topic Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like? in Unified Communications Infrastructure

Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

victoriabardy — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 10:27:02 GMT

Hello all,

We have a scheduled maintenance window to upgrade our existing call manager cluster from 7.1.3 to 8.5.1. I will be uploading the 8.5.1 software to the call manager partition the day before and then switching the 8.5.1 version to the active partition during the maintenance window.

My question is, if I run into an issue that forces me to roll back, is the roll back as straitghtforward as switching the call manager back to the 7.1.3 partition, or is there more involved?

Also, can I load my upgrade license ahead of time, or do I need to wait until I have moved the 8.5.1 version into the active partition?

Please let me know any and all details if you do.

Thanks for your time.

Rgds,

Vicky

Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

Rob Huffman — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:46:36 GMT

Hi Vicky,

The steps are shown in the attached link

Reverting to a Previous Version

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucm/cucos/8_0_1/cucos/iptpch7.html#wp1053899

Cheers!

Rob

Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

Tommer Catlin — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:09:15 GMT

You cant load your license before hand.. not gonna happen. You can however, check out a temp license if you are in a pinch at

https://tools.cisco.com/SWIFT/Licensing/PrivateRegistrationServlet?FormId=626

Id highly recommend doing this offline somewhere just in case to make sure it goes through correctly. I do not trust the rollback info. I had a rollback not work properely once and that was the last time I do that. If you have a spare server, load 7.13 offline. DRS the old system, restore to the offline 7.13, run an inplace upgrade of 8.5.x. Remember the COP files, etc. It will take quite a bit of time.

Cisco says they do not support VM machines for these upgrades, but you can try it in vmware workstation (at least for a dry run).

Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

victoriabardy — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:15:51 GMT

Hi Tommer,

I have the upgrade license but I wasn't sure when I upload it for the upgrade. I am guessing based on what you said here I have to wait until after I flip the inactive partition with the the upgrade into production to upload the license, correct?

Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

Rob Huffman — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:15:46 GMT

Hi Vicky,

Like TCAT nicely noted (+5 "Mr.T") we usually load the new license

as one of the final steps "post" switch-version

Just thought I would also add this great checklist from Pierre

it's a fantastic piece of work!

https://supportforums.cisco.com/message/3345558#3345558

Cheers! And best of luck!

Rob

Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

victoriabardy — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:05:35 GMT

Hi Rob,

This list is extremely helpful. One additional question I have about my pending upgrade, I have a device pack, cmterm-devicepack8.5.1.12017-2.cop.sgn, that I am wondering if I need to upload during the maintenance window tomorrow?

Do you know? If so please let me. I am currently leaning towards not adding this device pack, I am just concerned if anything will not work without this device pack?

Please let me know your thoughts.

Thank you again, and HAPPY FRIDAY .

Re: Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

Tommer Catlin — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:11:05 GMT

The device pack is really just a big huge file with all the phone firmware files. It will have the latest and greatest phone firmware updates. Ideally, the best practice is the match your phone firmware in the CUCM 6.x environment with the phone firmware versions in 8.5.x. This way, the TFTP server will not be overloaded when all phones request updates. Hence, they will not need updates because the versions match.

Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

Rob Huffman — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:30:15 GMT

Hi Vicky,

I'll add one more note to Tommer's excellent tips (+5 TCAT)

The Phone Firmware portion of these upgrades almost needs to be treated

as a seperate project unto itself So many people have been bitten by HUGE

firmware problems during this process it's crazy. IMO the phone firmware portion

needs to be done either before the upgrade or after but never during. The problem

is that many customers don't take into account the multi-hop firmware requirements

that are dependant on the current and future versions. For example a pre 8-3-3

firmware on a 7941 cannot move to 8-5-2 or later. So a multiple step approach is

required. If this happens to "kick-in" during the middle of the upgrade window

you can be left with all your 7941's (in this example) sitting and spinning on peoples

desks, unable to register.

