9800 HA RMI + RP upgrade issues

[nikolas-pereira]

The client has a 9800 controller in HA. Every time we update, we encounter issues with access points becoming corrupted because we purchased a batch that had this manufacturing defect. However, Cisco said that this was resolved in later versions (we had problems when updating to 17.6.4 and from 17.6.4 to 17.9.4a, with the boot corrupting on the APs.

Any chance of separating the two controllers, transferring some APs to the other one, and if an error occurs, reverting them back to the other one with the old version?

Example: WLC 1 - 17.12.3 and WLC 2 - 17.9.4a. APs from WLC 2 go to WLC 1, and if an error occurs, they revert back to WLC 2.

I would like a solution that ensures, quickly and error-free, that all access points download the correct image and validate if they will indeed be able to boot and function properly with the controller. I know the controller does this, but in practice, it always goes wrong, and corrupted images are passed on.

We have 700 access points on this controller, all 9120axi, 9120axe, 9115axi, 9124axd. We also have several remote sites, none with more than 300ms roundtrip initially, and the current environment is running with Cisco DNA Center. I want to upgrade to 17.12.3 (golden version), we are in 17.9.4a.

[nikolas-pereira]

Thank you very much for the observations @Rich R and @Leo Laohoo . Currently, the ROMMON of our 9800-40 is on version 16.10(2r). I have opened another topic about this. I will make sure to update and perform the pre-download from a local TFTP server.

[Leo Laohoo]

I want to add CSCwm07499 to the list.

[nikolas-pereira]

@Rich R  @Leo Laohoo Just one more question, how can I do this predownload directly on the AP? I know the commands, but Regarding the correct image for the access point, how do I know which one I should download for each model and pull from tftp?

[Rich R]

The version you get from the compatibility matrix (link below).  For example for 17.12.04:

Cisco IOS XE 17.12.4

17.12.4.22

15.3(3)JPQ3

So you go to the software downloads for the AP model and go to 15.3(3)JPQ3.  For 9115 that will be https://software.cisco.com/download/home/286322352/type/286288051/release/15.3.3-JPQ3 so you download ap1g7-k9w8-tar.153-3.JPQ3.tar and put that on the TFTP server and that's the file you download to the 9115 APs.  Follow the same process for each AP model.