4500x-vss pair ISSU update failure

[hnzl]

Hello all,

I am trying to upgrade a 4500-x vss pair with ISSU to a newer IOS.

From cat4500e-universalk9.SPA.03.06.05.E.152-2.E5.bin to cat4500e-universalk9.SPA.03.06.08.E.152-2.E8.bin

All pre-checks come out ok, bootvar is set ok, Hardware, License(features) are all equal.

When running the first ISSU command:

issu loadversion 1 bootflash:cat4500e-universalk9.SPA.03.06.08.E.152-2.E8.bin 11 slavebootflash:
cat4500e-universalk9.SPA.03.06.08.E.152-2.E8.bin

The standby node reloads and starts with this new IOS image.

After a few minutes the following error shows up on the console and the standby unit reloads and loads the old firmware:

%VSLP-5-VSL_UP:  Ready for control traffic
%VSLP-5-RPR_ROLE_RESOLVED: role resolved as STANDBY by VSLP
%C4K_REDUNDANCY-2-IOS_VERSION_CHECK_FAIL: IOS version mismatch. Active supervisor version is 15.2(2)E5 (cat4500e-UNIVERSALK9-M). Standby supervisor version is 15.2(2)E8 (cat4500e-UNIVERSALK9-M). Redundancy feature may not work as expected.
%C4K_REDUNDANCY-2-NON_SYMMETRICAL_REDUNDANT_SYSTEM: STANDBY:STANDBY supervisor will operate in fallback redundancy mode rpr.
%C4K_REDUNDANCY-3-COMMUNICATION: STANDBY:Communication with the peer Supervisor has been established
%C4K_REDUNDANCY-2-VS_REBOOT_ON_RPR_FALLBACK: STANDBY:Supervisor in virtual-switch configuration cannot operate in redundancy mode RPR, will be reset
%RF-5-RF_RELOAD: STANDBY:Self Reload. Reason: Virtual-switch fallback to RPR
%SYS-5-RELOAD: STANDBY:Reload requested by Platform redundancy manager. Reload Reason: Virtual-switch fallback to RPR.
Message from sysmgr: Reason Code:[3] Reset Reason:Reset/Reload requested by [console]. [Reload command]

Am sort of at a loss here..  anyone got any ideas?

ps. also there are no MCL errors.

[andresfr · Accepted solution]

Hello,



According to the Catalyst 4500 Series ISSU compatibility matrix, there´s no ISSU compatibility between IOS-XE releases 3.6.5E and 3.6.8E.


Catalyst 4500/4900 series ISSU compatibility matrix

http://docwiki.cisco.com/wiki/Catalyst_4500/4900_series_ISSU_compatibility_matrix



So, the behavior that you're reporting could be considered expected.



Regards,

[hnzl]

Good point.. Going to try 3.6.5 to 3.6.7 first and see if that works.
Thnx for the heads up!

[hnzl]

lesson learned..  check the compatibility matrix.

From 3.6.5 to 3.6.7 worked flawless, with the loss of just a few pings.

[Leo Laohoo]

ISSU or FSU/eFSU doesn't working for everyone.  Here's an alternative method: 

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.