Solved: Upgrade from IOS to IOS XE

incognito · ‎06-25-2019

Hello

Can I upgrade from: isr4300-universalk9.03.16.00.S.155-3.S-ext.SPA.bin to: isr4300-universalk9.16.06.06.SPA.bin ??

Is it real upgrade to Denali or Everest IOS-XE?

Show version of my ISR 4331 looks like this:

Cisco IOS XE Software, Version 03.16.00.S - Extended Support Release

Cisco IOS Software, ISR Software (X86_64_LINUX_IOSD-UNIVERSALK9-M), Version 15.5(3)S

P.S. I don't understand that my router support IOS or IOS XE ?

Giuseppe Larosa · ‎06-25-2019

Hello incognito,

in a Cisco router either running IOS or IOS XE there are also other software running:

the ROM Monitor is in charge to start first and then to load the IOS XE image. You can think of it like the equivalent of BIOS in a PC.

In show version you can see also a line referring to bootloader version. The bootloader is the specific software in charge to load the main IOS XE version.

The table lists the minimal version of IOS ROM MON and the version of firmware for field programmable components ( FPGA low level programming of hardware) in order to be able to boot IOS XE 16.6.6.

Seeing the ROMMON recommended version as 16.7(4r) it is sure that the ROM MON has to be updated on your device.

You can check it with the command

show rom-monitor r0

likely now it is a 15.5.x.

For this reason I agree that the direct upgrade from current version to target version 16.6.6 is not possible.

You need at least to upgrade the ROM Monitor first.

However, if the router is covered by a smartnet contract you can open a ticket with Cisco TAC and you can get a qualified and ufficial answer on the upgrade path to use.

Because it is sure that ROM MON needs to be upgraded, but we cannot exclude that you may need to perform an intermediate upgrade to an IOS XE release before final upgrade to target release 16.6.6.

So I would suggest to open a ticket if possible to be on the safe side.

Hope to help

Giuseppe

View solution in original post

Giuseppe Larosa · ‎06-25-2019

Hello incognito,

your router is already running IOS XE

>> Cisco IOS Software, ISR Software (X86_64_LINUX_IOSD-UNIVERSALK9-M), Version 15.5(3)S

IOS XE is based on linux that is the underlying operating system on the route processor / main cpu.

So your question should become Can the router be upgraded from IOS XE version X to IOS XE version Y directly ?

>> Can I upgrade from: isr4300-universalk9.03.16.00.S.155-3.S-ext.SPA.bin to: isr4300-universalk9.16.06.06.SPA.bin ??

To answer to this question we need to read the release notes of target release 16.6.6.

link for ISR 4000 series

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/access/4400/release/xe-16-6/isr4k-rel-notes-xe-16-6.html?dtid=osscdc000283

see Table 1 recommended firmware versions

Cisco 4431 ISR

16.7(4r)

15010638

Note

Upgrade CLI output has a typo and it would show the version incorrectly as 15010738 instead of 15010638. This does not impact the upgrade.

For checking ROM monitor version and how to upgrade it use the following link

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/access/4400/cpld/isr4400_hwfp.html#pgfId-1077103

the command can be

show rom-monitor r0

Start by checking the current rom monitor version.

Hope to help

Giuseppe

incognito · ‎06-25-2019

Hello Giuseppe

thanks for the answer

But I couldn't find the specific/concrete answer in these links you noticed here.

Is it real upgrade from old version to high/new version? Because between these version too many releases/versions, I mean here is a big difference between these two softs. From isr4300-universalk9.03.16.00.S.155-3.S-ext.SPA.bin to isr4300-universalk9.16.06.06.SPA.bin

From table 1 in this link https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/access/4400/release/xe-16-6/isr4k-rel-notes-xe-16-6.html?dtid=osscdc000283#con_179987 I understand nothing.

Can you explain me in a detailed way?

Giuseppe Larosa · ‎06-25-2019

Hello incognito,

in a Cisco router either running IOS or IOS XE there are also other software running:

the ROM Monitor is in charge to start first and then to load the IOS XE image. You can think of it like the equivalent of BIOS in a PC.

In show version you can see also a line referring to bootloader version. The bootloader is the specific software in charge to load the main IOS XE version.

The table lists the minimal version of IOS ROM MON and the version of firmware for field programmable components ( FPGA low level programming of hardware) in order to be able to boot IOS XE 16.6.6.

Seeing the ROMMON recommended version as 16.7(4r) it is sure that the ROM MON has to be updated on your device.

You can check it with the command

show rom-monitor r0

likely now it is a 15.5.x.

For this reason I agree that the direct upgrade from current version to target version 16.6.6 is not possible.

You need at least to upgrade the ROM Monitor first.

However, if the router is covered by a smartnet contract you can open a ticket with Cisco TAC and you can get a qualified and ufficial answer on the upgrade path to use.

Because it is sure that ROM MON needs to be upgraded, but we cannot exclude that you may need to perform an intermediate upgrade to an IOS XE release before final upgrade to target release 16.6.6.

So I would suggest to open a ticket if possible to be on the safe side.

Hope to help

Giuseppe

incognito · ‎07-05-2019

thank you!

Joseph W. Doherty · ‎06-25-2019

"P.S. I don't understand that my router support IOS or IOS XE ?P.S. I don't understand that my router support IOS or IOS XE ?"

I believe Giuseppe answered that but just wanted to add that, more-or-less, IOS-XE is IOS running "under" a Linux kernel. This allows the device to run "other things" under Linux besides an IOS.

Leo Laohoo · ‎06-26-2019

Did you read the Release Notes?
According to the Release Notes, the 4331 needs to be loaded with 16.7(3r) ROMMON code before upgrade can be undertaken.

incognito · ‎07-05-2019

thank you for the advice!