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]

---

@Giuseppe Larosa wrote:

Hello @shambhu.kumar ,

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

---

I too considered that as, and still, as a possibility, but also still, find the OP's description unclear what's in place and what's desired.

Possibly, if HSRP running between two VSS pairs (sort of a redundancy equivalent of a pair of 6500s VSS with 4 sups), then the issue just might be a simple HSRP active gateway(s) migration.  If so, my previous reply mentions the HSRP config options used to make such changes, but if that's what the OP wants to do, but OP doesn't know how to use those HSRP config options to make such a change, let us know.

[RahmaSallm]

Exactly. We have 2 VSS pairs ( a total of 4 switches). One pair is the HSRP active switch and the other is the standby. We do have a plan on replacing all of them since 6800 is in eol but the replacement of the standby VSS pair now is quite urgent. The main question is, what to do with the active pair after replacing the stanby pair with the new switches that are upgraded to the recommended version.

[Joseph W. Doherty]

If you're replacing/upgrading a HSRP standby gateway, logically having it go off-line shouldn't matter.  While it's off-line you no longer have HSRP redundancy but as your primary HSRP gateway is a VSS pair, you have its redundancy.  When you bring a standby/secondary HSRP gateway on-line, it shouldn't impact the network either.

So, unclear what you see as a possible issue.

"The main question is, what to do with the active pair after replacing the stanby pair with the new switches that are upgraded to the recommended version."

What do you want to do with them?  If you're looking to replace/upgrade them too, move the active gateway(s) to the refreshed secondary, then proceed as before dealing with HSRP secondary.

[RahmaSallm]

When I bring the standby back online it will have a different version than that of the active VSS pair. Won't it cause any issues until the upgrade of the active VSS pair is performed?

[MHM Cisco World]

You have four c6000 and each two form one pair 

Or 

You have two c6000 form one single pair 

?

We dont get it' if you have case1 then there is no need match of ver. between pairs.

MHM

[Joseph W. Doherty]

---

@RahmaSallm wrote:
When I bring the standby back online it will have a different version than that of the active VSS pair. Won't it cause any issues until the upgrade of the active VSS pair is performed?

For HSRP?  As long as the two HSRP nodes are running the same HSRP version, the nodes' OS version should not matter.

[shambhu.kumar]

What is your plan for standby switches? are you going to replace or are you going to software upgrade ? if standby is replaced then what is the model of switch?

[Giuseppe Larosa]

Hello @RahmaSallm ,

you can do an action plan to install a pair of suitable Catalyst 9600 or 9400 ( both are modular it depends on what kind of linecards you need ) . On the new pair you are  going to implement a SVL  ( the new term for VSS the basic idea is the same).

warning: on cat9600 it looks like that only configurations with a single supervisor per chassis are currently supported.

So you prepare the new SVL pair , (if you have space in the racks otherwise you will need to remove the C6800 chassis to install the new ones)

I think these are your next steps:

- building an appropriate BOM to build an SVL pair including licenses requirements  ( you need to think also of DNA licenses)

- find a strategy on how to install the new hardware, if you have space on the racks you can install the new devices above or below the old ones. If there is no free space you will need to physically remove the old C6800 chassis to install the new devices.

The active VSS pair provides you redundancy so that whatever sup is active it will provide services if all access layer devices are multihomed to both VSS chassis of primary VSS pair.

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.