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Checking for Firmware Updates Isn't Working

Author: Luis Fernandes Updated

Overview

When using the automatic Check for Updates link on the Update Firmware page of the Exinda, an error is returned or it spends a long time looking and comes back with nothing.

The Exinda Firmware allows you to update the OS by going to the Update Firmware page (under Configuration > System > Maintenance) and clicking on a link to check whether there are any new versions of the firmware available to be downloaded and will prepare for the download. It will pull the file to download straight from the Exinda servers without any intervention after an agreement for installation. It will also determine the latest version that can be obtained instead of needing the administrator to manually figure this out.

In order to do this, the appliance will contact the Exinda licensing and update server with information about the appliance.

If in rare instances, it is unable to contact the Exinda update server, the page will return a message:

  • "Unable To Contact Licensing Server"
  • "SS License Has Expired"
  • [After a long 30 second or longer pause] "No Updates Found"

Root Cause

The appliance sends requests to the licensing and updates server through the management interface (eth1 by default, though any port can be used as management if configured to be so in the Configuration > System > Networks, "IP Addresses" tab). If communication through this port is hindered, it is possible that communication will not work.

If unable to pull anything and getting an error such as 'Unable to Contact Licensing Server', the following could be at fault:

  • DNS has not been set up on the box or DNS has wrong entry
  • A default gateway has not been set up on the box
  • There is a firewall blocking SSL traffic
  • The Management Port cannot talk to the outside world (internal subnet, etc)

If the message that "SS License Has Expired" comes up, it implies that the Business Support and Software Subscription (SS) support contract for the device has expired. As a result, while the box's core functionality will work, it is not allowed to do software updates.

If there is an incredibly long pause before a response comes back where nothing new is available, it might also imply there is a connectivity issue, as the Exinda is taking that time to send out multiple SYN handshaking packets but is not receiving a response.

Resolution

In order to ensure that the connectivity between the Exinda appliance and the licensing server is valid:

  • Enable DNS on the device (Configuration > System > Network, the "DNS" tab).
  • Enable the default gateway on the device (Configuration > System > Network, the "IP Addresses" tab).
  • Ensure that the management port has an IP address (Configuration > System > Network, the "IP Addresses" tab).

If the above is set up and communication is still hindered, do the following:

  • Do a DNS lookup on the device for license.exinda.com (Configuration > System > Tools, "DNS Lookup" tab); an IP address should be returned.
  • Ping license.exinda.com (Configuration > System > Tools, "Ping"); do a IPv4 ping.
  • Check the firewall in front of the device and ensure that the traffic is hitting that far.
  • Double check subnet assignments and whether the management subnet has access to the outside world and is reachable from the outside in.

If the Software Subscription support has expired, please contact Exinda Sales to renew the contract.