Manual Chapter : BIG-IP Software Upgrades

Applies To:

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BIG-IQ Centralized Management

  • 4.6.0
Manual Chapter

About upgrading BIG-IP software

A key feature of BIG-IQ® Device is the ability to manage software images from one location, allowing you to deploy software without having to log in to individual BIG-IP® devices. Software images can contain new software, upgrades, or hot fixes.

Downloading a software image from F5 Networks

Downloading a software image is the first step to making it available for new installations, upgrades, or hot fixes.

  1. Log in to the F5 Downloads site, https://downloads.f5.com, and click the Find a Download button.
  2. Click the name of the product line.
  3. Click the product version name you want to download.
  4. Read the End User Software License and click the I Accept button if you agree with the terms.
  5. Click the file name of the file you want to download.
  6. Click the name of the closest geographical location to you.
    The software image downloads to your local system
The software image is now available for you to upload to the BIG-IQ system and make it available for managed devices.

Uploading a software image to the BIG-IQ system

Before you can upload a software image to the BIG-IQ system, you must download it from the https://downloads.f5.com site.

Upload a software image to make it available for new installations, upgrades, or hot fixes.

  1. Log in to BIG-IQ Device with the administrator user name and password.
  2. At the top of the screen, click Provisioning.
  3. Hover over the Images panel, and click the + icon when it appears, and then click New Software Image.
  4. Click the Choose File button and navigate to the location to which you downloaded the image, and click it to upload it to BIG-IQ Device.
    The software image appears in the Images panel.
The software image is now available for you to deploy.

Upgrading a legacy device (version 10.2.0 - 11.3.0)

Before you can upgrade a legacy device, you must download the software image from the F5 Downloads site, https://downloads.f5.com, and upload it to the BIG-IQ system's Images panel.
BIG-IQ Device can manage BIG-IP devices running version 11.4.0 and later. You must upgrade BIG-IP devices running versions 10.2.0 - 11.3.0 before you can manage it. Upgrades are installed to a new volume. If the upgrade does not go as planned, you can boot to the previous volume and restore the configuration. While the software image runs, you can continue to perform other administrative tasks.
  1. Log in to BIG-IQ Device with your administrator user name and password.
  2. At the top of the screen, click Provisioning.
  3. Hover on the Devices panel header, click the + sign when it appears, and then click Upgrade Legacy Device.
  4. In the IP Address field, type the IP address for the legacy device that you want to upgrade from a version prior to 11.4.0.
  5. In the Admin User Name and Admin Password fields, type the administrator's user name and password.
  6. In the Root User Name and Root Password fields, type the user name and password for the root user.
  7. From the Software Version list, select the software image to which you want to upgrade this device.
    This list includes both software images and hot fix images.
  8. Click the Upgrade button to install the new software image on the target device.
You can now discover and start managing this device.

Deploying a software image (new installation, upgrade, or hotfix)

Before you can install a software image onto a device, you must download it from the F5 Downloads site, https://downloads.f5.com, and upload it to the BIG-IQ system's Images panel. To apply a hot fix, you must have the base software image, as well as the hot fix, uploaded to the BIG-IQ system's Images panel.

Important: You can deploy software images to BIG-IP devices running version 11.4.0 or later. Before you can install a software image on a legacy BIG-IP device running version 10.2.0 - 11.3.0, you must upgrade it

You can deploy software images to managed devices from BIG-IQ Device. Upgrades are installed to a new volume. If the upgrade does not go as planned, you can boot to the previous volume and restore the configuration. While the software image runs, you can continue to perform other administrative tasks.

Note: Install a software image during a maintenance window when you are not directing traffic to the target BIG-IP device.
  1. Log in to BIG-IQ Device with your administrator user name and password.
  2. At the top of the screen, click Provisioning.
  3. Click the arrow next to the BIG-IQ device group that contains the device onto which you want to install this software.
  4. Hover on the device on which you want to install software, click the gear icon, and click Install Software.
  5. In the Deployment Name field, type a name to identify this software installation deployment.
    This is the name that displays in the Deployment panel after you click the Install button to deploy the image.
  6. From the Software Images list, select the software image you want to install on the target device.
    To apply a hot fix, you must have the base software image downloaded to the BIG-IQ system's Images panel.
  7. From the Target Volume list, select the volume to which you want to install the selected software image.
  8. To prompt BIG-IQ Device to reboot the BIG-IP device to the target volume immediately after the software installs, select the Reboot into Target Volume check box.
    You must reboot the BIG-IP device before you can use the newly-installed software. If you do not select this check box, you must reboot directly on the BIG-IP device.
  9. Click the Install button to immediately deploy the software to the BIG-IP device.
    Alternatively, you can click the Save button to deploy the software at a later time. If you select this option, the software installation job displays in the Deployment panel in the Pending list.
The software installation deployment job displays in the Pending list of the Deployments panel until BIG-IQ Device finished the software installation. If you saved the software installation deployment job, it remains in the Pending list until you deploy it.
All managed devices must have the most recent framework installed. To start managing this BIG-IP device, you must rediscover it and update the framework. If you did not select the Reboot into Target Volume check box, you must reboot directly from the BIG-IP device before you can use the newly-installed software. If you saved the software installation job, you must deploy it from the Deployment panel.