06-10-2021 05:48 AM
I need to add a 2960x to a stack. Documentation says the IOS version has to be the same. Stack IOS version is 15.2(2)E5 and the new switch has 15.2(2)E7. Will I be able to add this switch or should I update the stacked switches? Thanks!
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06-10-2021 06:06 AM
Upgrade the existing member(s) to 15.2(2)E7 and then add the new switch to the stack.
IMPORTANT: Make sure to POWER OFF the new switch member before connecting the stacking cable. If the new switch has power and the stacking cable is connected, the existing stack will reboot. This behaviour is not a bug.
06-10-2021 05:52 AM - edited 06-10-2021 05:53 AM
@padkinson wrote:
Documentation says the IOS version has to be the same.
Do not re-inventing the wheel.
If the document says "the IOS version has to be the same", then "the IOS version has to be the same".
06-10-2021 05:55 AM
Leo, I do appreciate your help. However, I am just getting started on installing Cisco equipment, so please forgive my inexperience. Are the versions compatible or do I need to update the stacked switches?
06-10-2021 06:06 AM
Upgrade the existing member(s) to 15.2(2)E7 and then add the new switch to the stack.
IMPORTANT: Make sure to POWER OFF the new switch member before connecting the stacking cable. If the new switch has power and the stacking cable is connected, the existing stack will reboot. This behaviour is not a bug.
06-10-2021 08:45 AM
Cannot say for sure with the 2960X series, but on the 3750 series the real issue was whether the stack ring software was the same version, which sometimes didn't require the same exact IOS version. That said, even on the 3750 series, you often avoided problems by insuring the IOS was exactly the same across all stack members.
Further, also unsure whether "IOS version has to be the same" means the IOS has to be identical down to the patch level, or whether it just means the same version (i.e. 15.2 vs. 15.2(2) vs. 15.2(2)E#).
Cisco IOS Software releases use the format A.B(C)D where:
A, B, and C are numbers.
D (if present) is a letter.
A.B is a major release.
C is the maintenance version. A higher maintenance number means more bug fixes. Any feature, bug fix, and hardware support available in a particular maintenance version are also available in the next one.
D, if present, indicates that the release is not a major release, but an extension of a major release. These extensions usually provide new features and new hardware support.
Figure 4. Release Name Components—Cisco IOS Software Release 15M&T Train
The components are:
The release-naming conventions for releases from other Cisco IOS Software Release 15 trains—15E, 15S, 15SE, 15SG, and 15SY—are similar to those for the 15M&T train. The release names start with a main release number, followed by major and minor feature release numbers, a release train identifier, and a maintenance rebuild number. Figure 5 shows how these components comprise a release name, using the first maintenance rebuild of Cisco IOS Software Release 15.0(1)SY release as an example.
Figure 5. Release Name Components—Other Cisco IOS Software Release 15 Trains
The components are:
BTW, rather than upgrade the stack, another option is to downgrade the new stack unit. (Normally, it's more of an advantage to upgrade, keeping your IOS more current, but if you don't have a maintenance contract allowing for software upgrades, I recall, you always permitted to downgrade.)
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