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Jrod8033
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Long term release versus Stable

Sat Apr 02, 2022 5:13 am

I have a few of RB450G units we took over and some are on routerOS 6.26 and some are on newer revisions. What is the best release to use, stable or long term? I thought the long term release may be mostly security & bug fixes.

When upgrading multiple versions, do we need to do every major version and it’s update. For example, do we have to upgrade all 6.32 versions before we move onto to 6.33 Or can we do each major revisions 6.3 then 6.32.1 then 6.33 to 6.34 and skip all the versions in between (6.33.2 6.33.3 6.33.5 6.33.6 etc)

Thanks.
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Sat Apr 02, 2022 10:23 am

You must upgrade on step for be safe, but you still must uprade...

If possible, is better to make a .rsc backupm, use netinstall to go directly to 6.48.6, and impoting back the .rsc,
but if the downtime must be the less possible,
upgrade first to 6.43.16 then to 6.44.6 then to 6.46.8, then to 6.48.6 long-term
 
Jrod8033
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Tue Apr 05, 2022 5:06 am

Thank you for replying.

What about the firmware updates? These units are strictly used on only an internal network without having internet access. How do I update the firmware?

Thanks again
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Tue Apr 05, 2022 7:42 am

System-routerboard-upgrade

Only one way to go, to latest in accordance with ROS installed at that time.
So best to do it each step as well.
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Tue Apr 05, 2022 7:52 am

some are on routerOS 6.26

That's seven years old, so they've got a major vulnerability. You say you're using those devices on a benign private network, but if there's any possibility of malware, etc., I'd put the need to upgrade them to something current at "hair on fire" level of urgency.

What is the best release to use, stable or long term?

If you're sticking with ROS 6, I doubt the difference matters in practice now. This line of releases is slowly entering maintenance mode, so I expect that the distinction between those two lines of development will converge to zero.

Meanwhile in ROS 7 land, we arguably haven't got a meaningful "stable" versus "long-term" yet, so for me it would come down to features: whichever branch has the features you need, use that one.

I thought the long term release may be mostly security & bug fixes.

Eventually that may be true in the ROS 7 line, but we won't find out until we have stability across the entire feature set.

do we need to do every major version and it’s update

That depends on the content of the update, now doesn't it? That's why MikroTik publishes release notes: for you to read and evaluate, to decide if you need the upgrade.

If no evaluation was required, MikroTik could turn on auto-update for all hardware, and we could all go about more productive business.

There's a reason "network engineer" is a full-time paid job: it isn't a set-it-and-forget-it type of thing.
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Tue Apr 05, 2022 8:38 am

These units are strictly used on only an internal network without having internet access. How do I update the firmware?

Download links on download section of mikrotik portal stick to the same pattern, which is:

https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/<major>.<minor>.<release>/routeros-<architecture>-<major>.<minor>.<release>.npk

and for extra packages ZIP file

https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/<major>.<minor>.<release>/all_packages-<architecture>-<major>.<minor>.<release>.zip

It is possible that you don't need any extra package, but do inspect list of currently installed packages (e.g. run /system package print ... I don't have any device installed with old ROS with bundled package, so I can't tell which packages are included in bundle and which are separate packages ... I might tell from output of command mentioned or some other forum user might tell that).

RB450G's architecture is mipsbe, so the relevant download links to the interim releases are:

https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/ ... .43.16.npk
https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/ ... .43.16.zip

https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/ ... 6.44.6.npk
https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/ ... 6.44.6.zip

https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/ ... 6.46.8.npk
https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/ ... 6.46.8.zip

(and then preferred recent release using link from download page).

After you download package files, upload relevant npk file(s) to root of storage on RB450G and start ROS upgrade (in CLI execute /system package update install). After reboot to the new ROS version, upgrade routerboot as well by executing /system routerboard upgrade (the firmware file is part of ROS upgrade, so it's only available after booting into new ROS version). By all means do perform routeboot upgrade, ancient routerboot versions sometimes can't boot newer ROS kernel.

