Cisco 6500 IOS upgrade

[manjit_raulo]

Hello, I have upgraded switches like cisco 2960/3560 & 3750.

But never upgraded cisco 6500 switch.

I checked on the cisco website for the steps to upgrade but its little confusing for me to understand some of the terms.

I am planning to upgrade the IOS for one of the 6500 switch with the below current image:

Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software IOS (tm) s72033_rp Software (s72033_rp-IPSERVICES_WAN-M), Version 12.2(18)SXF7, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

6509#sh bootflash: - #- ED ----type---- --crc--- -seek-- nlen -length- ---------date/time--------- name

1  .. image        385CEA55  E9059C  29 14746908 Dec x 20xx 00:54:39 -05:00 c6msfc3-psv-mz.122-14.SX2.bin

2  .. image        2F6D5CB2 39EC70C  29 45465840 Nov x 20xx 17:58:48 -04:00 s72033-psv-mz.122-18.SXD6.bin

4848576 bytes available (60687424 bytes used)

-------------------------------------

6509#sh sup-bootflash: -#- ED ----type---- --crc--- -seek-- nlen -length- ---------date/time--------- name

1  .. image        61216951 2BD685C  29 45443036 May x 20xx 08:18:55 -04:00 s72033-psv-mz.122-18.SXD4.bin

19593280 bytes available (45942720 bytes used)

-----------------------------------------------

6509#sh disk0 -#- --length-- -----date/time------ path

1    45465840 Nov x 20xx 18:07:20 s72033-psv-mz.122-18.SXD6.bin

2    80433668 Feb x 20xx 00:00:02 s72033-ipservices_wan-mz.122-18.SXF7.bin

386154496 bytes available (125911040 bytes used) :

---------------------------------

On switched like 2960/3560/3750 , we only upload new image file to flash but here for 6500 switch what should be the destination path. What are the images I need to download from cisco & which are the steps I need to follow for upgrading the IOS of this switch ? And finally please differentiate between bootflash, Sup-bootflash & disk0/slot0. What is the use of sqeeze command.

[Ivan Shirshin]

Hi Manjit,

Please this step-by-step SW upgrade procedure for 6500 running IOS:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps708/products_configuration_example09186a0080116ff0.shtml#sup720

You need to download the IOS image from cisco.com. In case of using WAN cards (e.g. SIP+SPA) you also need corresponding FPD package.

bootflash is a flash file system of Route Processor, internal on motherboard.

sup-bootflash is a flash file system of Switch Processor, internal on motherboard.

disk0/1 are external flash cards (inserted in the slot on front panel).

You can use either of them for booting from. The siwtch will choose the boot location from the boot string, which you can check with "show boot" command and change with "boot ..." command in config mode.

sup-bootflash is used usually due to flash size and the fact it is internal, so cannot be accidently removed.

Kind Regards,
Ivan Shirshin

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[amohaida]

the Supervisor has two components (daughtercards) , PFC and MSFC  , lets call them Switching processor (SP) and Route Processor (RP).

when the device is up and running , the internal flash for the RP is called "bootflash" and the internal flash for the SP is called "sup-bootflash".

when the supervisor boots up , the SP will boot first , so it make since that you copy the image to the sup-bootflash: or to the external flash (disk0:)  , keep in mind that RP bootflash will no be accessible if the SUP get stuck in the rommon mode and you can only access the SP bootflash and the external flash card.

HTH.

Ahmad.