Installing WCS - upgrade path

[alaskanetworker]

Hello, I have WCS with location version 3.0.101.0 on CD, and want to know the best path to take regarding installing and upgrading to work with my controllers. I have two WiSMs with versions 3.2.78.4 and 4.0.179.11 with about 350 access points. I know I need to upgrade the controller verisons to be the same. Should I upgrade to WCS 4.0.87.0? Do I need to upgrade in steps, or go for the latest version right off. I want to upgrade WCS before adding any controllers.

Thanks

[Stephen Rodriguez]

Dan,

If you are looking to upgrade the WCS before importing any controllers, than there really is no upgrade path. You can go staight at 4.0.87.0, and then import the configs from the WLC's.

[alaskanetworker]

Thanks. Is there a Cisco reference to look at that you know of?

[johnruffing · Accepted solution]

We upgraded our WLCs to 4.0.179.8 prior to installing the WCS (installed from scratch 4.0.81.0) and had good success.

The release notes for 4.x discussed a problem if you update the WLC to 4.x while the LWAPs are connected. I remember something about the APs being unable to download the new firmware successfully which sounds like you could end up with a real mess on your hands if the APs lock up in that state.

From page 6 of the installation notes: 6 "Connecting 1100 and 1300 Series Access Points: You must install software release 4.0.179.8 on the controller before connecting 1100 and 1300 series access points to the controller."

Here is the link to the installation notes:

http://www.cisco.com/cgi-bin/Software/Tablebuild/doftp.pl?ftpfile=cisco/crypto/3DES/wireless/aironet/WLAN/4400/WLC-4.0.179.11-ReleaseNotes.pdf&app=Tablebuild&status=showC2A

In terms of AP licensing, we ran into an issue where there were no AP licenses for the WCS. However, since this was a new install of WCS 4.0, and you are performing an upgrade, your experience might be better than ours was. If you run into AP licensing issues with WCS 4.0, you may want to reference the following forum thread:

(forum user, ethiel, ended up with better information than TAC on this particular problem):

http://forums.cisco.com/eforum/servlet/NetProf?page=netprof&forum=Wireless%20-%20Mobility&topic=General&CommCmd=MB%3Fcmd%3Ddisplay_location%26location%3D.1ddc79a8

Finally, you may want to double check the firmware rev levels of your existing access points. Hopefully, this will not apply to you, but since you said you are running 3.x on one of your WiSMs...

Message Type : Field Notice

Title: Cisco Field Notice: FN - 62474 - LWAPP 1231 Fails to Upgrade to 4.0.155.0 with 4402 Image

URL:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/customer/products/hw/wireless/ps430/products_field_notice09186a00806e3ac7.shtml

Posted: July 14, 2006

Summary: When a 1200, 1130 or 1240-series Access Point, with an LWAPP image installed that is prior to 12.3(11)JX, attempts to connect to a Wireless LAN Controller running 4.0.155.0 software, the Access Point may be unable to complete downloading its updated

software.

Hope this helps

- John

[Rob Huffman]

Hi John,

Really a nice answer that you have provided here! Two thumbs up and 5 points from me.

Take care,

Rob

[johnruffing]

One last thought:

In an attempt to avoid having to go through the licensing runaround (hoping that the AP licenses would carry forward from WCS 3.x to WCS 4.x), we tried installing 3.x and then attempted an upgrade by installing the new 4.0 file.

We were presented with an error that indicated it is not recommended to run two versions of the WCS at the same time. In other words there is no "upgrade".

We performed a backup of the 3.x database, uninstalled WCS 3.x, installed 4.0, and re-imported the database. Sadly, the AP licenses did not come forward as part of the database restore and this resulted in our having to get the AP licenses from Cisco.

Fortunately, having already experienced this at another customer site, we anticipated this behavior and had already procured the AP licenses PAK files from Cisco licensing prior to showing up at the customer site. Otherwise this would have delayed us at least two days.

Moral to the story: If you are going to be upgrading the WCS from 3.x to 4.x plan on spending some quality time on the phone with Cisco licensing and the entity from whom you purchased the WCS software to provide proof of purchase.

Here are the steps:

http://forums.cisco.com/eforum/servlet/NetProf?page=netprof&forum=Wireless%20-%20Mobility&topic=General&CommCmd=MB%3Fcmd%3Ddisplay_location%26location%3D.1ddc79a8

- John

[alaskanetworker]

Good point. Since we've only just installed 3.0, but have not configured anything, un-installing, then getting and installing 4.0 fresh with ap licenses in hand does seem to be the best course. Thanks again.