Specifications
3-20
Cisco Wide Area Application Services Command Reference
OL-11817-01
Chapter 3 CLI Commands
copy http
Upgrading the BIOS
You can remotely upgrade the BIOS on the WAE-511, WAE-512, WAE-611, WAE-612, and the
WAE-7326. All computer hardware has to work with software through an interface. The Basic Input
Output System (BIOS) provides such an interface. It gives the computer a built-in starter kit to run the
rest of the software from the hard disk drive. The BIOS is responsible for booting the computer by
providing a basic set of instructions. It performs all the tasks that need to be done at start-up time, such
as Power-On Self Test (POST) operations and booting the operating system from the hard disk drive.
Furthermore, it provides an interface between the hardware and the operating system in the form of a
library of interrupt handlers. For instance, each time a key is pressed, the CPU performs an interrupt to
read that key, which is similar for other input/output devices, such as serial and parallel ports, video
cards, sound cards, hard disk controllers, and so forth. Some older PCs cannot interoperate with all the
modern hardware because their BIOS does not support that hardware; the operating system cannot call
a BIOS routine to use it. This problem can be solved by replacing the BIOS with a newer one that does
support your new hardware or by installing a device driver for the hardware.
All BIOS files needed for a particular hardware model BIOS update are available on Cisco.com as a
single .bin package file. This file is a special <WAAS-installable>.bin file that you can install by using
the normal software update procedure.
To update the BIOS version on a WAAS device that supports BIOS version updates, you need the following
items:
• HTTP server with the software files
• Network connectivity between the device to be updated and the server hosting the update files
• Appropriate .bin BIOS update file:
–
511_bios.bin
–
611_bios.bin
–
7326_bios.bin
Caution Be extraordinarily careful when upgrading a Flash BIOS. Make absolutely sure that the BIOS upgrade
patch is the exact one required. If you apply the wrong patch, you can render the system unbootable,
making it difficult or impossible to recover even by reapplying the proper patch.
Caution Because a failed Flash BIOS update can have dire results, never update a Flash BIOS without first
connecting the system to an uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
To install the BIOS update file on a WAAS device, use the copy http install EXEC command as follows:
WAE# copy http install
http-server remote_file_di
r 7326_bios.bin
[
portnumber
]
After the BIOS update file is copied to your system, use the reload EXEC command to reboot the WAAS
device as follows:
WAE# reload
The new BIOS takes effect after the system reboots.