Uploading Firmware and Files

AirWave automates firmware distribution to the devices on your network. Once you have downloaded the firmware from the vendor, you can upload the firmware to AirWave for distribution to devices from the Upload Firmware & Files page. After you upload the firmware, AirWave lists them in the Firmware Files table on this page.

below itemizes the contents, settings, and default values for the Upload Firmware & Files page.

Table 1: Device Setup > Upload Firmware & Files Fields and Default Values

Setting	Default	Description
Type	HPE Aruba Networking Controller(any model)	Displays a drop-down list of the primary AP makes and models that AirWave supports with automated firmware distribution.
Owner Role	None	Displays the user role that uploaded the firmware file. This is the role that has access to the file when an upgrade is attempted.
Description	None	Displays a user-configurable text description of the firmware file.
Server Protocol	None	Displays the file transfer protocol by which the firmware file was obtained from the server. This can be FTP, TFTP, HTTP, HTTPS. or SCP.
Use Group File Server	None	If enabled, displays the name of the file server supporting the group.
Firmware Filename	None	Displays the name of the file that was uploaded to AirWave and to be transferred to an AP when the file is used in an upgrade.
Firmware MD5 Checksum	None	Displays the MD5 checksum of the file after it was uploaded to AirWave. The MD5 checksum is used to verify that the file was uploaded to AirWave without issue. The checksum should match the checksum of the file before it was uploaded.
Firmware File Size	None	Displays the size of the firmware file in bytes.
Firmware Version	None	Displays the firmware version number. This is a user-configurable field.
HTML Filename	None	Supporting HTML, displays the name of the file that was uploaded to AirWave and to be transferred to an AP when the file is used in an upgrade.
HTML MD5 Checksum	None	Supporting HTML, displays the MD5 checksum of the file after it was uploaded to AirWave. The MD5 checksum is used to verify that the file was uploaded to AirWave without issue. The checksum should match the checksum of the file before it was uploaded.
HTML File Size	None	Supporting HTML, displays the size of the file in bytes.
HTML Version	None	Supporting HTML, displays the version of HTML used for file transfer.
Desired Firmware File for Specified Groups	None	The firmware file is set as the desired firmware version on the Groups > Firmware Files page of the specified groups. You cannot delete a firmware file that is set as the desired firmware version for a group.

Loading Firmware Files onto AirWave

Perform the following steps to load a device firmware file onto AirWave:

1. Go to the Device Setup > Upload Firmware & Files page.
2. Select Add by the New Firmware File option.

   The Add Firmware File page appears. Figure 1 illustrates this page.

Figure 1  Device Setup > Upload Firmware and Files > Add Page

3. Select the Supported Firmware Versions and Features link to view supported firmware versions.

4. Enter the appropriate information and select Add. The file uploads to AirWave and once complete, this file appears on the Device Setup > Upload Firmware & Files page. This file also appears on additional pages that display firmware files (such as the Group > Firmware page and on individual Devices > Manage pages).
5. You can also import a CSV list of groups and their external TFTP firmware servers. itemizes the settings of this page.

Table 2: Supported Firmware Versions and Features Fields and Default Values

Setting	Default	Description
Type	HPE Aruba Networking controller	Indicates the firmware file is used with the specified type. With selection of some types, particularly Cisco controllers, you can specify the boot software version.
Firmware Version	None	Provides a user-configurable field to specify the firmware version number. This open appears if Use an external firmware file server is enabled.
Description	None	Provides a user-configurable text description of the firmware file.
Upload firmware files (and use built-in firmware)	Enabled	Allows you to select a firmware from your local machine and upload it via TFTP or FTP.
Use an external firmware file server	N/A	You can also choose to assign the external TFTP server on a per-group basis. If you select this option, you must enter the IP address on the Groups > Firmware page. Complete the Firmware File Server IP Address field.
Server Protocol	TFTP	Specify whether to use a built-in TFTP server or FTP, HTTP, or HTTPS to upload a firmware file. TFTP is recommended. If you select FTP, AirWave uses an anonymous user for file upload.
Use Group File Server	Disabled	If you opt to use an external firmware file server, this additional option appears. This setting instructs AirWave to use the server that is associated with the group instead of defining a server.
Firmware File Server IP Address	None	Provides the IP address of the External TFTP Server (like SolarWinds) used for the firmware upgrade. This option displays when the user selects the Use an external firmware file option.
Firmware Filename	None	Enter the name of the firmware file that needs to be uploaded. Ensure that the firmware file is in the TFTP root directory. If you are using a non-external server, you select Choose File to find your local copy of the file.
HTML Filename	None	Browse to the HTML file that will accompany the firmware upload. Note that this field is only available for certain Firmware File Types (for example, Symbol 4121).
Patch Filename	None	If you selected Symbol WS5100 as the Firmware File Type, and you are upgrading from version 3.0 to 3.1, then browse to the path where the patch file is located.
Boot Software Version	None	If you specified a Cisco WLC device as the Firmware File Type, then also enter the boot software version.

6. Select Add to import the firmware file.

Deleting FirmWare Files

To delete a firmware file that has already been uploaded to AirWave, return to the Device Setup > Upload Firmware & Files page, select the checkbox for the firmware file and select Delete.

Adding Web Auth Bundles

Web authentication bundles are configuration files that support Cisco WLC wireless LAN controllers. This procedure requires that you have local or network access to a Web Auth configuration file for Cisco WLC devices.

To add or edit a Web Authentication Bundle:

1. Go to the Device Setup > Upload Firmware & Files page.
2. Click Add by the New Web Auth Bundle option. This page displays any existing web authentication bundles that are currently configured in AirWave.
3. Select Add to create a new bundle (see Figure 2), or select the pencil icon next to an existing bundle to edit. You may also delete a bundle by selecting that bundle with the checkbox, and selecting Delete.

Figure 2  Adding a Web Auth Bundle

4. Enter a descriptive label in the description field. This is the label used to identify and track web authentication bundles on the page.
5. Enter the path and file name of the web authentication bundle, or select Choose File to locate the file.
6. Select Add to complete the web authentication bundle creation, or Save if replacing a previous Web Auth configuration file, or Cancel to abort the Web Auth integration.

For additional information about using web authentication bundles with Cisco WLC controllers, refer to the Wireless LAN controller Web Authentication Configuration Example, Document ID: 69340 on Cisco’s Web site.

Adding a New Captive Portal Logo

If you want to use a company logo for a guest account that uses a captive portal for network authentication, you upload the logo to AirWave and then set a group of devices to use the captive portal logo.

To upload a company logo image file:

1. Click Add at the bottom of the Upload Firmware & Files page next to New Captive Portal Logo.

Figure 3  Adding a Captive Portal Logo

2. Enter a logo description.
3. Click Choose File to select the image file, then click Open.
4. Click Add. AirWave displays the newly added image file in the Firmware Files table.

Adding a New DRT File

You can use the downloadable regulatory table (DRT) to update country domain options without upgrading the ArubaOS software version on an AP.

To add a DRT file to AirWave:

1. Click Add at the bottom of the Upload Firmware & Files page next to New DRT File.

Figure 4  Adding a DRT File

2. Enter a DRT file description.
3. Click Choose File to select the DRT file, then click Open.
4. Click Add. AirWave displays the newly added DRT file in the Firmware Files table.