HSRP upgrade

[RahmaSallm]

We nee to replace our old standby HSRP switch (it is a C6880-X-LE VSS pair). We plan on building a VSS first, upgrade it to the recommended version and then configure it.

We are not sure however what is the best way to replace it and upgrade the active HSRP switch (also a C6880-X-LE VSS pair) at the same time.

Should we remove the old standby switch, upgrade the active then connect the new standby? What is the correct order to do this?

Also, is there a command to manually failover from active to standby after that and vice versa to make sure that everything works fine?

[marce1000]

  - You may find this thread useful : https://community.cisco.com/t5/switching/6500-hsrp-migrate-to-6800-vss/td-p/2438875

 M.

[shambhu.kumar]

Hello

Both switches should have same IOS while building VSS. you can upgrade IOS of these switches before or after configuration of VSS, I prefer upgrade it one by one before VSS configuration. Once you build the VSS, HSRP is no longer needed  you can remove HSRP configuration and configure Multi-chassis ether channel to connect end points devices  as both switches virtually treats as single box.

Plesse follow these steps and connect the cables as given in below example

STEP1: Assigning Virtual Switch Domain and Switch Numbers

SW1(config)#switch virtual domain 1
SW1(config-vs-domain)#switch 1

SW2(config)#switch virtual domain 1
SW2(config-vs-domain)#switch 2

STEP3: Configuring Switch priority

Both switches are configured to use virtual domain 1, SW1 has been configured as “switch 1” and SW2 as “switch 2”. The next step is to assign a priority to determine what switch will become active or standby.

SW1(config-vs-domain)#switch 1 priority 110
SW1(config-vs-domain)#switch 2 priority 100

The higher the priority, the more likely you will become the active switch. Switch 1 will have a priority of 110, and switch 2 a priority of 100. This means SW1 will become the active switch.

STEP3: Configuring VSL Port Channel and Virtual Switch Link

You can use a single physical interface for VSL or create an etherchannel for redundancy

SW1(config)#interface port-channel 1
SW1(config-if)#no shutdown
SW1(config-if)#switch virtual link 1
SW1(config-if)#exit

SW1(config)#int range ten 1/4 - 5
SW1(config-if-range)#channel-group 1 mode on
SW1(config-if-range)#no shut

SW2(config)#interface port-channel 2
SW2(config-if)#no shutdown
SW2(config-if)#switch virtual link 2
SW2(config-if)#exit

SW2(config)#int range ten 1/4 - 5
SW2(config-if-range)#channel-group 2 mode on
SW2(config-if-range)#no shutdown

STEP4: Converting the Switch to Virtual Switch Mode:

SW1#switch convert mode virtual
Do you want to proceed? [yes/no]: yes

SW2#switch convert mode virtual
Do you want to proceed? [yes/no]: yes

The switches will then negotiate on the VSL to see which one becomes active or standby. As expected, SW1 is the active switch.
Verification

SW1#sh switch virtual
SW1#sh redudency

dual-active detection configuration

switch virtual domain 1
dual-active detection fast-hello

interface GigabitEthernet1/2/3
description “to SW2 gi2/2/3”
no switchport
no ip address
dual-active fast-hello
!
interface GigabitEthernet2/2/3
description “to SW1 gi1/2/3”
no switchport
no ip address
dual-active fast-hello

Hope this will help.

Regards

Shambhu Kumar

[Joseph W. Doherty]

"Once you build the VSS, HSRP is no longer needed you can remove HSRP configuration . . ."

100% correct regarding gateway redundancy.  However, I've used single device HSRP to provide a gateway virtual MAC which allows hitless migration of a gateway to another device.

[MHM Cisco World]

Totally correct

No  need HSRP In VSS since we have only one control plane and two data plane 

MHM

[Giuseppe Larosa]

Hello @shambhu.kumar ,

the OP @RahmaSallm  has HSRP running between two VSS pairs so the use of HSRP will remain.

It is not clear if he/she wants only to upgrade each VSS pair to a new OS image version or he wants to change the standby VSS pair with a newer VSL pair made of appropriate Catalyst   ( likely 9600 or 9400 that are both modular )

Hope to help

Giuseppe

[Joseph W. Doherty]

I'm confused with what you have now and wish to migrate to.

Do you have a pair of 6880s currently running HSRP you wish to convert to VSS?

Or you have a HSRP pair where one of the HSRP devices is a VSS pair you wish to replace?

As to migration of a HSRP active gateway, that's done by using "prempt" along with changing HSRP priority value.

[MHM Cisco World]

Same as Me 

MHM

[Joseph W. Doherty]

BTW, as I believe 6880s are EoL, I would question the value of possibly a major conversion using them.

[paul driver]

Hello
if you are migration to a new vvs switch cluster them just build up the VSS with all the L3 svi etc.. then disable them - interconnect the new vss to old hsrp stack  with L2/l3 trunk and L3 mgt svi
then you you can migrate preicemeal the L2 interconnects first and then the L3 off the hsrp onto the vss

if you are upgrading the existing 6800 hsrp stack to vss which personally i’ve never done i envisage you will need to take the secondary 6800 off line to build up fiirst and then migrate from l2/l3 from old to new then drop the primary and build that up to become vss - the problem with this is you have no resilience whilst the migration is being done.