6506 bootflash question

[willson]

This may seem like a dumb question, but is the "bootflash" on my 6506, from the switch processor, the PCMCIA card? If not, then where is it?

TIA,

Jim

[Prashanth Krishnappa]

Nope.. There is on board bootflash which is the SP's bootflash. PCMCIA card is external flash card referred to as disk0: or slot0:

[ankurbhasin]

Hi Jim,

If we talk of flash it is just a storage media which is further classified into onboard flash which is called bootflash and pcmcia card which is an external storage flash.

Bootflash exist on supervisor engine as well as on msfc also. Both have their own bootflash which is seated on the board but you can also use pcmcia card as an external flash for supervisor as well as msfc.

Check this link for more details on pcmcia card

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/lan/cat6000/relnotes/ol_1982.htm#wp379543

HTH, if yes please rate the post.

Ankur

[willson]

So, when they say 128 MB minimum at the url below, this is either the onboard, or ATA flash card? I know my card is 64 MB, but how do I tell what size my onboard memory is?

http://www.cisco.com/cgi-bin/Software/Iosplanner/Planner-tool/iosresult.cgi?get_crypto=&data_from=&hardware_name=CAT6000-SUP2%2FMSFC2&software_name=ENTERPRISE%20SERVICES%20SSH&release_name=12.2.18-SXF2&majorRel=12.2&state=:HW:SW:RL&type=Early%20Deplo...

Thanks,

Jim

[Bobby Thekkekandam]

Hi Jim,

The minimum refers to any form of flash storage. To tell what size your onboard flash is, you can do a "show ver" in CatOS or a "dir bootflash:" in IOS which will display it.

As an aside, the bootflash requirements are set based on the largest file size for a given version, which varies depending on feature set, so if the file size of the image you need is smaller than your bootflash capacity, then you're fine, even if the minimum bootflash requirement isn't met.

HTH,

Bobby

[willson]

Bobby,

From my rp I ran "remote command switch sh version" and got the reply below. So I have 32MB on-board memory, correct?

Also, my ATA card is 64 MB, which I am not using to boot with. So I could use it for the image couldn't I? What are the caveats with doing this?

Jim

Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software

IOS (tm) c6sup2_sp Software (c6sup2_sp-SPV-M), Version 12.1(20)E3, EARLY DEPLOYMENT RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport

Copyright (c) 1986-2004 by cisco Systems, Inc.

Compiled Sat 10-Apr-04 03:55 by hqluong

Image text-base: 0x40020F90, data-base: 0x4097A000

ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 7.1(1)

BOOTLDR: c6sup2_sp Software (c6sup2_sp-SPV-M), Version 12.1(20)E3, EARLY DEPLOYMENT RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

bus_rtr1 uptime is 30 weeks, 4 days, 16 hours, 43 minutes

Time since bus_rtr1 switched to active is 30 weeks, 4 days, 16 hours, 51 minutes

System returned to ROM by power-on

System image file is "bootflash:c6sup22-jo3sv-mz.121-20.E3"

cisco WS-C6506 (R7000) processor (revision 3.0) with 112640K/18432K bytes of memory.

Processor board ID TBM06244001

R7000 CPU at 250Mhz, Implementation 39, Rev 2.1, 256KB L2, 1024KB L3 Cache

Last reset from power-on

X.25 software, Version 3.0.0.

16 Gigabit Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)

381K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.

32768K bytes of Flash internal SIMM (Sector size 512K).

Configuration register is 0x2102

[amit-singh]

Jim,

You are right. Your Sup has an onborad flash of 32 MB. You can use the ATA card for image as you have the required bootstrap and IOS on the sup and router.

Please check the link below:

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/lan/cat6000/relnotes/78_13488.htm

HTH, Please rate if it does.

-amit singh

[willson]

Amit,

Can I upgrade the onboard flash, or is that not possible?

Also, do I have the SUP 2 or MSFC2?

Thanks,

Jim

[ankurbhasin]

Hi Jim,

You are having sup 2 and msfc 2 and yes you can definetely upgrade onboard flash.

HTH, if yes please rate the post.

Ankur

[willson]

Amit,

I have both the sup2 and msfc2? What is the difference?

.....never mind, I figured it out.

Thanks,

Jim

[ankurbhasin]

Hi Jim,

Supervisor (sup2, sup1)is a switching engine and MSFC is a routing daughter card which sits on the supervisor.

Supervisor in cat6k alone is just a layer 2 switch but together with MSFC it performs like a router also.

Supervisor you can image as a layer 2 switch which stores cam entry like other layer 2 switch and perform all layer 2 functions. MSFC is a daughter card which supports all layer 3 routing like intervlan routing , routing with implementation of routing protocol like eigrp , ospf etc etc.

HTH, if yes please rate the post.

Ankur

[willson]

Ankur,

So, on my 6506 with sup2 and msfc2, I have ATA flash, "main" memory, and "flash" memory? Is the "main" memory on the msfc2 or sup2?

TIA,

Jim

[amit-singh]

Jim,

I didnt get your question exactly. Is it the diffrence between Sup2 and another model Sup2U, what you are asking.

If yes, then Sup2 is shipped with default 128 MB DRAM and Sup2U is shipped with 256 MB DRAM. Its the difference between the defualt memory shipped with the box.

HTH,

-amit singh

[willson]

I am very sorry you guys, there was some confusion on my part about the difference between the sup2 and msfc2, which has been cleared up. So, what memory do I need to be concerned with when it comes to upgrading IOS? I want to make sure I meet all the requirements.

Thanks,

Jim

[amit-singh]

Hi Jim,

Please go through the release notes for checking all the criteria.

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/lan/cat6000/12_1e/ol_2310.htm

HTH, pls rate if it does.

-amit singh