topic Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3 in Wireless

9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

scottsassin — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 17:29:13 GMT

We are upgrading our 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3.

Can these versions be upgraded to directly from and to, or is there version steps?

Since this is an HA pair, can these be upgraded one at a time by failing over and upgrading the standby?

Can someone send me the procedure to upgrade them.

Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

Mark Elsen — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 17:55:49 GMT

>...Can these versions be upgraded to directly from and to, or is there version steps?
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/9800/17-9/release-notes/rn-17-9-9800.html#Cisco_Concept.dita_59a2987f-2633-4630-8c7b-a8e8aecdeaf7

>Since this is an HA pair, can these be upgraded one at a time by failing over and upgrading the standby?
- This process becomes automated once the upgrade procedure is initiated on the active controller ,

Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

M02@rt37 — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 19:58:14 GMT

Hello @scottsassin,

Since 17.6.x version you can go straight to 17.9.x.

As @Mark Elsen said, "This process becomes automated once the upgrade procedure is initiated on the active controller".

Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

Leo Laohoo — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 21:11:38 GMT

Is the intention to upgrade the WLC but, most importantly, schedule the reboot of the WLC to happen some time in the future?

Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

Rasika Nayanajith — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 21:14:56 GMT

Yes, direct upgrade is supported. Please refer page 35 onward of below document for step by step instruction.
Upgrade using GUI is simple and it take care of all the complexities.
https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/9800/17-3/deployment-guide/c9800-ha-rau-apsp-apdp-issu-dg-rel-17-3.pdf

HTH
Rasika
*** Pls rate all useful responses ***

Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

Rich R — Sat, 17 Jun 2023 15:44:42 GMT

> Since this is an HA pair, can these be upgraded one at a time by failing over and upgrading the standby?

I think what you're hinting at is ISSU - intended to minimise downtime. I've seen it demo'd in CiscoWebinars and it looks great - seems to work fine. But in practice the install scripts are really finicky and buggy and it doesn't take much for it to go wrong. So if you do want to try ISSU follow all the guidelines and instructions extremely carefully and let us know how it goes.

Personally we don't bother with ISSU because it's so temperamental. We just do a standard install and reload - a few minutes downtime while they reload. We have N+1 as well so the APs can go to the other WLC pair during that time if necessary. I've seen ISSU leave the WLC in a messed up boot/install state that is quite tricky to recover from and usually requires 1 or more reloads to fix (so defeats the whole purpose of ISSU). I think @Leo Laohoo has similar opinions on ISSU but others here may have got it to work for them.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/9800/17-6/config-guide/b_wl_17_6_cg/m_upgrade_9800cl.html
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/9800/17-6/config-guide/b_wl_17_6_cg/m_issu.html

Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

Leo Laohoo — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 04:53:07 GMT

@Rich R wrote:
I think what you're hinting at is ISSU - intended to minimise downtime. I've seen it demo'd in CiscoWebinars and it looks great - seems to work fine. But in practice the install scripts are really finicky and buggy and it doesn't take much for it to go wrong.

LOL. ISSU. ROTF.

@scottsassin,

If ISSU is the intention, make sure TAC NAM/LATAM or TAC Europe is on the phone, more importantly, watching and ready to intervene. When ISSU invariably fails it is a heart-pounding, b*tt-clenching, spectacular event of epic proportions.

Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

scottsassin — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 19:40:55 GMT

How does the AP upgrade go? When are the APs reloaded after the upgrade. We have 300+ APs, and need to know how the AP upgrade process happens. All APs will be predownloaded with the new IOS.

Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

Leo Laohoo — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 23:29:13 GMT

Is "Enable Hitless Upgrade" enabled?

Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

scottsassin — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 23:31:52 GMT

This will be an ISSU upgrade. We don't have another controller for N+1.

I found the answer. The documentation says "Using the mechanisms of rolling AP upgrade and client steering with 11v, customers can upgrade their networks without scheduling a downtime window"

We will still schedule a downtime window.

Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

Leo Laohoo — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 23:40:30 GMT

Good luck.

Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

albertobriceno — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 20:21:29 GMT

I have the same issue, but with versions 17.3.7 to 17.9.7. But wouldn't there be any problem with the Access Points? I have 3702E, 3802E, and 9120 registered. Due to space or loop, for example with the 3702E. URGENT help needed.

Re: 9800-40 HA Upgrade from 17.6.4 to 17.9.3

Mark Elsen — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 20:39:18 GMT

- @albertobriceno Way too old a thread to revive in a misty and unclear way :
Start a new thread ; describe your problem as new and or from scratch,
and also provide sufficient details ,