Switch Won't Accept Long IOS Name

jpl861 · ‎03-30-2012

Hi,

I'm in the process of upgrading the IOS of our 6500 switch and unfortunately, the images were messed up by other users. Here's the output of show redundancy.

Hardware Mode = Duplex

Configured Redundancy Mode = sso

Operating Redundancy Mode = rpr

Maintenance Mode = Disabled

Active Location = slot 5

Current Software state = ACTIVE

Image Version = Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software

IOS (tm) s72033_rp Software (s72033_rp-ENTSERVICESK9_WAN-M), Version 12.2(18)SXF7, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

Standby Location = slot 6

Current Software state = STANDBY COLD

Image Version = Cisco IOS Software, s72033_rp Software (s72033_rp-IPSERVICESK9-M), Version 12.2(33)SXI3, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc2)

I tried to load the new IOS which is s72033-adventerprisek9_wan-mz.122-33.SXI8.bin on sup-bootdisk and it was ok. I tried to copy from sup-bootdisk to slavesup-bootdisk with the same file name as s72033-adventerprisek9_wan-mz.122-33.SXI8.bin but it is rejecting the IOS. I already tried to format the slavesup-bootdisk and load other IOS version and it was ok.

copy sup-bootdisk: slavesup-bootflash:

Source filename []? s72033-adventerprisek9_wan-mz.122-33.SXI8.bin

Destination filename [s72033-adventerprisek9_wan-mz.122-33.SXI8.bin]?

%Error opening slavesup-bootdisk:s72033-adventerprisek9_wan-mz.122-33.SXI8.bin (Invalid argument)

So we tried to copy it with a different filename.

copy sup-bootdisk: slavesup-bootdisk:

Source filename [s72033-adventerprisek9_wan-mz.122-33.SXI8.bin]?

Destination filename [s72033-adventerprisek9_wan-mz.122-33.SXI8.bin]? mike-is-awesome.bin

Copy in progress...CCCCC

!

118699876 bytes copied in 550.372 secs (215672 bytes/sec)

!

dir slavesup-bootflash:

Directory of slavesup-bootdisk:/

1 -rw- 81765412 Mar 31 2012 02:19:12 +08:00 s72033-entservicesk9_wan-mz.122-18.SXF7.bin

2 -rw- 58931492 Mar 31 2012 02:56:32 +08:00 s72033-ipservicesk9-mz.122-33.SXI3.bin

3 -rw- 118699876 Mar 31 2012 03:22:10 +08:00 mike-is-awesome.bin

I was able to rename it back to the original file name.

rename slavesup-bootdisk:mike-is-awesome.bin slavesup-bootdisk:s72033-adventerprisek9_wan-mz.122-33.SXI8.bin

Destination filename [s72033-adventerprisek9_wan-mz.122-33.SXI8.bin]?

dir slavesup-bootflash:

Directory of slavesup-bootdisk:/

1 -rw- 81765412 Mar 31 2012 02:19:12 +08:00 s72033-entservicesk9_wan-mz.122-18.SXF7.bin

2 -rw- 58931492 Mar 31 2012 02:56:32 +08:00 s72033-ipservicesk9-mz.122-33.SXI3.bin

3 -rw- 118699876 Mar 31 2012 03:22:10 +08:00 s72033-adventerprisek9_wan-mz.122-33.SXI8.bin

But it won't verify the IOS.

verify slavesup-bootdisk:s72033-adventerprisek9_wan-mz.122-33.SXI8.bin

%Filesystem does not support verify operations

%ERROR: Not able to process Signature in slavesup-bootdisk:s72033-adventerprisek9_wan-mz.122-33.SXI8.bin.

I renamed it to something else like john-is-awesome.bin and tried verify again and it worked.

verify slavesup-bootdisk:john-is-awesome.bin

%Filesystem does not support verify operations

Verifying file integrity of slavesup-bootdisk:john-is-awesome.bin.....

Done!

Embedded Hash MD5 : 5CC0310E84D944C32D8B4112781BD62C

Computed Hash MD5 : 5CC0310E84D944C32D8B4112781BD62C

CCO Hash MD5 : 1E1A08F778D6FF44AFC164342F3021CB

I renamed it back again to the original IOS name, it won't verify.

My question is, would i have any issues if I reload this slave supervisor engine to load the SXI8 IOS?

Thanks in advance.

Reza Sharifi · ‎03-30-2012

Hi,

I would reload a fresh IOS into the slavesup-bootdisk before rebooting it.

On the other hand, I see that your current stand-by sup is running a different version of IOS than your primary and therefore this caused the stand-by sup to be in COLD mode.

So, I would make sure to have the same image in both sups, make sure the redundancy is in SSO mode, than reboot the stand-by. If this doesn't work, you may have to reboot both sups.

You definatly need an outage window to do these.

HTH

jpl861 · ‎03-31-2012

Thanks for your reply. My goal is to use SXI8 so definitely we will have to go RPR mode anyway so I don't have to flip it back and forth.

Reza Sharifi · ‎03-31-2012

I wonder why you are trying to use RPR. SSO fails over much faster then RPR and it is just matter of changing the mode to SSO and reboot.

Regarding your current solution, have a console cable ready and reboot the stand-by and hope for the best

HTH

Leo Laohoo · ‎03-30-2012

My question is, would i have any issues if I reload this slave supervisor engine to load the SXI8 IOS?

Go through the Cisco Security Advisories and Responses. Cisco has flagged SXI8 as being vulnerable to a number of the exploits. Either go to SXI9 or SXJ2.

jpl861 · ‎03-31-2012

I checked the IOS Software Checker and the vulnerabilities aren't really that bad.

Cisco IOS Internet Key Exchange Vulnerability

Mar 28, 2012

Cisco IOS Software Command Authorization Bypass

Mar 28, 2012

Cisco IOS Software Multicast Source Discovery Protocol Vulnerability

Mar 28, 2012

I am just wondering if I reload the slave-sup then if it's going to load the SXI8 image. The hash are good. I might put a spare sup720 card beside me during the upgrade.