Upgrading IOS in a C3750 stack

[lap]

Hi,

Our customer has the following switch Stack:

STACK1:

Switch Ports Model              SW Version            SW Image                
------ ----- -----              ----------            ----------              
     1 30    WS-C3750E-24TD     12.2(46)SE            C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M    
*    2 30    WS-C3750E-24TD     12.2(46)SE            C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M    
     3 30    WS-C3750E-24TD     12.2(46)SE            C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M    
     4 30    WS-C3750E-24TD     12.2(46)SE            C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M    
     5 30    WS-C3750E-24TD     12.2(46)SE            C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M    
     6 54    WS-C3750E-48TD     12.2(46)SE            C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M

There are all the same a part from number 6 which is a 48 ports.

The image on the stack is c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-46.SE with IP base license.

STACK2:

Switch Ports Model              SW Version            SW Image                
------ ----- -----              ----------            ----------              
     1 30    WS-C3750E-24TD     12.2(46)SE            C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M    
*    2 28    WS-C3750G-24TS     12.2(46)SE            C3750-IPBASE-M          
     3 28    WS-C3750G-24TS     12.2(46)SE            C3750-IPBASE-M          
     4 28    WS-C3750G-24PS     12.2(46)SE            C3750-IPBASE-M

In this stack is a bit different as one switch is a 3750E-24TD.

The image on the stack is  flash:c3750-ipbase-mz.122-46.SE/c3750-ipbase-mz.122-46.SE.bin. Is that because is a tar image?

Our customer wants to use this 10 Gig module (CVR-X2-SFP10G) that is why
we have to upgrade the switches to version 12.2(55) in order to support the module. Am I wrong?

My question is what is the best way to do it. I don't which image to use in STACK 1. should it be c3750e-universalk9-tar.122-55.SE.tar OR c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE.bin?

What about STACK2 as there is a mix of C3750G and C3750E ? Which image should I install as I have to find a common image for G and E. What about format, should it be .tar or .bin?

I have already read this document: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps5023/products_configuration_example09186a00804799d7.shtml

Regards,

Laurent

[tverhell · Accepted solution]

Laurent,

yes, the

flash:c3750-ipbase-mz.122-46.SE/c3750-ipbase-mz.122-46.SE.bin.

is because of a tar-image.

concerning the CVR-X2-SFP10G

yes minimum 12.2(53)SE is needed on 3750E:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst3750e_3560e/software/release/12.2_53_se/release/notes/OL21139.html#wp89405

you can either choose a .tar image or just the .bin,

choice is up to you.

concerning STACK2:

- There are no images from the 3750E that you can run on the 3750G and vica versa.

Basicly the image that is running on the stack is the one from the master-switch (in your case switch 2),

So if the image on the master switch is not supporting something, then it won't be supported on any other port (although another image on other switch could potentionally support this)

- So in order to also have the support of the CVR-X2-SFP10G on the 3750E-switch (switch1), that switch always should be the master,

as you can only use it on the 3750E and not on 3750G.

- how to upgrade such a mixed stack:

Master#archive download-sw /allow-feature-upgrade  /overwrite  tftp://
/c3750e-universalk9-tar.122-55.SE.tar tftp://
/c3750-ipbasek9-tar.122-55.SE.tar
see also:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst3750/software/troubleshooting/switch_stacks.html#wp66853

[lap]

Hi Tom,

Thank you very for the detailed and clear explanation. That is exactly what I wanted. I have still some questions regarding the upgrading of STACK 2.

Is CVR-X2-SFP10G only supported on the 3750E-switch ? not on the 3750G?

To configure in STACK 2 switch 1 as master how should I do that? switch 1 priority X? Will that be taken in account straight away. I can see that switch 1 has a  C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M   image. If I make it the master will it not disturb the all the stack?

When I do that the master switch (swithc 1) :

Master#archive download-sw /allow-feature-upgrade  /overwrite  tftp://
/c3750e-universalk9-tar.122-55.SE.t

What image will the other switch in the stack have so? 

Thanks,
Laurent

[Leo Laohoo]

Is CVR-X2-SFP10G only supported on the 3750E-switch ? not on the 3750G?

CVR-X2 TwinGig converter is supprted on the 3750E.  There is no physical way you can fit this into a 3750G.

[tverhell · Accepted solution]

- to make switch 1 master of the stack, indeed configure:

'switch 1 priority 15' (make sure other switches have lower priority 'show switch')

and then reload the current master, to force a new master-election:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst3750/software/troubleshooting/switch_stacks.html#wp39415

- During this master-failover, there will indeed be some connection loss.

- Regarding the upgrade command, you need to specify 2 images, (click on that command in my original post, and scroll right and left to see the full command',

exactly as in the URL I provided:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst3750/software/troubleshooting/switch_stacks.html#wp66853

Master#archive download-sw /allow-feature-upgrade  /overwrite  tftp://

/c3750e-universalk9-tar.122-55.SE.tar t

ftp://

/c3750-ipbasek9-tar.122-55.SE.tar

[lap]

Hi Tom,

So thanks to you I have succeced in upgrading all the stacks.

I have noticed that it took almost 20 minuts for the switch to install the IOS in the flash with the archive command and also that during this procces the CPU is really high caused by this process HULC archive dnl. But it looks like it is a bug, have a look at this post: https://supportforums.cisco.com/message/3155935?tstart=-3

Then I have noticed also when restarting the switches that it took almost 20 minuts per stack to reboot and get the new software installed. I though that it is a long time to reboot, do you know why?

Then I have noticed that with the new IOS on CPU was 20 % higher due to this process: Hulc LED Process but again it looks like it is a bug. See this post: https://supportforums.cisco.com/thread/161063

Otherwise everything went ok;-)

Again, thanks a lot for your help.

Regards,

Laurent

[tverhell]

about Hulc LED process, need bug, see also one other post from me:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/message/3219148#3219148

[lap]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the link.

But do you it takes so long to reboot the switch (stacked or not) to take the new IOS in account? It is because it is a tar file?

Regards,

Laurent

[tverhell]

personally I never used .tar files in the lab,

however as we need to extract it and copy everything to correct location,

not suprised this will take longer than just the image .bin file.

however after the first reload, and next reload should be much quicker:

just tried reload ona 3750E 35SE5 (already installed .tar), taking 3 to 3,5 minutes for a switch as standalone

concerning the high cpu during the upgrade itself, indeed is described in that bug you mentioned CSCtf15392,

but the bug is closed as this is not possible to fix, so expected behaviour.

[lap]

Hi Tom,

Perfect. Thank you so much for your help.

We can close the post;-)

Regards,

Laurent

[mgurbski_netprof]

Hi, 

We have upgrades with archive command stack of 4 switches 3750X. It took about 1 hour, and CPU was about 99%. Process killer was HUCL archive dnl. Be carefull. We migrated from  IOS 15.0(2)SE8  to new soft: 15.0(2)SE11,

Kind regards,

Michal