Downgrading ISE OS versions

[tomyip]

I'm planning to upgrade from ISE 1.2 to ISE 2.0. Part of the plan I'm required to include is a backout plan in case the upgrades fails. If that's the case, then I need to revert back to ISE 1.2 and ensure everything is returned to it's original state prior to the upgrade. My question is: Is there anyway to downgrade or rollback to the previous ISE versions remotely via CLI or GUI? Unfortunately Cisco documentation is full of how to upgrade, but I don't anything on downgrading or rolling back to previous ISe versions.

[Philip D'Ath]

Is this a virtual appliance by chance?  If so, shut it down and take a snapshot before you start.

[tomyip]

No, they are SNS-3495-K9 appliances.

[Philip D'Ath]

It it was me, I think I would use an imaging tool (boot from the tool) and image the whole machine to a USB drive.  Then I know I can put it back exactly like it was.

[Bala]

Hi Philip!

Could you please tell us in detail how would you use imaging tool for downgrading purposes?

We are planning for ISE 2.0 upgrade from ISE1.3 (two node deployment - physical appliance ). As we know the ISE 1.3 can be upgraded to ISE 2.0 in two different ways. One is to use Application upgrade command that is fully automatic and the other way is fresh installation of ISE 2.0 (complete back up of ISE nodes before the installation).

We are yet to decide which method would opt for upgrade. But it would be nice to know which method would you prefer?

//Bala

[Philip D'Ath]

We if you boot from the imaging CD product of your choice, and you image the server to an attached USB drive - then to reverse it out you boot from the same CD, and tell it to write the image from the USB drive back to the local server hard drive.

Acronis is a very good commercial imaging product.  CloneZilla is another free option.

http://clonezilla.org/

[Bala]

Thank you Philip. I will look into it. :-)

//Bala

[Philip D'Ath]

Personally, I wouldn't do it any other way.  It's the only way you can guarantee to restore the machine, disk block for disk block, exactly back to how it was.

[Marvin Rhoads]

There is no official downgrade method. I verified this with TAC during one of my deployments that I was upgrading from 1.4 to 2.0.

They suggested doing a VM snapshot like Philip mentioned. Of course in a physical appliance environment this is not possible.

A more complex backout with physical appliances would involve taking a complete application backup prior to starting the upgrade. Then re-image the appliance from the installation ISO image for 1.2 in the event that you need to downgrade. Since the 3495 does not have a physical DVD, you would need to mount the ISO from a CIMC session.

You would then need to perform the bootstrap installation steps and then restore the off-box backup you took earlier onto the appliance.

[elasa2002 · Accepted solution]

Hi Marvin, how you have mounted the ISO file from CIMC?

I tried all the ways but the option doesn't appear in the bios boot option.

any hint?

im using SNS3595

thanks,

Ellie

[Marvin Rhoads]

Sorry - I hit endorse instead of reply - there's no undo.

For mounting the iso... in the KVM jave GUI of CIMC, click on add image > select the ISE .iso image and check the mapped option.

After that click on KVM > Macros > ctrl+alt+del > wait for few seconds > it will give you an option to enter F6 to show you boot option. Press F6 and select Cisco Virtual CD/DVD 1.22

Here you need to select option 3 or 4 to recover the administrator password.