4500X-16 vss pair upgrade

[ajeelani]

Hi All,   I am planing to upgrade 4500X-16  vss pair upgrade with out loosing the config. can you please provide me the steps or document to carry out safely. and also for 2960X in stacked switches also  I am planing to upgrade at the same time.

[Leo Laohoo]

1. Save the config.
2. Export the config to an external source.
3. Copy the IOS into the Active unit.
4. Copy the IOS into the Secondary unit.
5. Compare the MD5 hash value of the IOS (in both units) against the MD5 hash value found in the Cisco website.
6. Change the boot variable string so that the new IOS is loaded first and the old IOS is loaded when the first one fails to boot.

7.  Make sure the config-registr value is correct:  0x2102
8. Save the config.

9.  Reboot.
Don't forget to read the Release Notes.

[ajeelani]

can you please share me a link of step by step commands for this as I was not working on cisco switches for 4 years and back know with cisco platform

[Leo Laohoo]

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@ajeelani wrote:

can you please share me a link of step by step commands for this as I was not working on cisco switches for 4 years and back know with cisco platform

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archive download-sw tftp://<TFTP IP Address>/IOS_filename.tar

Alternatively, read the Release Notes.  All the commands and different scenarios to upgrade the IOS of a stack of switches and/or VSS stack can be found.

[ciscoforcop]

The steps listed will create downtime.  For zero downtime, do the following:

9. From active unit, reboot the peer:

           redundant reload peer

10. After the peer is fully booted, failover to the newly rebooted unit:

           redundancy force-switchover

11. From the newly rebooted unit, reboot the peer (running old code):

           redundant reload peer

12. After the old peer is fully rebooted, check for redundant status, IOS version of both units.

13. Failover the the primary unit as needed.

[Leo Laohoo]

For the 2960X, it's very simple:
1. Read the Release Notes carefully.
2. Use the command "archive download-sw tftp://<TFTP IP address>/filename.tar".
3. Reboot when finish.

[ajeelani]

If i have a .bin file, can I  directly copy the image to bootflash. and reboot the each switch in order as I have stack of 3 to 4 switches

[Leo Laohoo]

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@ajeelani wrote:

If i have a .bin file, can I  directly copy the image to bootflash. and reboot the each switch in order as I have stack of 3 to 4 switches

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I wouldn't recommend copying of the BIN file to a novice.  Use the recommended script command "archive download-sw".