remote <local-remote>
rf set rx-frequency <rx-frequency> local-remote <local-remote>
- We need to change the tx and rx frequencies to the required values.
- One important point is that these frequencies are in kHz, not MHz like they're displayed in the Radio Parameters GUI page. The local-remote you just set to "disable".
For example:
radio slot 2 port 1
rf set tx-frequency 17800000 local-remote disable
rf set rx-frequency 19500000 local-remote disable
- When you're done editing the script file, add it back to the zip file, replacing the old script file.
- Usually, the Tx and Rx frequencies are all that you'd need to change, but if there is anything else you want to change, you just need to know the CLI command and add it to this script file.
In order to avoid this extra work, it's best to save a configuration file from each of your 820 radios before and after upgrade.