Release Notes: ESP Flash Components 3.05d (Unix)
This release package provides the download flash components for the Equinox standard, 10/100 and Multi-Interface ESPs. It should be noted that the flash components are the same for all server OS types. However, this package is provided for easy installation on UNIX based systems.
Expected Usage
It is expected that this package will be used to augment an existing ESP driver package (for OpenServer, UnixWare, Linux or Aix). This package would be used to upgrade the ESP flash components without altering the existing driver package.
Components
- espapp.img, version 3.05d (ESP embedded application image)
- espboot.img, version 3.50 (standard ESP bios/bootstrap image)
- espbootb.img, version 3.61 (Multi-Interface ESP bios/bootstrap image)
- espbootc.img, version 3.80 (10/100 ESP bios/bootstrap image)
- INSTALL script
- README file
Changes in this Release
Changes in embedded application between releases 3.04 and 3.05d:
1. The ESP has been corrected to operate serial ports correctly at 2400 baud. When running the datascope in EquiView Plus, the ESP will now forward data within 10 seconds of the first write to the file after it is created. It does not affect operation of the maximum size or the inter-character forward timeout. However, it corrects a problem where the maximum size is large and characters are arriving regularly enough so that the inter-character timer never expires.
Previously, no data would be forwarded in this case until the maximum file size was reached. Now, the data will be forwarded at least every 10 seconds.
2. Upon loss of Ethernet LINK, a UDP timeout will be declared on all active TCP connections for which the UDP timeout is declared to be 4 seconds. The customer MUST set the HeartBeatTimeout to 4 to activate this feature.
3. The time to notice a UDP timeout has been reduced. In previous versions, it may have taken as long as 5 seconds, regardless of the frequency and timeout settings provided by the TCP host that connected.
4. When a UDP Heartbeat timeout occurs, the ESP will now drop the DTR and RTS control signals on every open serial port.
Installation
The following are the steps to install this package:
1. mkdir /usr/espflash (or any temporary directory)
2. cd /usr/espflash
3. tar -xvf flash_3.05d
4. ./INSTALL
After installation, the temporary directory and its contents may be removed.
Removal
There is no mechanism to remove just the ESP flash components from a server. However, when the driver package is removed, the flash components will also be removed.
ESP Flash Components
The ESP has two components located in flash memory - the BIOS/Bootstrap and the Embedded Application.
The espcfg utility is used to determine the versions of the flash components. The following procedure will display the currently installed versions of the bios/bootstrap and embedded application images.
1. espcfg
2. select "Update flash"
3. select the appropriate esp
4. provide the SNMP Community password (usually "public")
5. the window displayed indicates the versions of the flash
components currently loaded in the ESP.
Updating ESP Flash
To update a flash component using espcfg:
1. Enable TFTP daemon on the server, refer to “Enabling TFTPD”.
2. espcfg
3. select the appropriate esp
4. select "Update flash"
5. provide the SNMP Community password (usually "public")
6. select bootstrap or application
7. provide server IP address if necessary (note that the IP address for the current host will usually be displayed)
8. provide bootstrap/application location. refer to "Location of
Flash Components"
As shipped, the names of the images would be:
/etc/eqnx/espapp.img (application image)
/etc/eqnx/espboot.img (bootstrap image: standard ESP)
/etc/eqnx/espbootb.img (bootstrap image: multi-interface ESP)
/etc/eqnx/espbootc.img (bootstrap image: 10/100 ESP)
9. Reboot the ESP as
directed.
The ESP will then reboot and initialize. The procedure will be complete when the ONLINE and LINK leds on the front of the ESP are both on.
There is no indication of whether the flash update was completed successfully. If there were problems, the prior version of the flash will still be in use. At this point, re-enter the "Update flash" section of espcfg to determine which versions of the flash components are currently in use.
Auto Flash Update
ESPs also have an automatic flash update capability that may be enabled. When enabled, the ESP will automatically download a newer version of the bios/bootstrap or embedded application when it is detected during its reboot. This eliminates the need to perform the steps documented in "Updating ESP Flash".
Note that the tftp daemon must still be enabled on the server (as documented in "Enabling TFTPD").
To enable Auto Flash Update:
1. Enable TFTP daemon on the server, refer to "Enabling TFTPD".
2. /usr/bin/espcfg
3. select the appropriate esp
4. select "Update flash"
5. provide the SNMP Community password (usually "public")
6. select "Auto Feature"
7. if disabled, select "enabled"
8. provide server IP address if necessary (note that the IP address for the current host will usually be
displayed).
