Upgrade Path from WLC 7.6.130.0 to 8.5.120.0

[pinglis]

I need to upgrade some controllers form 7.6.130.0 to support new AP models.

The original plan was to go to 8.3 but due a bug CSCvf76274 we put this on hold.

The fixed version for 8.3 is still not available so I am asessing 8.5.120.0.

Unlike older version release notes I can see no upgrade path instructions. It simply says you can upgrade directly from 8.3.x.0 or 8.4.100.0.

Q1: Can I upgrade straight from 7.6.130.0? Has anyone done this?

Q2: If not, what's the best interim release (of possible avoiding the bugs in 8.3)?

[Philip D'Ath]

Make sure any older APs that you have are supported by the newer code.

You should be able to upgrade directly.  If you want to take a smaller bite you could try upgrading to the first 8.x gold star release of code, 8.0(152)0, and then go from there.  That would at least make the jump less severe.

[Leo Laohoo]

I am very familiar with this bug (and other "branches" of this bug). I can confirm this issue has been fixed with 8.5.110.0, however, I'm not sure if this issue wasn't re-introduced in 8.5.120.0.

[Scott Fella]

I'm testing v8.5.120.0 now and have not ran into any production issues.  We have all 370'2 at that one site.  The release notes does mention upgrading from various v7.x code.  Make sure you read that portion of the release notes in case it does affect you.  That is a huge jump, so backup your config and when you upgrade, even if its incremental, make sure nothing changes in you configuration settings.  Some things you might have enabled, might default to disabled and vice versa.  Then perform the comparison again when you upgrade to v8.5

Don't assume your configuration will be the same!!!

[David Ritter]

don't forget old AP's that go away.. I have a bunch of 602's that die in 8.4

[Haydn Andrews]

Hi pinglis

7.6 to 8.5 requires a 2 step upgrade:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/controller/release/notes/crn85mr4.html under table 3

is says "If you are using Release 8.2.15x or earlier, we recommend that you upgrade to Release 8.2.16x or 8.3.x and then upgrade to Release 8.5.140.0."

what code you go to as the intermediate step is not really important as you will just upgrade to that, then straight away go to the 8.5.x version.

You will need to make sure that the WLC and the APs are supported in the 8.5 versions.

I would also read the release notes on the interm code to make sure that there is no required interm step to get to that version first.

cheers

Haydn

[BrianPersaud]

Did you get the upgrade done from 7.6 to 8.5 directly or did you do the two step?

Thanks

Brian

[Leo Laohoo]

You can't upgrade from 7.6 to 8.5 direct without going through 8.2.26X.X.