5520 -> 9800 predownload

[Wes Schochet]

Hi All-

I am moving APs from my 5520 (8.10.183.0) to a new 9800-CL (17.3.6) controller.  Two questions:

1. Can I see the primary / backup software versions on the AP when it is registered to the 9800.  I can't seemed to find it.
2. Is there a way to pre-download the image from the 9800 onto APs that are registered to the 5520?

Thanks

[marce1000 · Accepted solution]

  - You may find this presentation useful : https://www.ciscolive.com/c/dam/r/ciscolive/us/docs/2020/pdf/DGTL-BRKEWN-2004.pdf
     Interesting sections for your case are :  AireOS – C9800 migration steps
                                                                 Moving APs between Controllers
    Also checkout https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/wireless/wireless-lan-controller-software/217908-migrate-from-aireos-wlc-to-catalyst-9800.html

  Appendix : before production , checkout the 9800-CL configuration with the CLI command show tech wireless ; 
 feed the output into : Wireless Config Analyzer
        Strongly recommended a demo of the added value of WirelessAnalyzer  is shown here : This is so good

 M.

[Wes Schochet]

Thank You!

[balaji.bandi]

before you Migrate to Cat 9800- make sure you check the compatability matrix , i suggest to upgrade to 17.9.3 or more for stability (if the AP can support)

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/compatibility/matrix/compatibility-matrix.html

what AP Models you having in the place ?

2. Is there a way to pre-download the image from the 9800 onto APs that are registered to the 5520?

not that i am aware of - But you can build offline and ready to use WLC 9800.

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

---

@Wes Schochet wrote:
Is there a way to pre-download the image from the 9800 onto APs that are registered to the 5520?

---

Yes, there is.  Here are the steps: 

1.  Go to the Cisco Wireless Solutions Software Compatibility Matrix (Supported Access Points in Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller Software Releases) and find out what is the corresponding firmware version the APs will use.  For 17.3.6, the corresponding file should have a firmware version of "15.3(3)JPJ9". 

2.  Go to the Cisco Download website and download the AP firmware with the version "15.3(3)JPJ9".  For 2700/3700, download the file "ap3g2-k9w8-tar.153-3.JPJ9.tar". 

3.  Put the firmware (from Step #2) into a TFTP server.  

NOTE:  The following steps will be done from the 5520/8540/3504.  For Cheetah OS APs, the command will tell the controller to "instruct" the specified AP to download the firmware BUT not reboot (after the download is complete).  After the download is complete, configure the AP to relocate to the new 9800 and then forcefully reboot the AP.  This step (reboot the AP) is critical.  If the AP does not reboot, the AP will move to the new controller and ignore the everything.  

The following steps below are for APs that run on Cheetah OS (2800/3800/4800/1560, Catalyst 9k).  

On the 5520/8540/3504, do the following:

1.  Command:  debug ap enable <AP NAME>

2.  Command:  debug ap command "archive download-sw /no-reload tftp://IP_ADDRESS/FILENAME.TAR" <AP NAME>

3.  Wait for approximately 2 minutes. 

4.  Command:  config ap primary-base <9800 WLC NAME> <AP NAME> <9800 WLC IP ADDRESS>

5.  Command:  config ap reset <AP NAME>

IMPORTANT: 

The above steps might look and sound daunting but it is not.  If the above procedure is used, I guarantee an outage time of five (5) minutes.

[Wes Schochet]

Thank you for the specific, detailed info!  Much appreciated!

[Wes Schochet]

OK - I am really close here, but something is not right.  Any ideas?

(c5520-2.stp) >debug ap command "archive download-sw /no-reload tftp://10.18.19.94/ap3g2-k9w8-tar.153-3.JPN3.tar" ap-name  c3702-test-1


(c5520-2.stp) >*spamApTask1: Oct 13 13:23:52.309: 3c:08:f6:55:72:30 c3702-test-1:

*spamApTask1: Oct 13 13:23:52.309: 3c:08:f6:55:72:30 c3702-test-1: do archive download-sw /no-reload tftp://10.18.19.94/ap3g2-k9w8-tar.153-3.JPN3.t    ^ar

*spamApTask1: Oct 13 13:23:52.309: 3c:08:f6:55:72:30 c3702-test-1:

*spamApTask1: Oct 13 13:23:52.309: 3c:08:f6:55:72:30 c3702-test-1: % Invalid input detected at '^' marker.

[Leo Laohoo]

Ok, so this is to a 3700 and this is going to be more totally different because of FN-72524.

Ok, so the IOS file for the 2700/3700 is already there so I'll skip to the next steps.  But first, let me explain the "madness":  

• First step is to delete all IOS files (CAPWAP AND RCV)
• Because of FN-72524, the following steps will include "forcibly shoving" the IOS into the AP.   This method means the option to set the boot variable string will not be available.  And because of these two factors, the RCV files will need to be deleted or else the AP will boot them (and the outage time of this AP will balloon to about 18 minutes instead of 5 minutes). 

So here goes: 

1. WLC Command: debug ap enable <AP NAME>

2. WLC Command: debug ap command "debug capwap console cli" <AP NAME>

3. WLC Command: debug ap command "delete /f /r flash:ap3g2*" <AP NAME>

4. WLC Command: debug ap command "archive tar /x tftp://IP_ADDRESS/FILENAME.TAR flash:" <AP NAME>

5. Wait for approximately 10 minutes.

6. WLC Command: config ap primary-base <9800 WLC NAME> <AP NAME> <9800 WLC IP ADDRESS>

7. WLC Command: config ap reset <AP NAME>

And that's it.  

EDIT:  Inserted Step 2.

[Wes Schochet]

Thanks Leo, I appreciate your hanging in there with me!  There is still something about that archive command it doesn't like.  I don't see that command as an option from the AP CLI - should I?

(c5520-2.stp) >debug ap command "delete /f /r flash:ap3g2*" ap-name c3702-test-1

(c5520-2.stp) >debug ap command "archive tar /x tftp://10.18.19.94/ap3g2-k9w8-tar.153-3.JPN3.tar flash:" ap-name  c3702-test-1

(c5520-2.stp) >*spamApTask1: Oct 16 07:31:44.080: 3c:08:f6:55:72:30 c3702-test-1:

*spamApTask1: Oct 16 07:31:44.080: 3c:08:f6:55:72:30 c3702-test-1: do archive tar /x tftp://10.18.19.94/ap3g2-k9w8-tar.153-3.JPN3.tar flash:

*spamApTask1: Oct 16 07:31:44.080: 3c:08:f6:55:72:30 c3702-test-1:     ^

*spamApTask1: Oct 16 07:31:44.080: 3c:08:f6:55:72:30 c3702-test-1: % Invalid input detected at '^' marker.

[marce1000]

       Ref : below error , try to use command completion and or available option in the different stages of the command with ? to obtain the correct syntax for the next parts of the command.

 c3702-test-1: % Invalid input detected at '^' marker.

[Wes Schochet]

This doesn't seem to work for the remote command.  And when I tried it on the AP itself, I did not see archive as a CLI command.

[Leo Laohoo]

Uh-oh. 

I forgot a vital remote command.  It is between Steps 1 and 2.  

debug ap command "debug capwap console cli" <AP NAME>

I have amended the response.  Apologies.

[Wes Schochet]

This worked!   I do get the occasional TFTP timeout message, but am working through that.  Thanks again for your help!

[Leo Laohoo]

@Micinel 

This process will work.