Enabling software auto-update for software image synchronization

	IMPORTANT: To ensure a successful software auto-update in a multi-user environment, prevent anyone from rebooting member devices during the auto-update process. To inform administrators of the auto-update status, configure the information center to output the status messages to configuration terminals (see Network Management and Monitoring Configuration Guide).

The software auto-update feature automatically synchronizes the current software images of the master to devices that are attempting to join the IRF fabric.

To join an IRF fabric, a device must use the same software images as the master in the fabric.

When you add a device to the IRF fabric, software auto-update compares the startup software images of the device with the current software images of the IRF master. If the two sets of images are different, the device automatically performs the following operations:

1. Downloads the current software images of the master.

2. Sets the downloaded images as its main startup software images.

3. Reboots with the new software images to rejoin the IRF fabric.

You must manually update the new device with the software images running on the IRF fabric if software auto-update is disabled.