Upgrading Firmware on Cisco telephones

[Emanuel Hernandez]

I need some help upgrading the firmware on my telephones. I am using Unified CM version 7.0.2.21900-10 and have the following telephones to update:

7911
7960
7965
7940
7945
7971
7975
7937

Attached is a copy of the Device Defaults Configuration from Call Manager. I would like to know what firmware version I should bring my phones up to using the Unified CM version 7.0.2.21900-10. I would also like to know how to test the firmware before deploying. Any help is appreciated.

[Jaime Valencia · Accepted solution]

The minimum requirement you would need is here:

Table 20     Default Loads for Cisco Unified Communications Manager Release  7.x

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucm/compat/ccmcompmatr.html#wp198929

Read this notice carefully if you inted to upgrade the FW

For all SCCP and SIP phone firmware upgrades from  versions earlier than 8.3(3) to Version 8.5(2)SR1 or later, you must  first upgrade your firmware to Version 8.5(2). Once you have upgraded to  Version 8.5(2), you can upgrade your IP Phone to Version 8.5(2)SR1 or  later.

You can try the 8.5 releases or the 9.0(2) release depending on the model you have, there is no special requirement.

Unless there is a bug or you need a feature that is in a newer release there is no actual need to upgrade, specially if all is working fine.

HTH

java

If this helps, please rate

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[Brett Fritzsch]

In addition to what javalenc has answered:

Here is a list of the latest and greatest firmware for your phones:
Your Current Load/Newest Load
7911: 8.4(4)/9.0(3)
7960: 8.1(1)/8.1(2)
7965: 8.4(4)/9.0(3)
7940: 8.1(1)/8.1(2)
7945: 8.4(4)/9.0(3)
7971: 8.4(4)/9.0(3)
7975: 8.4(4)/9.0(3)
7937: 1.3(3)/1.4(2)

As to what version you should be on, I pose the question of are you experiencing an issue with the firmware version you are currently running?  If so, then upgrading firmware on the phone may be a valid way to alleviate that problem.  If not, there is an old saying "If it aint broke than dont mess with it."  With that being said by upgrading you alleviate the issue of running into bugs that have been fixed in the newest version.  Also though there are always new bugs that appear in new versions of code.

What I think would be the best approach is that if you wanted to get to the newest firmware I would advise installing the newest firmware but test it on a couple phones first before deploying it to all of the phones in the environment.
To do this (for example a 7960):
-Install firmware to TFTP server
-Take note of default firmware under Device->Device Settings->Device Defaults (P00308010100)
-Restart the TFTP Service
-Go back to Device->Device Settings->Device Defaults and change it back to the old firmware (P00308010100) since whenever you install new firmware and restart the TFTP it will select the one you just installed.  By changing it back you will insure that none of the phones will use the new firmware, they will use the old default firmware.
-Then select a 7960 test phone and on the device configuration page, under Device Configuration place the new firmware version information in the Phone Load Name field. So that it looks like the attached image.
-Reset this individual phone and do some testing.  Once you have determined that this is a stable firmware for the different types of things that are going on in your environment change the device defaults to P00308010200 for the 7960 and reset all of those phones to utilze the new firmware.

-Brett