TFTP ‘configuration update’ from 5508 WLC fails stating reason as ‘%Error: Config file transfer failed – Unknown error –refer to log’

[Muhammad Adnan Siddiqui]

Dear Experts,

I have two WLCs and other management devices as part of same subnet. I am able to upload ‘configs’ from all the devices on to my TFTP server. However when I am attempting to do the same from one of my WLC, it is failing consistently stating error message as:

‘%Error: Config file transfer failed – Unknown error –refer to log

Has anyone else too faced the same issue and how would we overcome this? Any specific debug that could help get more details on it?

Though the error message says, refer to log but still I don’t see anything that gets reflected in ‘Monitor logs’ which is related to ‘configuration file’ upload failure.

WLC code: 7.4.100.0

PFA as the error snippet.

Thanks and Regards,

Adnan

[Steve Prescott]

Whenever I have encountered this before, the problem usually resides on the TFTP server.

When it says "refer to log", it is referring to the log on your TFTP server.

Problem could be a permissions issue within the config of the TFTP server, or even a software firewall on the TFTP server that is blocking the connection.

Try specifying the path explicitly on the WLC screen.

[Muhammad Adnan Siddiqui]

Thanks Steve for your inputs. 

There is no permission issue as such. Able to upload 'trap logs' on TFTP and it goes as expected. Facing issues only when uploading 'configuration', 'event log' or 'message log'. 

I have n+1 redundancy in my network. Uploading configuration file from other WLC's in same subnet does not encounter any such issue. 

[Kanes Ramasamy]

Hi Muhammad,

Thanks for sharing this info. 

I seem to be having the same issues as well. 

Able to transfer trap files but just not the config file.

I am not sure, why but it worked fine last month.

Were you able to solve this issue? Please share your results/findings.

Thanks and Appreciate your assistance. 

Kanes.R

[Muhammad Adnan Siddiqui]

Hi Kaneswaran,

Just a soft reboot helped me solved the problem :). Still I am on 7.4 and facing no issues after this. 

Apologies for coming too late to respond. Getting a down time window was not that easy and so was much delayed to try soft reload. I am still on 7.4 and facing no issue. 

Glad that in your case it starting working all of a sudden. Could you please verify from 'show tech-support' to confirm if by chance your WLC had undergone any crash that could have caused the WLC to reload and thus accidently fixing the issue :)

Best Regards,

Muhammed Adnan