Another way of getting your unit(s) up to date is to netinstall devices. I would say it's preferred because it also installs recent default configuration while upgrades convert running configuration. A few versions between your running ROS and current one brought some big changes and it is possible for upgrade process to fail to convert old config to new one. In addition, new default config makes much more secure setup in certain aspects.
In case you decide to go with netinstall process, you can skip the interim versions and go for long-term (6.48.6 at the time being). Download netinstall package and follow instructions from netinstall manual. Beware that the process is very fragile and sometimes it takes multiple tries in order to make it right. Also it's very important to create text export of running configuration beforehand by executing command /export show-sensitive file=anynameyouwish and fetch the file off device (storage on device gets wiped during netinstall). After performing netinstall do reconfiguration according to your needs. I advise you to use exported configuration (it's text file, so open it in text editor) only as reminder of what was done before, but don't try to create identical configuration, it either won't work (as I wrote, there have been some radical changes in ROS since 6.26) or will work in less secure and/or optimal way (because defaults are now much better than they used to be).
If you have doubts, post running config any you may get some advice from some experienced forum members (it might not seem like it, but quite a few are nice and willing to help ... but no spoon-feeding).
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Tue Apr 05, 2022 9:06 am

If you have doubts, post running config any you may get some advice from some experienced forum members (it might not seem like it, but quite a few are nice and willing to help ... but no spoon-feeding).
That made my day :lol:
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Tue Apr 05, 2022 3:22 pm

Yup, one fresh netinstall to the latest long term version is the efficient way of doing it and the safest method.
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Tue Apr 05, 2022 10:34 pm

Thanks to everyone for their recommendations, I also appreciate everyone help and willingness to share their knowledge.
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Thu Apr 07, 2022 10:14 am

You must upgrade on step for be safe, but you still must uprade...

If possible, is better to make a .rsc backupm, use netinstall to go directly to 6.48.6, and impoting back the .rsc,
but if the downtime must be the less possible,
upgrade first to 6.43.16 then to 6.44.6 then to 6.46.8, then to 6.48.6 long-term
I think someone should time this, I feel that 1 quick netinstall and a reboot would be faster then 5 reboots?
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Thu Apr 07, 2022 10:41 am


I think someone should time this, I feel that 1 quick netinstall and a reboot would be faster then 5 reboots?
Very true but how can you guarantee your config will be imported back when making such a huge jump ?
Will not always work... if you do, then it is of utmost importance to have the rsc backups available so you can import things back in manually (while reviewing very closely what is already present as default).
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Thu Apr 07, 2022 12:50 pm


I think someone should time this, I feel that 1 quick netinstall and a reboot would be faster then 5 reboots?
Very true but how can you guarantee your config will be imported back when making such a huge jump ?
Will not always work... if you do, then it is of utmost importance to have the rsc backups available so you can import things back in manually (while reviewing very closely what is already present as default).
Geez tough luv needed again...........
holvoetn, it is insane to try and to five leaps from an old version to a new version.
Extract the config so you understand it, then netinstall to a fresh clean install and redo the config based on the old one.
Enough has changed such that one must learn some new syntax anyway. Best to not try and get confused with half old half new etc........

Also anyone who suggest five leaps is effing cruel............. sadistic even. I hope I dont get cat claws stuck in my back!!!
Last edited by anav on Thu Apr 07, 2022 12:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 
holvoetn
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Thu Apr 07, 2022 12:57 pm

Don't get me wrong. I agree it's better to start clean.
But it requires more work and attention to have everything configured again.

Besides, doing things the difficult way is always an option :lol:
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Thu Apr 07, 2022 12:59 pm

Don't get me wrong. I agree it's better to start clean.
But it requires more work and attention to have everything configured again.

Besides, doing things the difficult way is always an option :lol:
So is picking your teeth with a steak knife! :-)
The important part here is the OP should understand the config so I dont consider it a bad thing.
If the OP doesnt understand the config, better if the person learns that on the latest version then
getting more and more muddled all along the way.............. KISS.
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Thu Apr 07, 2022 2:14 pm

But really on first reply, on post #2...

rextended wrote:
If is possible, is better to make a .rsc backup, use netinstall to go directly to 6.48.6, and impoting back the .rsc
 
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Re: Long term release versus Stable

Thu Apr 07, 2022 3:27 pm

But really on first reply, on post #2...

rextended wrote:
If is possible, is better to make a .rsc backup, use netinstall to go directly to 6.48.6, and impoting back the .rsc
True but that was weak from the usual......... we got the Wizard of Oz Lion by mistake....... ;-PP

Too timid.... " if is possible " more like, I am going to highly suggest as in "ram this down your throat" ............ that I so luv and admire!!!
I think you got mushy from eating too many pears!!!

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