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4500X Upgrade Path from 3.6.7 to 3.11 Recommendation

blake.polk
Level 1
Level 1

Can anyone suggest the correct upgrade path for a 4500X VSS going from 3.6.7 to 3.11.xe? Can't seem to find any documentation on it. Is it safe to assume I can go straight from 3.6.7 to 3.11.xe?

1 Accepted Solution

Accepted Solutions

Reza Sharifi
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

It appears that you can go straight to 3.11 but you would need to upgrade the Rommom version to

15.0(1r)SG11

 

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/release/note/ol-311xe-4500x.html

HTH

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24 Replies 24

Reza Sharifi
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

It appears that you can go straight to 3.11 but you would need to upgrade the Rommom version to

15.0(1r)SG11

 

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/release/note/ol-311xe-4500x.html

HTH

Yes I will have to upgrade the ROMMON. Thanks for your input!

Glad to help. I think this is also the last release for this platform since it is from March, 27.

cat4500e-universalk9.SPA.03.11.00.E.152-7.E.bin

Good Luck!

balaji.bandi
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

Suggest to read the release notes :

 

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/release/note/ol-311xe-4500e.html

 

you may be required to upgrade ROMMON, check what you have current.

 

BB

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Leo Laohoo
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
Reza and Balaji are both correct:
1. You can go straight to 3.11.X, however, a ROMMON upgrade is mandatory. ROMMON upgrade and IOS XE upgrade can be done in one reboot. I would recommend upgrading to the latest ROMMON firmware (vs upgrading to the "minimum" required version).
2. Make sure to read the Release Notes.
3. Don't believe in the "hype": Don't be tempted to ISSU or FSU/eFSU.

Hi Leo,



Please elaborate on your 3rd point why would ISSU be undesirable in this case? Can't I complete the ROMMON upgrade then proceed with ISSU as normal?



Thank you.


Hi Blake,

 

ISSU usually works when you go from a minor release to another minor release. Even with that, you still have to reboot the chassis at least 2 times and at the end of the day things may not work as desired. So, Leo is correct, and since you are going from one major release to another, I don't recommend it. The last time we did this, the 4500 VSS boot time was about 6 to 7 . minutes. So, the easy way to do this is to have a maintenance window for about on hour, load the new image on both chassis, change the boot variable, save your config and reload both chassis at the same time. If you need to upgrade the ROMMON than you need one reboot from that and one for the main image. Again the reload time on this platform is pretty short.

HTH

Reza, again, is right. If-and-when ISSU/FSU/eFSU works, it is great. However, if and when ISSU/FSU/eFSU doesn't work, you need physical access to either one of the two units to power off the boot loop. And once you kill the second unit, you still need to figure out what IOS version both units will boot into. Again, not a pretty sight to see.
Ok, so this is how we've "formulated" the method to upgrade the ROMMON and the IOS in one reboot/reload:
NOTE: 4500X IOS-XE comes in two file extensions: BIN or TAR. Make sure to get the TAR file extension!
1. Upload the IOS-XE to the active unit: archive tar /x tftp://<TFTP IP_Address>/IOS_filename.tar bootflash:
2. Upload the IOS-XE to the secondary unit: archive tar /x tftp://<TFTP IP_Address>/IOS_filename.tar slavebootflash:
3. Copy the ROMMON file to the active unit: copy ftp://<TFTP IP_Address>/IOS_filename bootflash:
4. Copy the ROMMON file to the secondary unit: copy ftp://<TFTP IP_Address>/IOS_filename slavebootflash:
5. Change the boot variable string: Remove all the "old" boot variable string, insert a new boot variable string to point to the ROMMON file, point another boot variable string to point to the NEW IOS and then put another boot variable string to point to the old IOS

conf t
 no boo system bootflash:old_ios.bin
 boot system bootflash:ROMMON_filename
 boot system bootflash:NEW_IOS_filename.bin
 boot system bootflash:OLD_IOS_filename.bin
end


6.  Make sure boot variable string is "0x2102"
7.  Save the config
8.  Reboot

OPTIONAL:
1.  Check the MD5 hash of the IOS files (including the ROMMON) using the command "verify /md5 bootflash:filename.bin <MD5 hash from the Cisco website>"
2.  Backup the config to somewhere external.
Hope this helps.

I am upgrading a pair of 4500X-16s in VSS, to 03.11.03a.E, ROMMON is already at SG12. I am planning to use .bin file, any reason not to?


@suarej wrote:

I am planning to use .bin file, any reason not to?


Any reason why you want to use the BIN file instead the more reliable TAR file?  

If you are not sure of yourself then "do not re-invent the wheel".  

We have posted our tried-and-tested, tested "in the wild", process & procedure to make life easier for anyone reading our responses.  

please can you explain if we add three boot lines how it won't boot from the first boot line which is rommon every time? how it will boot into rommon then to the second line which is the ios?

 

conf t
 no boo system bootflash:old_ios.bin
 boot system bootflash:ROMMON_filename
 boot system bootflash:NEW_IOS_filename.bin
 boot system bootflash:OLD_IOS_filename.bin
endt 

 

After the switch has successfully upgraded the ROMMON, remove the boot variable string pointing to the ROMMON firmware.

conf t
 no boo system bootflash:old_ios.bin
 boot system bootflash:ROMMON_filename
 boot system bootflash:NEW_IOS_filename.bin
 boot system bootflash:OLD_IOS_filename.bin
endt 

No please I need clarification like after entering these commands and reloading the switch will boot the rommon image and upgrade the rommon then it will boot into the new image automatically? like it would upgrade rommon and ios in one step "reload" ? would it not keep booting  rommon image?


@baselzind wrote:

I need clarification like after entering these commands and reloading the switch will boot the rommon image and upgrade the rommon then it will boot into the new image automatically?


Yes.  It will first boot the ROMMON image, reboot again to boot the IOS image.

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