Upgrade from 6248 to 6296 Fiber Interconnect

[shoo]

Hello,

We are wanting to expand our environment and have purchased a new pair of 96 Port Fiber Interconnects. My understanding is that we should be able to replace the subordinate member of our current cluster with the 96 port model and be able to swing the migration. Some notes form our environment:

Version 2.2.(3b)B

all 48 ports on each FI are licensed

Is it as simple as it sounds? I just plug in the new device in place of the old and the auto configuration will sync FW versions and perform the port configuration? This will work between 48 and 96 port models?

How do I transfer the installed licenses?

[Qiese Dides]

Hi Shoo,

Your best bet would be to open a case with TAC and get to the licensing team. Maybe they can do something where they can re-generate you new licenses and remove your old ones.

Regards,

Qiese Dides

[Keny Perez]

Just to add more clarity on what will happen.

The licenses are bound to a Host ID that is unique to each  Fabric Interconnect, so the licensing team will ask you for the host ID of the new FIs and generate new licenses that you will be able to install in the new equipment.

HTH,

-Kennny

[shoo]

Keny,

Thanks for the response. I assume this has to be done after the migration occurs? They cannot pre-create these files for me? Also - what is the risk I run while not having the licensing in place? Will i fall within a grace period for x number of days? I have a two hour maintenance window to perform this upgrade in, and if possible want to wait until after to perform the licensing portion.

[Wes Austin]

Shoo,

Cisco UCS operates on a honor based licensing system. Even if your ports are showing in Grace or Expired, we will never disable your interfaces to impact data plane traffic.

You will be safe to leave the ports in grace, I would just contact Cisco Licensing whenever possible in order to get new License Keys generated for your new FIs.

Let me know if you have further questions or need clarity.

HTH,

Wes

[Keny Perez]

correct and correct...

about not having licenses... Wes already answered that....

-Kenny

[Walter Dey]

I would check

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/sw/upgrading/from2-0/to2-0MR/b_UpgradingCiscoUCSFrom2-0To2-0MR/b_UpgradingCiscoUCSFrom1-4To2-0_chapter_0101.html

Licenses are not portable across product generations.
Licenses purchased for 6100 series fabric interconnects cannot be used to enable
ports on 6200 series fabric interconnects or vice-versa.

So your case migrating license from 6248 to 6296 can be solved by opening a TAC case.