Policy Feature card 4 Version 3.0 vs 2.1

[northitsubrad]

I am building a new environment using a 6509-E with 2 SUP S2T45's.  One SUP has VS-F6K-MSFC5 HW version 3.0 and VS-F6K-PFC4 HW version 3.0.  The other SUP has version 2.1 on the corresponding modules.  Could there be an issue down the road if we need to failover to the standby SUP and their different HW version.

Mod Ports Card Type                              Model              Serial No.
--- ----- -------------------------------------- ------------------ -----------
  5    5  Supervisor Engine 2T 10GE w/ CTS (Acti VS-SUP2T-10G      XXXXXXXXXX
  6    5  Supervisor Engine 2T 10GE w/ CTS (Hot) VS-SUP2T-10G     XXXXXXXXXX

Mod MAC addresses                       Hw    Fw           Sw           Status
--- ---------------------------------- ------ ------------ ------------ -------
  5  4403.a70a.cd15 to 4403.a70a.cd1c   1.7   12.2(50r)SYS 15.1(2)SY7   Ok
  6  649e.f35c.6f65 to 649e.f35c.6f6c   2.1   12.2(50r)SYS 15.1(2)SY7   Ok

Mod  Sub-Module                  Model              Serial       Hw     Status
---- --------------------------- ------------------ ----------- ------- -------
  5  Policy Feature Card 4       VS-F6K-PFC4        XXXXXXXXXXX   2.1    Ok
  5  CPU Daughterboard           VS-F6K-MSFC5       XXXXXXXXXX 2.1    Ok
  6  Policy Feature Card 4       VS-F6K-PFC4        XXXXXXXXXX 3.0    Ok
  6  CPU Daughterboard           VS-F6K-MSFC5      XXXXXXXXXX 3.0    Ok

[Reza Sharifi]

The firmware should not be an issue as both hardware ( VS-F6K-MSFC5) are the exactly the same.

HTH

[northitsubrad]

---

@Reza Sharifi wrote:

The firmware should not be an issue as both hardware ( VS-F6K-MSFC5) are the exactly the same.

HTH

---

My concern stems from this document.

Release Notes for Cisco IOS Release 15.5(1)SY

and this line

You cannot use one type of PFC on one Supervisor engine and a different type on the other Supervisor engine for redundancy. You must use identical policy feature cards.

[Reza Sharifi]

You cannot use one type of PFC on one Supervisor engine and a different type on the other Supervisor engine for redundancy. You must use identical policy feature cards.

So, I think this statement refers to the hardware. So, for example, you can't mix MSFC5 with MSFC4 but the firmware version should not stop the redundancy to work correctly. Also, you can test the fail-over redundancy by failing over to the second sup during a maintenance window and let it run for 24 or 48 hours and than fail back again. I think the command is:

"redundancy force-switchover ..."

HTH

[Joseph W. Doherty]

I recall (?) that FW version relates basically to the physical hardware manufacture version. It being different shouldn't cause any issues unless at some point Cisco says there's an issue with some version(s).

Likewise, different ROMMON versions (NB: yours are the same, "12.2(50r)SYS") often don't cause issues either, but the release notes should be consulted. (E.g.: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst6500/rommon/sup2t_sup6t_rommon.html#pgfId-50426)