6880 VSS ISSU upgrade with 6800IAs?

[jkeeffe]

We have some 6880 VSS pairs that have several 6800IA-48FPDRs and 6880IA-48TDs connected to them and I'm getting ready to upgrade the IOS using ISSU.

I want to upgrade the 6880 VSS pairs first and not have the 6800IAs automatically upgrade all at once.  But I read somewhere that when a 6800IA notices that there is a difference between its code version and that of the parent 6880 it will automatically upgrade its code.  This I don't want to have happen as there are many 6800IAs attached to the 6880s and I don't want them to all to reboot at the same time.

Three questions:

1. Can I upgrade just the 6880 VSS pair without the 6800IAs automatically detecting the IOS change and upgrading themselves?

2. If so, what are the steps?

3. In the release notes http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst6500/ios/15-1SY/release_notes.html ; it states that ISSU is NOT supported with the 6800IA-48FPDR.  If that is truly the case, how does one upgrade those IAs after the parent 6880s are upgraded?

[Reza Sharifi]

All the 6800IA switches are managed by the parent switch (Cisco 6800). That is reason you can't upgrade them separately.   When you upgrade the IOS on the 6800, it will upgrade all the 6800IAs as well.

HTH

[fnitschke]

Hello,

at the "Cisco Catalyst Instant Access Solution White Paper" there is a description how to update the 6800ia switches during an ISSU. It should be possible to choose the order. I never tried it, but you will need 2 Images at the 6880/6500 which are compatible for ISSU.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/switches/catalyst-6800ia-switch/white_paper_c11-728265.html?cachemode=refresh
 

Frank

[jcockburn · Accepted solution]

Hi All,

There are some issues with ISSU (the documentation calls this eFSU).

We have tried the eFSU (ISSU) and failed...(Cisco also confirmed that there are issues with ISSU)

We have subsequently used the FSU method which includes downtimes, but at least works fine...

After the upgraded parent becomes active, it will start to upgrade the IA Clients (Fexen).

Be very patient, it takes around 25mins for a fex stack to get upgraded and reboot into the new version.

Normal time for an upgrade/downgrade is round about 50mins...

Hope this helps

Ciao

JC

[hsticher]

I can confirm the sad but useful information. Also with us failed the ISSU upgrade. The ISSU COMMITVERSION command doesn't work after the former standby switch was upgraded by eFSU.

Old Version: c6880x-ipservicesk9-mz.SPA.152-1.SY0a.bin

New Version: c6880x-ipservicesk9-mz.SPA.152-1.SY1.bin

[twoollard]

Sorry to revice but is  ISSU (eFSU) working fine if you have no attached FEX?

for 15.2-1.SY1a?

[jcockburn]

Hi Twoollard,

I would also like to know. From what I see there is really not many options in the matrix to use eFSU/ISSU so quite frankly I have given up on that...

Hope someone has better info.

Ciao

JC

[Ethan Grinnell]

It's not officially supported, but you can force the parent to have the 6800IA to not download new software and run it's current software. I'm sure there are issues if the versions are far apart. But I've played a bit with this and not found issues.

From a 6880:

#test fex image check ?
enforce enforce image version check
override override image version check

test fex image check override fex-id all

And it goes into the config through a hidden command

#show run | s fex 148
fex 148
     image check override

[a12288]

Hi, jkeeffe.

Just like to know how many of IAs attach to your 6800, and how is the CPU and Mem utilizations on the 6800 switches? I am interested in 6800 w/ IA but have concerns of the load on the 6800 switches, if you can share your experience on this that'll be great.

Leo

[jcockburn]

Hi A12288,

I can tell you that we have 6880-X-LE with 9 Fex stacks (most with 5 IA switches per stack) and the average CPU over an hour is 20% with some sporadic max hits at 60%.

Memory is not an issue yet.

The 6880's Sup2T is a very powerful beast...

Ciao

JC