SUP720-3B Internal Flash

[tdwilson1]

I have received a sup720-3B from Cisco with an internal 512MB flash(sup-bootdisk). I want to verify what IOS image is on the disk and do not have an spare 6509 chasis. Can I remove the 512 MB flash disk and insert it to my disk0: on my production 6509 with the sup32 that the 720 will repplace and view what is on the disk without corrupting?

[krahmani323]

Hello Thomas,

Welcome to the CSC !

I have never tested what you trying to accomplish, but please find the following points =>

1/ The link http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/modules/ps2797/products_data_sheet09186a008033a479.html (Table -3) states that for SUP720-3B(XL) the Compact Flash references are MEM-C6K-CPTFLXXXM with XXX the capacity (in your case 512M).

2/ Those compact flash references for the SUP32 are the same MEM-C6K-CPTFLXXXM so no compatibility issue here.

3/ BUT from the SUP32 Q&A link http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/modules/ps2797/ps5972/prod_qas0900aecd80350bfc.html

and also http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps708/prod_bulletin0900aecd801ff3ee.html (Table 1 - Memory Options for Supervisor Engine 32).

I understand that although the SUP32 can support internal CF up to 1Gb, ….=>

Q. What is the default size of the internal Compact Flash?

A. 256 MB is default size of the internal compact flash and is field upgradable to 512 MB or 1 GB.

It appears the suppoted external CF stop at MEM-C6K-CPTL256M (ref. for 512 is not listed here) =>

Q. What is the size of the external Compact Flash supported on Sup32?

A. External Compact Flash is optional on Sup32. The Compact Flashes supported at FCS are MEM-C6K-CPTFL64M, MEM-C6K-CPTFL128M, and MEM-C6K-CPTFL256M.

=========

So according to Cisco documentation I would consider your 512M CF is not supported on SUP32 CF slot.

On the other hand, I have read some posts where 2Gb (third-party) CF were used as a SUP32 CF without any issue…(but in case of problem it is not supported by Cisco)... 

Anyway, if it is a brand new SUP720 do you see any IOS information on/inside the box or on any label somewhere on the card indicating the IOS version in your  SUP720 ?

Kind regards.

Karim

[Reza Sharifi]

Karim,

Thanks for verifying (+5) so, apparently sup-32 does not support 512 CF.

[krahmani323]

Thank you very much Reza...

In fact I am wondering if the documentation regarding the support is accurate or if at the time of the documentation larger CF were not yet released…

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps708/products_tech_note09186a008015bfa6.shtml#dram

Bootflash and PC Card (PCMCIA) Requirements for the Supervisor Engine 32

The Supervisor Engine 32 ships with 256 MB of Supervisor Engine bootflash and 256 MB of MSFC bootflash. The Supervisor Engine 32 has one external CompactFlash Type II slot and 256 MB of internal CompactFlash Flash memory. The internal CompactFlash, which is referred to as bootdisk: in command-line interface (CLI), is upgradable to 512 MB and 1 GB.

The CompactFlash Type II slot supports CompactFlash Type II cards and IBM MicroDrive cards. CompactFlash cards for the Supervisor Engine 32 are available in 64, 128, and 256 MB sizes. The Supervisor Engine 32 hardware is able to support 512 MB and 1 GB of CompactFlash Type II Flash memory (???).

I think the best would be to test in a lab environment to validate or not. I will try check….

Regards.

Karim

[Reza Sharifi]

Yes, you should be able to take the CF card from the sup-720 and put it in the disk0: of sup-32 and read it if sup-32 support it.

HTH

[tdwilson1]

In short I am starting the upgrade process this weekend of upgrading our Core 6509's from the sup32's to sup720's. This is a first for me and want a smooth transition. I am only doing one core at a time, each with redundant sups. I have received a sup720-3B from Cisco so I am not sure what version is on that. The other 720-3B I have is from another one of our business units that was previouly used, so It will not be the same as the on from Cisco I would imagine, After I power down the 6509 and remove the current sup32's, I would need to instsll the 720's and get the IOS version to match so I can load my previous config back and have them in active/hot standby mode.

[krahmani323]

Thomas, thanks for the additionnal information.

I understand why you wanted to to know what are the IOS before.

If you were not able to determine the exact images of the SUP720s I would have proceeded like this for the operation.

1/ Removal of both SUP32  - Insertion of the first SUP720 – Turn on the chassis.

2/ Upgrade to the IOS you have decided to implement with new boot order defined. 

[3/ you can also from now inject your configuration + sso redundancy commands  => http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst6500/ios/12.2SXF/native/configuration/guide/nsfsso.html#wp1119694 or inject the configuration at the end]…

4/ Once the first SUP upgrade and everything is OK, Insert the second SUP720 (hoping it is not running a CatOS :-), then =>

. If it is exact same IOS image you are lucky and you can move forward.

. If not you will run in RPR redundancy mode (in order to operate in SSO both images must be the same) => The ‘show redundancy states’ should indicate «Redundancy Mode (Operational) =rpr »

5/ Copy the image from the Active SUP to Standby SUP => With the copy commands => www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst6500/ios/12.2SXF/native/configuration/guide/nsfsso.html#wp1119694

Depending of the media you have it would be here copy sup-bootdisk:IOS_name slavesup-bootdisk:IOS_name

(I suppose all the hardware and flash medias are the same in both SUPs). If you have external CF on the new SUP you can also proceed with the same logic for media redundancy.

6/ Saving the configuration => During RPR mode operation, the startup-config files and the config-register configurations are synchronized by default between the two supervisor engines

7/ Reset the Standby SUP720 => hw-module module « Stanby_SUP_slot_n° » reset

8/ Validate the SSO redundancy status (configured and operational state is SSO - Standby is in HOT STANDBY mode) and all other necessary checks. 

======================================

You can also proceed via another method if you think it could be safer =>

- Insert the SUP720 n°1

- Upgrade SUP720 n°1 to target IOS

- Turn off the chassis

- Eject SUP720 n°1

- Insert SUP720 n°2

- Upgrade SUP720 n°2 to target IOS

- Insert SUP720 n°1

- Validate SSO redundancy status

- You can force a switchover if you want SUPn°1 to be active (redundancy force-switchover)

- Inject te config (or reload with your startup)– validate and save.

I wish you good luck for your operation.

Kind regards.
Karim

[tdwilson1]

Upgrade was a sucess this AM. Thanks.