VCS upgrade from 7.2.2 to 8.1.0

[rodolfo.davila]

Hi,

I was checking the release notes for the 8.1.0 version and it shows that some ports range have been changed.

I want to upgrade from 7.2.2 to 8.1.0. I need to change the range in the firewall? is it strictly necessary? For example the release notes says:

"For new installations of X8.1 or later, the default range for traversal media ports is 36000 – 59999. The previous default range of 50000 - 54999 still applies to earlier releases that have upgraded to X8.1. The larger range is required to support the improved scalability features."

There will be some kind of problems if I upgrade to 8.1.0 without changing the port range in the firewall?

Can you help me with this question?

Thanks,     

[Stephan Bahl]

Hi Rodolfo,

I made the update.

In our system the port range are the same as in 7.2.2 (50000-54999)

I check the new version on our VM-Ware server and only a new installation uses the new Ports.

I hear no negative response from the user and the firewall team.

brgs

Stephan

[AFRLHQVTC AFRLHQVTC]

How did your upgrade go Rodolfo?

Yesterday we tried to upgrade our VCS-E to x8.1 and ran into problems with media ports.  We have a mixed environment with many locations that are running VCS-C and VCS-E pairs on SW 6.1-7.2.2.  After the x8.1 upgrade on just our VCS-E and VCS-C still running x7.2.2 we noticed that we could connect to sites but not transport any media. 

Our Media port range is set to 50000-52399 which was the default sometime around SW 6.1. We also received a warning/alarm from TMS stating "there is an insufficient number of media ports to support the number of licensed calls".

Every location we have that uses VCS pairs follows the same FW rules so if we had to change them to support the new x8.1 media port range this would be a major headache and cause network outages until we could get each site completed.

[Wayne DeNardi]

A number of us are holding off on the VCS X8.1 upgrade and are waiting on clarification from someone who knows at Cisco on some questions.  The deployment guide, and previous information received, say that both the Expressway and Control should be upgraded at the same time (and not to do an Expressway before the attached Controls).

See this thread for more info: https://supportforums.cisco.com/thread/2195341

Wayne
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[Alok Jaiswal]

wayne,

i updated the original thread for the same issue.

regds

Alok

[rodolfo.davila]

Well, I stay with X7.2.2. I'll wait a little more.

[Douglas Baggett]

Does anybody know why they did this? Why the port change?

[Chris Swinney]

HI all,

I have just posted some "quick" test results on our Test Enviroment in the other thead mentioned above (https://supportforums.cisco.com/thread/2195341), however, with our VCS-E on x8.1 and the paired VCS-C on x7.2.2, we ARE able to make and recieve calls via the this traversal zone.

I would like to dig into this deeper to understand what is causeing the issue - is it the Traversal zone on the VCS's, or is it an intermediary firewall/security device?

Chris

[rodolfo.davila]

Thank you swinster70. Definitely this is the kind of issues that Cisco must resolve, enabling some compatibility option between the old range of ports and the new one (8.1).