APs not using pre-downloaded image when moving from 5508 to 9800

[pinglis]

I am migrating our access point from a 5508 controller to a new 9800 controller.

To try an speed up the change over I have been pre-downloading the new 9800 image to the APs using the "archive download" command on the AP and then pushing the AP to the new controller using the "capwap ap primary-base" command.

However when the APs join the new controller they start downloading the image from the new controller.

The controller is running version 17.3.4 and I am pre-installing the 15.3(3)JPJ7 AP image, e.g. ap1g4-k9w8-tar.153-3.JPJ7.tar

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

[Scott Fella]

The images allows a supported access point to join successfully, but the ap will still check and download the image from the 9800 controller.  I think you just need to brainstorm how you will migrate, knowing that access points will reboot and maybe some will fail to join.  There is an IRCM (Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wireless Controller-Aireos IRCM Deployment Guide - Cisco) guide that allows for mobility to be created between AireOS and IOS-XE so that you can move ap's from one to another.  Having enough density is the key or having a window to move ap's over to upgrade.  Maybe you can upgrade one ap and tftp that image out so that you can try to upload it to another ap and see if that works.  Im not a fan of all the extra work to try to get things working and working 100%.

[pinglis]

The main thing I am trying to avoid is long download times. All the APs are in a different countries to the controller. Downloading from the controller can take up to an hour in some cases but FTPing the image can be done in 5-10 minutes.

I'll try coping the image from a migrated AP and see if this helps.

[Arshad Safrulla]

What's the image you are running in 5508? Also what's the AP models? I do not think there is a way to predownload the AP image as you are toggling between 2 platforms. I wouldn't follow your method. I would just upgrade the option 43 to point to the new 9800 WLC's and restart the AP's. But if you are talking about thousands plan your upgrades properly as there is a big chance that you will end up with at least 2% of the AP's will require manual reset and plan your upgrades by learning the WNCD limitations in 9800 platform you have, as there is a limitation of maximum AP's at a given time it can allow the AP image downloads.

If you have any Wave 1 AP's, image will be downloaded twice in to the AP while joining a 9800, so naturally there will be a delay of about 10 to 15 mins. 

[Rich R]

I agree that should save the download (I do the same when converting autonomous to CAPWAP) but you must reload the AP onto the new IOS and then preferably use option 43 to direct it to the correct controller.  If you have "old" and "new" APs on the same vlan then you might want to move them to a new vlan when you reload them so they get a different option 43 from the old ones.  If the old ones already have the old WLC configured as primary then having option 43 point to the new WLC as you reboot onto new version should not be a problem on the same vlan.  Just clear the HA pri/sec/ter WLC settings before doing that so that they use option 43 when they reboot.