cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
cancel
1580
Views
0
Helpful
2
Replies

6500 w/SUP32s - CatOS to IOS conversion - Large scale

lsigalov
Level 1
Level 1

I need to convert 90 or so 6500 switches with redundant Sup32s from CatOS to IOS.

I'm aware of the system software upgrade procedure, and also of E-DI tool that does the configuration conversion. But there are also 12 pages of commands that it doesn't translate.  VOIP phones are randomly scattered across the switches.  Some of the switches I have run with maximum port density - over 300 ports, so manual conversion is not an option.

I need a process that will take a CatOS config with that many ports, and will produce an equivalent IOS config in under 8 hours, preferrably 4 hours.  I plan on using E-DI, but it seems that it will only do half the job.  Has anyone done a large scale conversion like this and would like to share their approach and experiences? DOs and DON'Ts? Any scripts/parsers people wrote for themselves to help in a situation like this?

Currently running CatOS version 8.5.8
Will be converting to IOS 12.2.18SXF16 or SXF17 - E-DI only goes up to SXF3

These are access layer swithches, so MSFC2A currently is not used at all.

Thanks

2 Replies 2

Jon Marshall
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

lsigalov wrote:

I need to convert 90 or so 6500 switches with redundant Sup32s from CatOS to IOS.

I'm aware of the system software upgrade procedure, and also of E-DI tool that does the configuration conversion. But there are also 12 pages of commands that it doesn't translate.  VOIP phones are randomly scattered across the switches.  Some of the switches I have run with maximum port density - over 300 ports, so manual conversion is not an option.

I need a process that will take a CatOS config with that many ports, and will produce an equivalent IOS config in under 8 hours, preferrably 4 hours.  I plan on using E-DI, but it seems that it will only do half the job.  Has anyone done a large scale conversion like this and would like to share their approach and experiences? DOs and DON'Ts? Any scripts/parsers people wrote for themselves to help in a situation like this?

Currently running CatOS version 8.5.8
Will be converting to IOS 12.2.18SXF16 or SXF17 - E-DI only goes up to SXF3

These are access layer swithches, so MSFC2A currently is not used at all.

Thanks

The only thing i can suggest is something along the lines of PERL which is a script language that is particularly good at parsing and editing text file ie. switch configs in this instance. The key thing is that if all 6500 switches had commands that were common across all switches but which the E-DI tool will not convert then PERL or something like that ie. TCL/Python could help. You simply need to know what it looks like in CatOS and what you want in IOS.

You could convert one Sup32 from CatOS to IOS and use that as the base for your script. I have not done it for an entire switch but i have used PERL for smaller conversions.

Other than that it is a manual process i'm afraid.

Jon

Leo Laohoo
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

I converted >30 units of Sup32 and Sup720 from CatOS to IOS in an empty data centre (with the a/c at full blast) and I was still sweating.  It took about 4 hours per blade to convert (but I was able to get it down to 2 hours).  I am unsure if this tip will help but prepare a CF that contains the IOS (CF should NOT exceed 2Gb).  Format the CF first before loading the IOS in.  Your Super cards are currently running CatOS so when it's time for you to boot up into IOS, put the CF-IOS in and point to that.  This is one process that will help.  It's been awhile so I'll have to take a few swigs of beer/alcohol before the rest of the memory will come crawling back to me. 

Getting Started

Find answers to your questions by entering keywords or phrases in the Search bar above. New here? Use these resources to familiarize yourself with the community: