Is console access mandatory to upgrade the IOS ?

[Network_Sarovani]

Hello Experts , 

Can we upgrade the switch IOS directly with admin cli access ? 

Or upgrade has to be done only using console access ? - If So , Why ? 

Thanks in advance . 

[balaji.bandi]

As long you followed the correct steps and upgrade path, i do not see any issue upgrading using SSH (i am in thinking you mean admin cli)

in case anything go wrong, good to have some one with console access to see what is wrong ?

Sometimes we need to do upgrade remote device from far, (so we do test upgrade path test in Lab envrionemtn all good before we deploy or upgrade far end devices - so we are sure about the process works as expected in staging or lab).

all times not good, some time may have different outcome, good to have some one standby in case required. depends on experiences and problem facing case to case.

if you have access to console (this is best and easy to identify and fix the issue as soon as possible).

[Network_Sarovani]

Thanks @balaji.bandi ...

Any chance you have automated the IOS upgrade task in your environment ? 

[balaji.bandi]

How many stacks you looking to Upgrade in your environment ? vs is that automation required ? is the question here.

If you are upgrade 100+ stacks week or month, may be worth spending time on automation (so called process, not work as expected all time - honestly - even though all same models, have different outcomes).

its all how you like to save time. based on that i can suggest,

[Joseph W. Doherty]

"Can we upgrade the switch IOS directly with admin cli access ? "

Sure, done it many, many (many) times.  Most often, perhaps, with remotely located devices, but usually did same with local campus devices.  The latter being much more convenient from my desk and going to the device in DC or some wiring closet.

That said, if you don't have console access, often upgrades can be have issues that you cannot "see".

An interesting case of the forgoing was a 3750G I upgraded, having some issues, so I did another upgrade using a console connection.  With the console connection, I was able to "see" one part of the the upgrade fail as there was insufficient flash space to contain an individual, temporary, upgrade component.  However, the switch booted into the new(er) IOS, so, w/o console access, all appeared to be okay.

BTW, console access doesn't have to be just conducted with a local connection, such a connection might also be done "remotely".  As, so often, an upgrade works fine w/o a console connection, to save costs, many businesses don't buy into supporting a remote console connection.