Upgrading Firmware on a Cisco MDS Storage Switch: Important Considerations

B.

When upgrading the firmware on a Cisco MDS storage switch with dual supervisors, the correct answer is C: Both supervisors load the new firmware and then the active supervisor reboots.

Here's why:

The Cisco MDS storage switch with dual supervisors is designed for high availability and redundancy. The switch has two supervisors, one active and one standby, that share the control plane and perform failover in case of supervisor failure.

To upgrade the firmware on a Cisco MDS storage switch with dual supervisors, both supervisors need to be upgraded. The upgrade process is as follows:

1. Load the new firmware on both supervisors: The new firmware is loaded on both supervisors simultaneously. This ensures that both supervisors have the same firmware version and are ready to take over as the active supervisor if needed.

2. Verify the new firmware: Once the new firmware is loaded, the switch verifies that the firmware is valid and can be used to boot the switch.

3. Reboot the active supervisor: After verifying the new firmware, the switch reboots the active supervisor. During the reboot, the standby supervisor takes over as the active supervisor to ensure uninterrupted operation of the switch.

4. Verify the new firmware on the active supervisor: After the active supervisor has rebooted, the switch verifies that the new firmware is running on the active supervisor. If the new firmware is not running on the active supervisor, the switch will trigger a failover to the standby supervisor.

It's important to note that during the upgrade process, the switch continues to operate normally. The upgrade process does not disrupt traffic or cause any downtime. However, it's recommended to perform the upgrade during a maintenance window or during a period of low traffic to avoid any potential issues.