Upgrade IOSXE Using AutoInstall - 9200L

[QuickJ]

Hello,

I'm currently deploying around 60 new Cisco 9200L switches. My goal is to pre-stage and upgrade them to the latest IOSXE release before shipping them out. To do this I'm attempting to use the AutoInstall feature along with a server running a web and TFTP service following info I found from this git page:

https://github.com/tdorssers/ztp

The basic flow is the switch boots up, downloads and runs a kickstart EEM script that is picked up by DHCP, then downloads a TCL script that performs the IOS upgrade and applies the configuration

Everything works smoothly until the actual installation of the new IOS image. The image downloads successfully, but the installation fails with this error:

“add_activate_commit package flash:/cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.14.01.SPA.bin, Error: System configuration has been modified. Please save configuration and resubmit command.”

I've attempted running the installation manually and also tried using the "prompt-level none" option at the end of the install command but it doesn't resolve the issue.

Has anyone successfully implemented something similar with AutoInstall on Cisco 9200L switches? My goal is to achieve a fully automated, hands-off process without any manual intervention.

I'm dealing specifically with 9200L switch and therefor do not believe ZTP is an option here.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, JQ

[Royalty]

Hi @QuickJ,

In my experience, that error happens when the configuration has been modified in that changes have been to the running-config which no longer match the startup-config.

By taking a very brief look at the TCL script, it seems to perform a 'write erase' shortly after 'write memory'. The result of this is that the current running-config will have configuration, but the startup-configuration will be blank. This means the switch believes the config has been modified, which it has, because other parts of the TCL script are modifying boot statements. Maybe modify the script so that 'write memory' is taken off, just to test this. I've only parsed the github and done a few ctrl+f's for a few mins, will try and look over a bit later.

I've not had chance to have a proper look at this and aren't too experienced in this area.

Let me know what you find! Do let me know how it goes and can have a look further.

[Leo Laohoo]

Are the provisioned switches going to be part of a stack (as slaves) or are they going to be the master of a newly built stack?

If the switches are going to be part of a stack, just make sure the command "software auto-upgrade enable" is in the switch master.  All additional new switch(es) can have any firmware version and once they are added to the stack, the stack master will push the firmware down to new members with incorrect firmware.