05-05-2015 05:10 AM
I have single MDS9509 with dual sup modules and two fc48 port blades. Each blade ports are in separate vsan. I'd like to upgrade MDS9509 FW to 5.2(8d) as required by the storage vendor. Current FW version is 5.2(2).
Can someone please provide step by step tasks to upgrade the FW manually. I cannot afford to reboot the entire switch at once so "install all" is not an option right now. I have read the instructions in the guide but it is not very clear on the order of the upgrade and when each blade reboot is required. If anyone has done it before, can you please provide steps in order.
Thanks in advance.
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05-06-2015 06:55 AM
Hi Sanjesh,
You do not need to do anything special.
The line cards are updated after the supervisors and there is no interruption of traffic through the switch.
Jim
05-05-2015 06:50 AM
Hi Sanjesh,
This is a one step upgrade and is non-disruptive to the fabric.
Here is a big picture and a good guide for the upgrade.
Note: The filenames are based on Supervisor 2 or 2A.
(1)ISince this is a 9509, there are dual supervisors.
During the firmware upgrade, the new code will be loaded on the standby supervisor, then a switchover will be done to make that supervisoractive. Then code is then loaded on the previous active supervisor and it becomes the new standby supervisor. This is normal.
If you are going to do this via telnet, ssh or SNMP ( Fabric Manager / Device Manager ) make sure that you have an ethernet connection to both supervisors. After the telnet session is lost during the upgrade, you will need to reconnect to the switch.
You will be connecting to the previous standby supervisor now.
Note: We recommend that firmware upgrades be done from the local console.
(2)Read the Release Notes for the version you are upgrading to, and maybe the ones between the old and new firmware levels so you can see what has changed. Also there is a table in the release notes that gives you the non-disruptive upgrade path.
All MDS Release Notes here:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps5989/prod_release_notes_list.html
(3)Copy the running-config to startup-config in case you have made a change that you didn't save.
copy running-config startup-config (can also be done with "copy r s")
(4)Copy the running-config to bootflash: to make sure there is a copy there for backup and to check that bootflash: isn't read only. ( 9124 is the only platform that has this problem but I still do this ).
copy running-config bootflash:MDS9506A_05_05_15.cfg
(5)Copy the configuration that you just saved to your tftp server.
This accomplishes a few things, it tests for a working tftp server and verifies you can reach it over IP, and puts a copy of the configuration external to the switch for backup in case you have a switch failure some day, you have the config to put on the replacement.
copy bootflash: tftp:
<prompts for file name>MDS9506A_05_05_15.cfg
<prompt for tftp server name or ip address>192.168.1.1 ( example )
(6)Make sure you have a copy of the current firmware on your tftp server in case
you have to put it back. If not, it can be copied from the switch to the tftp server now.
copy bootflash: tftp:
<prompts for file name>m9500-sf2ek9-mz.5.2.2.bin
<prompt for tftp server name or ip address>192.168.1.1 ( example )
copy bootflash: tftp:
<prompts for file name>m9500-sf2ek9-kickstart-mz.5.2.2.bin
<prompt for tftp server name or ip address>192.168.1.1 ( example )
(7)Download the new image from Cisco Online.
Put it on the tftp server in the default tftp directory for that software.
I use 3cdaemon for tftp but there are many more free ones.
File names:
m9500-sf2ek9-mz.5.2.8d.bin
m9500-sf2ek9-kickstart-mz.5.2.8d.bin
(8)Check for enough free space on bootflash: for the new images to be added.
If not, you will have to erase at least the system image file. Keep the kickstart
image just in case there is a catastrophe. The kickstart can be loaded to get the
switch up to a point I can tftp a new image back.
Check this on both the active and standby supervisors:
dir bootflash: ( active sup )
dir bootflash://sup-standby/ ( standby sup )
(9)Download the new image to bootflash: on the switch:
copy tftp: bootflash:
<prompts for file name>m9500-sf2ek9-mz.5.2.8d.bin
<prompt for tftp server name or ip address>192.168.1.1 ( example )
copy tftp: bootflash:
<prompts for file name>m9500-sf2ek9-kickstart-mz.5.2.8d.bin
<prompt for tftp server name or ip address>192.168.1.1 ( example )
(10)Run this command, this will show the impact of installing this code, will check the images and also make sure they are compatible with the switch but will not actually install anything.
Make sure that you pay attention to the impact table, which will tell you what to expect.
show install all impact kickstart bootflash:m9500-sf2ek9-kickstart-mz.5.2.8d.bin system bootflash:m9500-sf2ek9-mz.5.2.8d.bin
(11)An optional, but good step to double check is:
show incompatibility system bootflash:m9500-sf2ek9-mz.5.2.8d.bin
Example:
switch# show incompatibility system bootflash: m9500-sf2ek9-mz.5.2.8d.bin
The following configurations on active are incompatible with the system image:
1) Service : cfs , Capability : CAP_FEATURE_CFS_ENABLED_DEVICE_ALIAS
Description : CFS - Distribution is enabled for DEVICE-ALIAS
Capability requirement : STRICT
Disable command : no device-alias distribute
(12)The last step is to actually install the firmware. Again, make sure that you pay attention to the impact table.
install all kickstart bootflash:m9500-sf2ek9-kickstart-mz.5.2.8d.bin system bootflash:m9500-sf2ek9-mz.5.2.8d.bin
Best regards,
Jim
05-05-2015 05:12 PM
Thanks Jihicks. Just one clarification on point 1. Once the sup modules are done, does install all starts the upgrade on all other blades together? This is my major concern as I have two 48 port blades and each host is connected to a blade each. If both blades are done together then there will be total outage. Should I run install module slot# bios command to install each module (if required) to upgrade each blade manually?
05-06-2015 06:55 AM
Hi Sanjesh,
You do not need to do anything special.
The line cards are updated after the supervisors and there is no interruption of traffic through the switch.
Jim
05-06-2015 05:21 PM
Thanks Jim. Much appreciated.
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