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  • 1.  MX480 upgrade path

    Posted 10-25-2022 04:02
    Hello!
    i have mx480 with 2xRE-S-1800X4-16G-S , JunOS 12.2R2.5. 
    I need to update it to the latest recommended junOS for MX480 (20.4R3-S4), but i can't install right away the necessary junOS due to incompatibility version.  Is there any sequential order for installing versions to the one I need?


  • 2.  RE: MX480 upgrade path
    Best Answer

    Posted 10-25-2022 06:57
    In general you can only jump 4 Junos versions, which is the number before the decimal point (12 to 16) for this example.

    But this also assumes you are running the long term release of the running chain which will be either a 3 or 4 after the decimal depending on the year.  

    The details are logged in the release notes for the target version of the upgrade.  So you would start by reviewing the upgrade section of the release notes on junos 16.4 to see what the upgrade requirements are.  If moving up from 12.2 is supported you go from there.  Or you might need to go to 12.3 first.  Or might need to move back to 15.3 as the first jump.

    Then repeat the process for the next step in the process going up from the new version.

    ------------------------------
    Steve Puluka BSEET - Juniper Ambassador
    IP Architect - DQE Communications Pittsburgh, PA (Metro Ethernet & ISP - Retired)
    http://puluka.com/home
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: MX480 upgrade path

    Posted 10-25-2022 09:37
    Thanks


  • 4.  RE: MX480 upgrade path

    Posted 10-25-2022 10:03
    I found this information in the documentation:
    To upgrade from Release 12.1 (or prior 12.3) , upgrade first to Release 13.1, then to Release 14.1, then from there to either Release 15.1 or 16.1.

    but there is no 13.1(or 12.3)  version on the download site, only 14.2.
    does that mean I can skip 13.1 version?



  • 5.  RE: MX480 upgrade path

    Posted 10-25-2022 11:08
    Not the answer to your question, but following the "supported" upgrade path from 12.2 -> 20.4 is going to be awful, and very time consuming.
    (from a quick look it is ~8 upgrades for the properly supported path (which is "skip no more than 2" for non-EEOL, and "skip no more than 1 EEOL").

    Can you just do a "clean" install (USB boot) and "start again"? If you have physical access this would almost certainly get you upgraded in a shorter window.
    Also: 21.2 is the LTS for that RE, and is as equally "JTAC recommended" as 20.4, do you have other hardware that is supported at 20.4 but not 21.2 (based on that code you are starting at, I don't imagine you care too much about "support" though?)


  • 6.  RE: MX480 upgrade path

    Posted 10-26-2022 02:30
    yes i have physical access to the device and i can boot from usb.
    Do you mean that I can download the "JunOS Install Media", make a bootable usb, boot from stick and install it directly on 20.4?



  • 7.  RE: MX480 upgrade path

    Posted 10-26-2022 04:32
    Yes, that's what I meant.

    You'll lose any config checking that the various upgrades would have done (flagging of deprecated config / etc), so it would certainly be a good idea to take the config and work out what (if any) changes are required to still even commit on the new version. (try it on a vMX of the right version?)
    There are functional changes as well, many of them poorly (if at all) documented, and you have a LOT of release notes to step through to find the well documented ones!
    Upgrading without testing is always going to be a "hit and hope", regardless of JTAC recommended versions.


  • 8.  RE: MX480 upgrade path

    Posted 10-26-2022 04:47
    So, I understand that there may be problems in the configuration.
    Unfortunately due to memory leak issues in 12.2 lately I have to reboot my mx480 every 2-3 months. so I prefer to test the config somewhere and only then update.
    I thank you for your advice and help!



  • 9.  RE: MX480 upgrade path

    Posted 10-27-2022 07:24
    You can get versions that are not publicly posted by opening a ticket on the Juniper support site.

    ------------------------------
    Steve Puluka BSEET - Juniper Ambassador
    IP Architect - DQE Communications Pittsburgh, PA (Metro Ethernet & ISP - Retired)
    http://puluka.com/home
    ------------------------------