Patent ID: 8717874

Claim:
A method of managing a system image update in a switching network having a managing master switch and a plurality of switches managed by the managing master switch and coupled to the managing master switch by a respective one of the multiple links, the method comprising: at the managing master switch, receiving a first capability vector (CV) from a switch among the plurality of switches at the managing master switch via the respective one of the plurality of links, wherein the first CV characterizes a system configuration of the switch; the managing master switch determining whether the first CV is compatible with at least a second CV in a network membership data structure that records CVs of multiple switches in the switching network; in response to detecting an incompatibility, the managing master switch initiating an image update to an image of the switch; and in response to a failure of the image update at the switch, reestablishing communication between the managing master switch and the switch as booted under a mini-DC module and thereafter retrying the image update.