Continuing with this example we know that CUCM 8.5(1) is going to set the Device defaults

for the 7941's @ cmterm-7941_7961-sccp.9-1-1SR1.cop.sgn

From;

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucm/compat/ccmcompmatr.html#wp302755

So, if you are sitting with your 7941's at something earlier than 8-3-3 you'd be in trouble

but even if they are @ 9-0-3S they're still going to want to upgrade as Tommer nicely noted.

So, you either upgrade to 9-1-1SR1 ahead of time on 7.x or wait until after the upgrade and

create another window to work on the phone firmware upgrades

There are some great notes on the Device defaults and TFTP and how to postpone the

firmware upgrade from Hailey and Aaron here;

https://supportforums.cisco.com/message/3044842#3044842

Cheers!

Rob

Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

victoriabardy — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:30:46 GMT

Hi Rob, Hi Tommer,

So I am looking at the firmware on the call manager and there are a bunch of 7940 legacy phones that hang off one of the sites with:

App Load ID		P00308000400
Boot Load ID		PC0303010100
Version		8.0(4.0)

If I don't upload new firmware before I do my upgrade, these phones won't work, they will spin and not be able to register, is that correct?

I am thinking I may need to re-schedule this upgrade.

Your thoughts, advice please?

Thank you again for all of this.

Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

victoriabardy — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:04:21 GMT

One more thing, how do I keep the phones from downloading the firmware? Can you help me with that?

Thank you.

Rgds,

Vicky

Re: Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

Rob Huffman — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:18:57 GMT

Hi Vicky,

First off, I want to say that we are not trying to scare you off your upgrade/migration path

but just trying to offer some thoughts on mitigating possible issues

When you move to CUCM 8.5(1) the default Firmware for the 7940's will be

cmterm-7940_7960-sccp.8.1.2.cop.sgn or 8-1-2. Your current 8-0-4 firmware will hit this

installation note;

Installation Notes

Before using the Cisco Unified IP Phone 7960G or 7940G with Cisco Unified Communications Manager release 7.1 or earlier, you must install the latest firmware on all Cisco Unified Communications Manager servers in the cluster.

Note You cannot upgrade to firmware release 8.1(2) directly from firmware release 8.0(10) or an earlier release. You have to upgrade to firmware release 8.1(1) first, then upgrade from release 8.1(1) to release 8.1(2).

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/cuipph/7960g_7940g/firmware/8_1_2/english/release/notes/796040_812.html

So you will run into issues with this two-hop necessity to get from 8-0-4 to 8-1-1 then to 8-1-2.

If it were me, I would make sure the firmware was at the requisite 8-1-2 before the upgrade

but that's just "how we roll" if you know what I mean You can also use the method Hailey

notes in the previously linked thread to apply the "old" device defaults prior to allowing the phones to upgrade or access TFTP.

You are @ a currently supported version of CUCM so I'm not sure what the drivers are for this

migration. If you are just trying to stay current I would hold off, but that is just my opinion. I'm not even convinced about 8.5(1) as you'll definately want to move to the latest SR as soon as possible

but that's just me and my paranoid attitude when it comes to these upgrades.

Due diligence is surely a key!

Cheers!

Rob

Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

victoriabardy — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:34:24 GMT

Hi Rob, Hi Tommer,

Many thanks to both of you for your feedback here. I was able to head off what probably would have been close to 200 of the older IP phones spinning and unable to register by upgrading the firmware in a few steps prior to the upgrade on Saturday. The system came up on version 8.5 and all of our phones came back on line without issue.

This feedback and guidance you provided was a tremendous help to us here and I can't thank you enough. The cisco web site can be hard to sort out between what cisco "recommends" and what is actually necessary. One of the reasons I am grateful for this forum!

Thank you again!

Rgds,

Vicky

Upgrading from CM 7.1.3 to 8.5.1, whats the roll back like?

Rob Huffman — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:24:08 GMT

Hi Vicky,

Nice work my friend

Glad to hear everything worked well for your upgrade. These

Forums continue to help me on a daily basis and the fact that this helped

you in some small way is what it's all about here!

Cheers!

Rob

PS: keep us posted on your thoughts on CUCM 8.5(x)