9. provide bootstrap/application location. refer to "Location of Flash Components".
As shipped, the names of the images would be:
/etc/eqnx/espapp.img (application image)
/etc/eqnx/espboot.img (bootstrap image: standard ESP)
/etc/eqnx/espbootb.img (bootstrap image: multi-interface ESP)
/etc/eqnx/espbootc.img (bootstrap image: 10/100 ESP)
Once enabled, it will not be necessary to manually update an ESP each time the flash components are updated.
Enabling TFTPD
For a flash update to succeed, the tftp (trivial file transfer protocol) daemon must be enabled on the server where the downloadable images are located at. This process is documented below. Note that the process varies based on operating system type:
OpenServer, UnixWare and Aix
tftpd is invoked indirectly by the internet services daemon - inetd. The configuration file for inetd must be modified to enable tftpd.
1. edit /etc/inetd.conf
2. uncomment the line for tftpd
3. locate the inetd process: ps -eaf | grep inetd
4. send signal to inetd process: kill -s SIGHUP
Note that the tftpd daemon can run in non-secure or secure mode. Either one may be used, but secure mode is recommended. Secure mode is specified by the “-s” option when tftpd is invoked (i.e. in the file /etc/inetd.conf). In secure mode, the default tftpd root directory is /tftpboot. If this is changed, the download images installed in the /tftpboot directory will need to be moved to the tftpd root directory.
Linux
If not already done, the tftpd package must be installed on your system. On most systems that use RPMs, this is done by the tftp-server RPM. To verify that this package is installed:
rpm -q tftp-server
If not present, then it must be installed from your distribution set.
tftpd is invoked indirectly by the internet services daemon inetd or xinetd (xinetd has replaced the older inetd in most recent distribution sets). The configuration file for inetd or xinetd must be modified to enable tftpd.
Determine if your system is using inetd or xinetd:
- if /etc/inetd.conf is present, then inetd is being used.
- if /etc/xinetd.d directory exists, then xinetd is being used.
Configuring inetd for tftpd
1. edit /etc/inetd.conf
2. uncomment the line for tftpd
3. locate the inetd process: ps -eaf | grep inetd
4. send signal to inetd process: kill -s SIGHUP
Configuring xinetd for tftpd
1. edit /etc/xinetd.d/tftp
2. set these fields:
user = root
server_args = -s /tftpboot
disable = no
3. locate the xinetd process: ps -eaf | grep xinetd
4. send signal to xinetd process: kill -s SIGUSR2
Note that the tftpd daemon can run in non-secure or secure mode.
Either one may be used, but secure mode is recommended. Secure
mode is specified by the “-s” option when tftpd is invoked (i.e. in
the file /etc/inetd.conf or /etc/xinetd.d/tftp). In secure mode, the default
tftpd root directory is /tftpboot. If this is changed, the download images located in the /tftpboot directory will need to be moved to the tftpd root directory.
Testing TFTPD
It is always a good idea to verify that tftpd is running correctly before doing a flash update. The verification can be done as follows:
1. tftp localhost (or name of local system)
2. get etc/eqnx/espapp.img
3. quit
If tftpd is configured correctly, this should transfer espapp.img to the local directory.
Location of Flash Components
As installed, the flash components are located in /etc/eqnx and /tftpboot/etc/eqnx. How the location of the flash components are specified varies based on whether or not secure mode tftpd is used:
Secure-Mode
Files are accessed relative to the tftpd root directory (i.e. expected to be /tftpboot). Hence etc/eqnx/espapp.img actually refers to /tftpboot/etc/eqnx/espapp.img
The leading "/" may or may not be specified (on Linux systems with tftp-server versions 0.16 and earlier, the leading "/" must not be specified).
Non-Secure Mode
Files are accessed relative to the "/" directory. Hence, /etc/eqnx/espapp.img actually refers to the file by that name.
Generally, the leading "/" must always be specified.
Flash Update Failures
There are cases where an ESP flash update will fail. Unfortunately, there are no direct indications that a failure has occurred (or why). If the ESP encounters any problems it will revert to the previously loaded bios/bootstrap or embedded application. Its always best to re-check the flash versions using espcfg to determine if the udpate was successful. This can be done as follows:
1. espcfg
2. select "Update flash"
3. select the appropriate esp
4. provide the SNMP Community password (usually "public")
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