Program the upgrade into the bootflash programmable read-only memory.
The filename itself is highly descriptive. The asr1000 prefix indicates the platform is any ASR1000 series router. rommon specifies the target firmware type. 173-1r corresponds to ROMMON , where r stands for a "ROMMON package release". The spa designation marks it as a shared-port adapter style package for ROMMON, and the .pkg extension denotes it as a package file for field-programmable devices.
Early ASR 1000 units had 4GB bootflash. Modern IOS XE images easily exceed 1GB, and 173-1r improved the ROMMON’s file system driver to handle 8GB, 16GB, and even 32GB USB drives for recovery. asr1000-rommon.173-1r.spa.pkg
On a live ASR1000, run:
Move the asr1000-rommon.173-1r.spa.pkg file to the router using a secure protocol like SCP or TFTP. rommon specifies the target firmware type
Expected output:
Before deciding to deploy asr1000-rommon.173-1r.spa.pkg , you need to know what you are currently running. Early ASR 1000 units had 4GB bootflash
One particular filename you will encounter in software downloads and boot sequences is . To the uninitiated, it looks like a random string of characters. To the seasoned engineer, it is the key to recovering a bricked router, enabling hardware features, and understanding platform boot security.