Updating IOS on ProCurve Switches

Updating IOS software on HP's ProCurve switches are pretty simple and straight forward. All you need to do is run a TFTP server, log into the switch, add an IP to the switch, specified a default gateway so the switch can talk to the TFTP server and download the new IOS.

SwitchA# vlan 1
SwitchA# ip address 192.168.1.9 255.255.255.0
SwitchA# exit
SwitchA# ip default-gateway 192.168.1.1
SwitchA# copy tftp flash 192.168.1.8 filename.swi

Note that when you do this the switch will download the new software and reboots itself when it's done processing the file. If you need to update both primary and secondary flash then you should find out whether the switch boots from primary flash or secondary flash and copy the other one first.

Let's say the switch boots from primary flash then the sequence of commands should be:

SwitchA# copy tftp flash 192.168.1.8 filename.swi secondary
SwitchA# y
SwitchA# copy tftp flash 192.168.1.8 filename.swi
SwitchA# y

This will let you update the IOS on both primary and secondary flashes before the switch reboots itself and save you some time. Plus you can script this and cut down the update time. If you do it otherwise, the switch will update primary flash, reboot and then you have to manually update the secondary flash.