cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
cancel
7278
Views
10
Helpful
15
Replies

Ask the expert: IOS Upgrade on Catalyst Switches 2900, 3500 and 3700 - Easy as Pi

Cisco Moderador
Community Manager
Community Manager

This topic is a chance to discuss more about how to upgrade the IOS version on Cisco Catalyst Switches Series 2960, 3560 and 3750. Learn more about why it is recommended to regularly upgrade the IOS of the Cisco appliances and how it is possible to do it right since the first time. Ask about different methods and best practices to upgrade IOS on Cisco Catalyst Switches.are easy to set up, however, inner workings and predicting the network reconverge might be a challenge specially in failover scenarios.

 

To participate in this event, please use the Join the Discussion : Cisco Ask the Expert button below to ask your questions

Ask questions from Monday, November 15 to November 23rd, 2016

Featured Expert

Leo Laohoo is a network engineer. Leo specializes in wireless and LAN/WAN technologies. He previously worked with EDS (today HP) and SITA/Equant, he holds a Colleague Degree in Business Management and a CCNA.

On his free time, Leo enjoys participating in the Cisco Support Community, he states that it is a “TWO-way street”. He is one of the top Cisco Designated VIPs and a member of the elite Cisco Support Community Hall of Fame program. The Cisco Support Community is a place where you can help someone else and at the same time learn from other people’s responses their responses to you answers.answers.

Leo might not be able to answer each question due to the volume expected during this event. Remember that you can continue the conversation on the  Contact Center Community 

Find other  https://supportforums.cisco.com/expert-corner/knowledge-sharing.

**Ratings Encourage Participation! **
Please be sure to rate the Answers to Questions

      

15 Replies 15

Shivu b
Level 1
Level 1

Hello Team,

I had registered the event but how can i join.could you please assist

You would have got the email to join the webcast.

Hello all, this Ask the VIP event is to give an opportunity to ask Leo Laohoo any questions from the Live Webcast conducted yesterday.

If you could not attend, here are the recording and the slides. 

    

I hope you and your love ones are safe and healthy
Monica Lluis
Community Manager Lead

is there a way to download the video presentation for offline viewing?

Hello Stefan,

we don't have the capability to provide offline video viewing.

Kind Regards,

Monica

I hope you and your love ones are safe and healthy
Monica Lluis
Community Manager Lead

Kevin Smith
Level 1
Level 1

did I miss the show

Hi Kevin Smith, we are sorry to read you didn’t have the opportunity to join this event. However, you can review the slides for this presentation in the following link: https://supportforums.cisco.com/document/13163661/webcast-vip-slides-ios-upgrade-catalyst-switches-2900-3500-and-3700-easy-pi 

And in the following days you will be able to check out the recording on the event site: https://supportforums.cisco.com/event/13156326/webcast-event-ios-upgrade-catalyst-switches-2900-3500-and-3700-easy-pi

Monica Lluis
Level 9
Level 9

Hello Leo,

Thank you so much for such an outstanding presentation. It was fantastic. There were few questions that we did not have time to go to. I am posting them here so that you answer them, when you have a chance.

I hope you and your love ones are safe and healthy
Monica Lluis
Community Manager Lead

¬Does Cisco Prime Infrastructure 2.2 and later always use the recommended 'archive download-sw' command? Any advice presenter might have on using CPI?¬

I hope you and your love ones are safe and healthy
Monica Lluis
Community Manager Lead

Ok, I need to be careful here.  

Before I respond to this question, I would like to remind readers that I do not work for Cisco.

One good thing about upgrading using PI is that the entire process, upload of the IOS to the appliance(s) and the reboot, can all be scheduled, however, upgrading an IOS of switches in a stack using early versions of Cisco Prime Infrastructure can be a "challenge".  

Note the following: 

1.  For users who are planning to use PI, ensure that the BIN file was successfully extracted/unpacked into the correct appliance first BEFORE scheduling a reboot.  

2.  Read the Release Notes for PI and the IOS.   PI will have a comprehensive list of supported switches.  

­What are the problems and disadvantages if someone do not upgrade IOS?­

I hope you and your love ones are safe and healthy
Monica Lluis
Community Manager Lead

What are the problems and disadvantages if someone do not upgrade IOS?­

This question is not easy to answer.

I upgrade our appliances regularly and some times it us due to problems we've encountered.  A good example is Tracebacks found in the logs.   (Personally, I equate Traceback(s) to an IOS bug.)    Whenever I see Tracebacks in our logs, I try to determine what is causing or triggering the Tracebacks.  And most of it can eliminated by updating the IOS of the appliance. 

So the answer the question, I recommend an IOS upgrade if there are problems found in the network.  Some people take a risk assessment and weigh the options and some find logic behind keeping an appliance up for more than one year and running an old IOS justifiable.  As what I'd like to say, "whatever floats your boat".  

Whenever I see people post in the forum about crashes and presence of Tracebacks in the logs, the first question I will always ask is "what IOS version is the appliance running on".  And 9 out of 10 responses the appliance are running some ancient form of version which has "outlived" the configuration and capabilities it's meant to do. 

The "worst" disadvantage I hope I won't ever encounter is someone or some group will use known security vulnerability and then target the LAN/WAN appliances as a "single point of entry".  I can't have that risk therefore I keep up with the Cisco's Security Bulletin and thoroughly ensure the IOS of the LAN/WAN appliances I manage are regularly updated.

amator007
Level 1
Level 1

Hi,

I put my problem on the forum, but expert advice would be very, very valuable to me.

I need to make upgrade IOS on stack 2 x WS-C2960X-48TD-L, from version 15.0 (2) EX5 to version 15.2.2-E5. I chose the easy way by Cisco Network Assistant (.tar file).

Unfortunately, the upgrade fails with the error. Interestingly, in the column "Device type” CNA reports ... WS-C3750 Stack (?).

What can be the cause of the error?:

1. Upgrade by CNA?
2. Invalid IOS file (for wrong device)?
3. No pay for the IOS file (my provider said, that I have the right to download upgrade file)?
4. Other reason?

 

I put my problem on the forum

And I have responded to your post in the other thread.  

My WebEx session talks about doing the upgrade using CLI and not Cisco Network Assistant (CNA).  

My recommendation is to use CLI as it's more accurate.

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: