upgrading a replacement APIC

[AirBorn]

Hello,

When i replace a failed APIC  with a new one, does the new one get upgraded/downgraded automatically to the running release of the existing cluster(4.2) after commissoning  or should i do this manually ?

If manually, is the upgrade procedure of the new APIC  the same as the upgrade of the whole cluster ( Admin-> firmware-> infrastructure -> Controllers -> schedule controller upgrade) ?

Regards

[Robert Burns]

If you're talking about a Standby APIC (extra APIC as cold standby joined to the cluster as role 'standby'), and you're promoting it to replace a failed APIC, it will always be running the same version as the cluster.

If you're referring to swapping in a net-new APIC to replace an existing, then you have to manually upgrade it to the same version of the cluster first.  This is done by booting the APIC, mapping the appropriate APIC ISO image and allowing it to fully install.  Once this is done, you can introduce the replacement APIC into the cluster.   This is the required process/behavior for 4.2 & 5.2.

From 6.0(2)+ this process is automated, and you can actually introduce that net-new replacement APIC running any verison, and it will auto-upgrade/downgrade to match the required cluster version.

Robert

[AirBorn]

Thanks for you reply

Is there any document that explain how to upgrade APIC with booting from ISO ?

Regards

[Robert Burns · Accepted solution]

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/dcn/aci/apic/all/apic-installation-aci-upgrade-downgrade/Cisco-APIC-Installation-ACI-Upgrade-Downgrade-Guide/m-installing-or-recovering-cisco-apic-images.html?bookSearch=true
Look at Section titled: 

Installing Cisco APIC Software Using CIMC Virtual Media

[AirBorn]

Thank you for you help

[AirBorn]

One last question if I may.

On the document there are 2 sections, what is the difference between the two ?

- Installing Cisco APIC Software Using Virtual Media

- Installing Cisco APIC Software Using CIMC Virtual Media

Regards

[Robert Burns]

- Installing Cisco APIC Software Using Virtual Media

Requires having the KVM window open, and mounting vMedia from this screen - must keep the KVM window open at all times to maintain the mapping to the vMedia

- Installing Cisco APIC Software Using CIMC Virtual Media

Involves creating a mapping via HTTP/CIFS/NFS mount point directly to the server.  Does not require the vMedia to be mounted from the KVM window.

For any ISO images >3GB, the recommendation is to always use the CIMC Virtual Media option.  

Robert