Upgrade from Sup 720 to Sup 2T with Same Chassis

[kumail.haider]

All,

I have a situation, Where I have to perform software/ Hardware Upgrade of Cisco 6500 series switch.

The reason for Upgrade:- Because existing software/Hardware is already EoS/EoL.

Current Hardware:- 

slot#1 - WS-X6724-SFP 24 Port

slot#2 - WS-X6708-10GE 10gig 8 Ports

slot#3 - WS-X6708-10GE 10gig 8 Ports

slot#4 - Empty
slot#5 - WS Sup 720-3B

slot#6 - Empty

slot#7 - WS-SVC-FWM-1

Targeted Hardware:- 

slot#1 - C6800-32P 10G 48Ports

slot#2 - Empty

slot#3 - Empty

slot#4 - Empty
slot#5 - VS-SUP2T-10G

slot#6 - Empty

slot#7 - Empty

Current IOS: 12.1

Targeted IOS for new Sup2T 15.2.1-Sy7(MD)

Since such migrations need a complete switch shutdown followed by removing the old hardware and install the new hardware(OK understood cabling migration is already in place).

Now my aim is to achieve this task with minimum downtime/cutover/services impact time in place. So here is my thought to reduce the downtime.

Considering that I have only one physical chassis, and based on above-provided details under Current Hardware I have slot#6 free in hand. So can I install the new Sup2t card on slot#6 and let it load and come online. Then I'll get the console access of that Sup card and by using an additional Flash card, I'll install and upgrade the software version of Sup as per targeted 15.2.1-Sy7(MD) version.

Once the software is loaded, I'll remove the Sup from slot#6 as this step was done to avoid software upgrade on doom day(migration day).

Now my understanding is, I can achieve the above software upgrade task without interrupting the already running the current process on old sup and modules.

So on migration day I'll simply shut down the whole chassis, remove the old modules and sup, install the new module and sup card, power-on the chassis, upload the new configuration and BINGOOOO I don't need to upgrade the IOS version because that was done as part of pre-activity homework.

Simple question '' is this doable?''

[balaji.bandi]

personally this bit risky and you may have longer down time something go wrong playing with Live chasis insert supervisors.

I had same issue, the whole chasis went offline while i was inserting supervisor, cisco TAC mentioned after long investigation, it one time incident. ( crash logs not helped much).

i had serious downtime for an hour or so.

i suggest to go with new chasis parallel to the setup and test and migrate one one by one link, so your setup side by side  old and new together. so you have minimal down time, and you have option to reloback if something not working on new chasis.

Do you have QoS in place ? make it change to new QoS format MQC and MLS

make sense ?

[kumail.haider]

Thanks for your reply.

but consider that, additional chassis or parallel setup option is not on the table then how to achieve this migration with minimum impact and downtime or what approach, in that case, you would like to suggest?

[balaji.bandi]

You need to prepare proper plan with good enough downtime and roleback plan in place.

2-3hours down time should be good enough shutdown old kit and new supervision and new cards. upgrade the IOS and load the config, bring up some test links to test, start bring other links slowly and test 1 by 1, you need good foor walker to test.

by the way, you have not mentioned what kind of service are running, wifi, i see FWSM also running ?

if i look business point of view downtime vs new chasis, new chasis will be cheaper than downtime.

[kumail.haider]

once again thanks for fueling my thoughts.

Additional/spare chassis is not an option because physical we don't have enough space in MDF room not even to any other adjacent racks.

Now talking about FWSM, that is in shutdown state which means services were decommissioned from FWSM a month back and now it is just a line card bumped into chassis.

[balaji.bandi]

In this do not have any option other than big bang migration and take risk, some old feature may work like i said related to QoS , this need to keep morning and tweak as when and then you see issue around. 

Bear in mind you always doing changes on live kit which may have small interrupption of traffic, like QoS policies changing.

[Reza Sharifi]

So can I install the new Sup2t card on slot#6 and let it load and come online. Then I'll get the console access of that Sup card and by using an additional Flash card, I'll install and upgrade the software version of Sup as per targeted 15.2.1-Sy7(MD) version.

I have never done this and not sure if it will work as expected as you will have 2 different sups in the chassis.

So, my approach would be to turn off the chassis. Put the new Sup and the 32 port 10Gig blade in the chassis and let it boot with whatever IOS it comes with.  Once the sup is booted, make sure the sup is recognizing the new 32 port 10Gig blade. If all good load the new version of IOS and reload the chassis. Once the chassis booted again, connect all the cables, make all the config change from the old 8 port 10Gig ports to the new 32 port 10Gig bladed. You can make all the config changes ahead of time and after the upgrade just copy and paste to the new sup. Be careful if you have any existing QOS config as the old sup QOS config will not work on sup-2t. 

HTH

[kumail.haider]

Thanks for your Reply

So Can you guys tell me how much minimum and maximum downtime/cutoff I required for all the activity?

-Shutdown Chasis.

-Removing FWSM modular.

-Removing Old three modules.

-Removing the old SUP720-3B.

-Installation for new Sup 2T.

-Installation of new C6800-32P 48ports module.

-Power on Chasis.

-Load the Default IOS of SUP-T2.

-Verification that New Modular is online.

-Targeted IOS upgrade 12.0 to 15.2.1-Sy7(MD) (What will be the upgrade path and how many time chassis will be a reboot in this process).

-Paste the configuration for the new modular which we already ahead.

-Connecting all the cables as per respective ports.

[Reza Sharifi]

If you get all the configs ready ahead of time, a 3-hour window should do it. 

HTH

[kumail.haider]

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Once again thanks 

What about this point.

-Targeted IOS upgrade 12.0 to 15.2.1-Sy7(MD) (What will be the upgrade path and how many time chassis will be a reboot in this process).

appreciate if you will tell me the upgrade path.

[balaji.bandi]

There is no multiple reboot required as per i know.

you shutdown the chassis, remove old supervisor, insert new one, boot up the chassis, ( make sure all other ports in shutdown mode until upgrade and bootup normal)

Upgrade the supervisor to latest os read the release notes :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst6500/ios/15-2SY/release_notes/15_2_release_notes.html

Follow the upgrade document

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/switches/catalyst-6500-series-switches/28724-161.html

Once new imaged loaded, change the boot loader reboot the chassis with once the chassis boot with new Image, check normal test commands, all ok, start enabling the ports.

3hours to good to if all the prep work done. (make sure you have backup copy outside of the box)