Catalyst 9300 Stack Automatic Firmware Update

[Hannibal]

Hi Dear  Community, the better Community of the Internet

I open this query thread about the stack firmware update made up of the Cisco Catayst c9300.

I can see that with very few commands in Install Mode it is now possible to update the firmware. Excellent.

I have a stack made up of 5 C9300 switches.

We did a 2-switch stack firmware update lab, starting with the master switch. In theory, once the master switch in the stack is updated, it should automatically update the second member of the stack, but it did not. The stack was broken and each member was left with a different firmware version.

The Cisco documentation is not clear, what is the procedure for the update to be automatic? What is the best practice with the Cat 9300?

Should we load the image to update in the Flash of each of the members of the stack and launch the commands from the master switch?

The automatic update of the complete stack of the c9300 is configured at the factory or do we have to configure some commands so that the master switch automatically updates the firmware of the rest of the members of the stack?

Thank you in advanced

Hannibal

[balaji.bandi]

copying the image file into the USB, Insert in to USB slot at the front of the 9300

#request platform software package clean switch all
#dir usbflash0:
#copy usbflash0:cat9k_xxxxx.bin flash:
#request platform software package install switch all file flash:cat9k_xxxxx.bin auto-copy
#reload

[Hannibal]

Hello team, thank you very much, Balaji and Leo

Excellent, just one last question; during the firmware update process it is well known to start with the master switch.

While this master switch is being updated and rebooted, the standby switch took over the functions of master and, together with the other switches members in the stack, do they keep operating and allowing communication between their ports and uplink ports to other switches?

Once the master switch is updated and returns to its operational state, will it continue to operate like the other switches, except for the switch that begins to update its firmware? Right??

Or on the contrary to the above,during the process of the firmware update, the entire stack stops operating and cuts communication between its ports while all the switches members of the stack are updated?

All this is very important to know, especially when a firmware update is to be carried out on a stack, which is critical because it is part of a Data Center.

Knowing this, we can take the necessary measures to reduce the downtime of the data center

With best regards

Hannibal

[balaji.bandi · Accepted solution]

All stack switches will upgrade reload take place whole stack.

[Hannibal]

Hi, thank you

I have learned that now we must upgrade the stack from member to member, because my boss does not want to lose the connectivity of the data center with the rest of the member switches but only with the member switch that is being updated.

That is, take each member of the stack and update its firmware.

Have you come across a similar requirement? would it be possible? This implies that the original stack would be split in two and remade until the upgrade of the last member switch is completed.

If possible, I would start with the master switch, what would be your recommendation if this were possible? I think autoupgrade should be disabled, right?

My Boss wants to do it now individually so that the rest of the member switches continue in operation.

What problems could arise in the end?

Your opinion would be very important to me.

Thank you in advance

Hannibal

[Leo Laohoo]

conf t
 software auto-upgrade enable
end

[Hannibal]

Hello team, thank you very much, Balaji and Leo

Excellent, just one last question; during the firmware update process it is well known to start with the master switch.

While this master switch is being updated and rebooted, the standby switch took over the functions of master and, together with the other switches members in the stack, do they keep operating and allowing communication between their ports and uplink ports to other switches?

Once the master switch is updated and returns to its operational state, will it continue to operate like the other switches, except for the switch that begins to update its firmware? Right??

Or on the contrary to the above,during the process of the firmware update, the entire stack stops operating and cuts communication between its ports while all the switches members of the stack are updated?

All this is very important to know, especially when a firmware update is to be carried out on a stack, which is critical because it is part of a Data Center.

Knowing this, we can take the necessary measures to reduce the downtime of the data center

With best regards

Hannibal

[rodonnell2]

this should be the top answer/accepted solution!

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

---

@Hannibal wrote:

Excellent, just one last question; during the firmware update process it is well known to start with the master switch.

While this master switch is being updated and rebooted, the standby switch took over the functions of master and, together with the other switches members in the stack, do they keep operating and allowing communication between their ports and uplink ports to other switches?

---

This feature was (past tense) called Rolling Stock Upgrade.  
This feature is NO LONGER supported on the Catalyst 9k switches.

[Hannibal]

Hi, thank you

I just found out that now we must upgrade the stack from member to member, because my boss does not want to lose the connectivity of the data center with the rest of the member switches but only with the member switch that is being updated.

That is, take each member of the stack and update its firmware.

Have you come across a similar requirement? would it be possible? This implies that the original stack would be split in two and remade until the upgrade of the last member switch is completed.

If possible, I would start with the master switch, what would be your recommendation if this were possible? I think autoupgrade should be disabled, right?

My Boss wants to do it now individually so that the rest of the member switches continue in operation.

What problems could arise in the end?

Your opinion would be very important to me.

Thank you in advance

Hannibal

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@Hannibal wrote:

I have learned that now we must upgrade the stack from member to member, because my boss does not want to lose the connectivity of the data center with the rest of the member switches but only with the member switch that is being updated.

---

There is a feature called eFSU (Extended Fast Software Upgrade).  It is a good feature -- If it only works.  

I have never been a "fan" of ISSU or FSU/eFSU because it only works in very minute cases.  

[Hannibal]

Thank you Leo for your reply

I haven't really found within the community a case or experiences where someone has individually performed a firmware update on a switch stack.

The biggest risk I see is splitting the stack into two or more parts and creating IP duplication, etc. This would be more serious than the downtime that the data center must go through in an entire stack firmware update.

Thanks
Hann

[pdebreczeni]

Extended Fast Software Upgrade (xFSU) could be an acceptable alternative 

[balaji.bandi]

Is XfSU in production? did anyone try? what % of success, without crashing the stack ?

[pdebreczeni]

At the moment, I can answer your first question only: definitely, check the link in my previous comment