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DELL POWERCONNECT 3024, 3048, 5012 v5.2.5 FIRMWARE README

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NOTE: This ReadMe provides information for PowerConnect 3024, 3048, 
and 5012 v5.2.5 firmware.


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CRITICALITY
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Recommended - Dell recommends applying this update during your next 
scheduled update cycle. The update contains feature enhancements or 
changes that will help keep your system software current and compatible 
with other system modules (firmware, BIOS, drivers and software). 


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DESCRIPTION
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* This is the firmware release 5.2.5 for the Dell PowerConnect 3024, 
3048, & 5012 networking switches.

* This firmware is transferable to the switch via a TFTP server. 

* Please read the documents in the zip file for further enhancements 
and fixes. 


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FIXES/ENHANCEMENTS
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Features

- Shortened the IGMP leave group delay time to 6 seconds 
(from 270 seconds).

- Dynamic Address Learning feature.

- Updated MIB files for PowerConnect 3024/3048/5012.

- Support for 3024/3048 mixed stack.

- Increased VLAN number to 256.

- Increase multicast groups to 256.


Dynamic Addresses
The Dynamic Address lookup table allows you to view the MAC addresses 
that are currently in the address database. When addresses are in the 
database, the packets intended for those addresses are forwarded 
directly to those ports. You can filter out the table by port, 
virtual local area network (VLAN), and MAC address by checking those 
fields.

Dynamic MAC address learning is enabled by default. This is the 
standard mode for a network switch. In some networks, the 
administrator may want to create a secured network by disabling the 
dynamic address learning capabilities. When this is done, all current 
dynamic address entries will be locked in. These addresses will not 
age out and new addresses will not be learned. In addition, if a new 
address is detected on a port, the switch will disable the port with 
the new address, save the current settings to NVRAM, and send out a 
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) trap warning. This feature 
is used to block computers that were not on the network before the 
lockdown from attempting to access the network. Once a port is 
automatically disabled, the administrator can re-enable the port 
manually. The NVRAM will only be saved the first time a given port 
detects a new address. The aging time should be raised before disabling 
the dynamic address learning to provide enough time for the switch to 
learn all current MAC addresses without the possibility of aging out.

This page contains the following options by which to query the dynamic
MAC address table:
• Port — Check the option box and select a port from the drop-down 
list.
• VLAN ID — Check the option box and type the appropriate VLAN ID.
• MAC Address — Check the option box and select the address from the 
list box provided.
• Query button — Click this button to execute the query once you have 
selected the criteria for the query.


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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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NOTE: Perform the upgrade procedure from the console interface via an 
RS232 serial port. When using a telnet session or web interface alone, 
your connection to the switch is not available until the switch has 
entered forwarding mode. This takes approximately three minutes. 
 

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION
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**Please read the Adobe PDF documents enclosed in the ZIP download.**   

This file contains a compressed (or zipped) set of files. You will 
need a compression tool such as WinZip. Download the file to a folder 
on your hard drive, and then run (double-click) it to unzip the set of 
files.

Follow the instructions and then use the Upgrade Insturctions to 
complete the installation.


1. If Port Trunking is disabled, no special care needs to be taken. 
Please proceed to perform the firmware upgrade.

2. If Port Trunking is enabled, please perform the following steps 
before applying the firmware upgrade:

2a. Write down current Port Trunking configurations.

2b. Unplug all but one port from each of the trunk.

2c. Delete all trunks through the management interface. Be sure to 
save configuration to NVRAM.

2d. Reset the switch to perform the firmware upgrade.

2e. After the upgrade was successful, re-configure all the trunks. Be 
sure to save configuration to NVRAM.

2f. After all the trunks are re-created, plug in all the trunk ports 
for each of the trunk.


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Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
(C) 2005 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission 
of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.

Trademarks used in this text: "Dell", "Dell OpenManage",
"PowerConnect", and "PowerEdge" are trademarks of Dell Inc.;
"Windows Server" is a trademark, and "Microsoft", "Windows", and
"Wingdings" are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation
"Novell" and "NetWare" are registered trademarks of Novell Inc.;
"Red Hat" is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer 
to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products.  
Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade 
names other than its own.

May 2005