9130AX will not save pre-stage configuration

[PeterMcGuire93487]

Hi,

We have a batch of 9130AX's that will not save the pre stage configuration, no invalids are seen on the CLI.

Adding hostname does not change the device from MAC to given hostname and when sh cap cli conf is applied control names and IP's are missing even though they were applied with no invalids.

There appears to be 2 differences between the batch that work and the one that doesn't and they are the images 17.12.3 and 17.9.4.27 and on the packaging the is a small barcode with Rev.H0 on one and Rev.J0

Any thoughts please?

[marce1000]

- @PeterMcGuire93487  - The question remains why this methodology is needed ; as stated in 
                                          https://community.cisco.com/t5/wireless/9130ax-will-not-save-pre-stage-configuration/m-p/5277103/highlight/true#M282037

                                          Going that way makes everything automated. Usually we receive APs from a (secondary) vendor with mac addresses in a csv which we only need to upload to the DHCP server and that's it.

  M.

[PeterMcGuire93487]

This is how I have been requested to provision the AP's by the team that brings them in to live service, I will go to them and have a conversation about doing it differently if the method we have been using (that has always worked) is no longer going to work/valid but that still doesn't answer why all of a sudden the legacy method no longer works.
Thanks again everyone for your advice and help.

[marce1000]

 - @PeterMcGuire93487  ...but that still doesn't answer why all of a sudden the legacy method no longer works.
                                          Better go for the conversation because in the end it will save you lot's of time!
                                          As others have pointed out too, the methodologies I mentioned are standard , perhaps
                                          something (software or not) changed in those APs, so that the >legacy method is no longer
                                          working,

  M.

[Scott Fella]

@PeterMcGuire93487 since this seems like a new deployment, have you opened up a TAC case to get additional information?  I think that would be your best bet to see if your process needs to change.  The thing with new ap's, is that you don't know what image might be on them, that is why joining them to a controller to pre-stage is your best bet and way faster.

[Rich R]

100% agree with Scott on that - always using a known, tested software version is the key to consistent and reliable deployment.

[Scott Fella]

I will be honest.... if your job is to pre-stage access points, you should have a 3504 for AireOS and a 9800-L for IOS-XE.  That way you can put the image on the controller that they will use in production, you can label and scan in the mac and SN's and stage them.  Let them join the controller and then set the hostname, primary, secondary and teriary controller via the cli.  I use to do that when I was at CDW and at times had to do over 1000+ ap's.  That way, you can also find any DOA and RMA the ones that are broken.

[Rich R]

And you don't even need 9800-L - you could just use 9800-CL (virtual) WLC.
If we stage APs that's how we do it.