Network Management

NCM firmware upgrade fails when MPE/APE TFTP root folder does not match configured path

The root folder of the TFTP does not match what is configured in NCM, so firmware upgrades fail.

First published date

5/8/2026 3:52 PM

Last published date

5/8/2026 3:52 PM

Overview

In Network Configuration Manager (NCM), a firmware upgrade can fail even when the upgrade template is correct if the Additional Polling Engine (APE)  or Main Polling Engine is using a different TFTP root folder than the path expected in the web console configuration. In this case, correcting the TFTP root folder on the APE allowed the image to copy to the switch successfully.

Product section

Network Configuration Manager

Cause

In some cases, the TFTP root folder configured on the APE was different from the location expected in the NCM web console. Because of that mismatch, the upgrade workflow did not validate the transferred image as expected. After the TFTP root folder was corrected, the upgrade template successfully copied the image to the switch.

Resolution

  1. Review the TFTP root folder configured on the affected APE/MPE.

  2. Compare that folder with the path expected by the NCM web console/firmware upgrade configuration.

  3. Correct the APE/MPE TFTP root folder so both sides reference the same location.

  4. Re-run the firmware upgrade job.

  5. Confirm that the image is copied to the switch successfully.

  6. Note that Firmware Repository path should be different from TFTP Server Path.