06-10-2020 01:44 PM - edited 06-11-2020 01:50 AM
Hello, experts.
We plan to upgrade ROMMON and IOS XE on Catalyst 4503E that is working in VSS mode.
ROMMON: from 15.1(1r)SG5 to 15.1(1r)SG18
IOS XE: from 3.8.4.E to 3.11.2E
I've read this guides:
But it still not clear for me, how to upgrade ROMMON on VSS cluster. There is no something like "ISSU for ROMMON", so as I understand it, this needs to be done separately on each switch. But what happens with VSS at this time? What could go wrong?
Please, guide me and share your experience how to do that in the best way. And without "IT LOOKS LIKE ALL NET IS DOWN! AAA-A-A!" :)
Solved! Go to Solution.
06-10-2020 05:19 PM - edited 06-19-2020 05:55 PM
Here's how I've done our Sup7E upgrade (with VSS):
conf t no boot system flash bootflash:<OLD IOS> boot system flash bootflash:firmwareupgrade-151_1r_SG18.SPA boot system flash bootflash:<NEW IOS-XE FILE> boot system flash bootflash:<OLD IOS> end wr
11. Reboot both units using the "reload" command.
To verify, use the command "sh version | i ROM"
Once the pair has recovered and loaded with the correct version, remove the boot variable string pointing to the ROMMON:
conf t no boot system flash bootflash:firmwareupgrade-151_1r_SG18.SPA end wr
And that should be it.
WARNING: ROMMON upgrade can take around 30 minutes.
06-10-2020 03:37 PM
Hi,
There is no ISSU for ROMMON upgrade. I recommend doing this in 2 phases if you can't have a long enough window to do both upgrades. So, 1 maintenance window for just upgrading the Rommon and a second one for upgrading the IOS. Also, with ISSU, the upgrade takes longer than doing it the traditional way. If you have a maintenance window, the simplest solution is to do it the traditional way. I think, if you go the traditional way, you can do them all in a one hour window.
HTH
06-10-2020 05:19 PM - edited 06-19-2020 05:55 PM
Here's how I've done our Sup7E upgrade (with VSS):
conf t no boot system flash bootflash:<OLD IOS> boot system flash bootflash:firmwareupgrade-151_1r_SG18.SPA boot system flash bootflash:<NEW IOS-XE FILE> boot system flash bootflash:<OLD IOS> end wr
11. Reboot both units using the "reload" command.
To verify, use the command "sh version | i ROM"
Once the pair has recovered and loaded with the correct version, remove the boot variable string pointing to the ROMMON:
conf t no boot system flash bootflash:firmwareupgrade-151_1r_SG18.SPA end wr
And that should be it.
WARNING: ROMMON upgrade can take around 30 minutes.
06-12-2020 01:13 AM - edited 06-12-2020 01:19 AM
Leo,
I did upgrade (ROMMON + IOS) exactly as you wrote and everything went fine.
All update (ROMMON + IOS) lasted about 10 minutes.
The minor thing what i want to add to your plan is don't forget to check bootvar with:
show bootvar
before doing:
redundancy reload shelf
Thanks for the help!
07-16-2020 08:29 PM - edited 07-16-2020 09:01 PM
@Alexander Istomin wrote:
The minor thing what i want to add to your plan is don't forget to check bootvar
I deliberately did not include the option to check the boot-variable string because, to a novice, the output is long and confusing.
05-13-2021 04:12 AM
Instead of TAR file, Can I transfer .BIN file directly for both supervisor and verify md5? What if my config register is not 0x2102, Do I need to set it first to 0x2102 and reload before doing the actual upgrade? Or I can do it in one reload? Because when if I change the confreg there is a note that it will take effect after a reload.
05-13-2021 05:10 AM
@Alan.A wrote:
What if my config register is not 0x2102, Do I need to set it first to 0x2102 and reload before doing the actual upgrade?
Make sure the config-register is set to 0x2102 before the reboot.
05-13-2021 05:42 AM
Hi Leo,
Here is an example of what I mean, yesterday before I perform an upgrade of 4506 1XSup I noticed that the config register is 0X2101 so I changed it to 0x2102, and there is a note in the show version command "Configuration register is 0x2101 (will be 0x2102 at next reload)" so I saved it and reload.
After a reload the confreg became 0x2102 and that's the time that I transferred the rommon and the IOS image to bootflash and perform the actual reload and upgrade went successful. Problem is I reload the box twice. Is it ok to reload the box only once?
05-13-2021 05:46 AM - edited 05-13-2021 05:51 AM
@Alan.A wrote:
Problem is I reload the box twice. Is it ok to reload the box only once?
My instructions above only mentions of a single reload.
Step 9 states: Make sure the config-registry value is "0x2102". Step 9 never mentions about "rebooting".
If you want to deviate, then it is all up to you.
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