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Upgrading from Cisco IOS XE Gibraltar in Install mode

This procedure explains how to upgrade Cisco IOS XE devices that currently run Gibraltar in install mode to a higher version.

This procedure explains how to upgrade Cisco IOS XE devices that currently run Gibraltar in install mode to a higher version.

Step-by-step guide

We will configure Management interface (GigabitEthernet0/0) for this procedure. It can be done via regular data interfaces as well, but we will focus on the mgmt interface here.

  • First we have to prepare the device:
conf t
int gi0/0
no shut
ip address 10.10.10.10 255.255.255.0
ip tftp source-interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ip route vrf Mgmt-vrf 10.194.1.0 255.255.255.0 10.10.10.1
end
wr
ping vrf Mgmt-vrf ip 10.194.1.6

In these steps we have done the following:

  • we enabled the management interface
  • we assigned the IP address to it
  • we configured TFTP to use the mgmt interface as a source of the traffic
  • we added a route to a remote network that hosts our TFTP server
  • we tested connectivity to the remote TFTP server:
#ping vrf Mgmt-vrf ip 10.194.1.6
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 10.194.1.6, timeout is 2 seconds:
!!!!!
Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 1/1/2 ms
  • Next, we will start with the prep work for the update:
install remove inactive

This command will help us with cleaning up the disk space on the flash:

#install remove inactive
install_remove: START Tue Sep 15 17:51:21 UTC 2020
Cleaning up unnecessary package files
No path specified, will use booted path flash:packages.conf
Cleaning flash:
  Scanning boot directory for packages ... done.
  Preparing packages list to delete ...
    cat9k-cc_srdriver.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-espbase.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-guestshell.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-rpbase.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-rpboot.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-sipbase.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-sipspa.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-srdriver.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-webui.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-wlc.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    packages.conf
      File is in use, will not delete.
  done.
   
SUCCESS: No extra package or provisioning files found on media. Nothing to clean.
Cleaning up unnecessary package files
No path specified, will use booted path flash:packages.conf
Cleaning flash:
  Scanning boot directory for packages ... done.
  Preparing packages list to delete ...
    cat9k-cc_srdriver.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-espbase.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-guestshell.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-rpbase.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-rpboot.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-sipbase.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-sipspa.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-srdriver.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-webui.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    cat9k-wlc.16.12.02.SPA.pkg
      File is in use, will not delete.
    packages.conf
      File is in use, will not delete.
  done.
   
SUCCESS: No extra package or provisioning files found on media. Nothing to clean.
SUCCESS: install_remove  Tue Sep 15 17:51:30 UTC 2020
  • Next we copy the upgrade file:
copy tftp://10.194.1.6/cat9k_iosxe.16.12.03a.SPA.bin flash:
dir flash:*.bin

This command will copy the upgrade file from the remote server to the flash, while the second command will list the content of the flash for files with extension .bin:

#copy tftp://10.194.1.6/cat9k_iosxe.16.12.03a.SPA.bin flash:
Destination filename [cat9k_iosxe.16.12.03a.SPA.bin]?
Accessing tftp://10.194.1.6/cat9k_iosxe.16.12.03a.SPA.bin...
Loading cat9k_iosxe.16.12.03a.SPA.bin from 10.194.1.6 (via GigabitEthernet0/0): !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[OK - 805037908 bytes]
 
805037908 bytes copied in 297.964 secs (2701796 bytes/sec)
#dir flash:*.bin                                           
Directory of flash:/*.bin
 
Directory of flash:/
 
163867  -rw-   805037908  Sep 15 2020 17:56:36 +00:00  cat9k_iosxe.16.12.03a.SPA.bin
11353194496 bytes total (9129136128 bytes free)
  • Finally, we configure the boot parameters and start the upgrade process:
conf t
boot system flash:packages.conf
end
wr
show boot system
install add file flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.12.03a.SPA.bin activate commit

This results in:

#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.
(config)#boot system flash:packages.conf
(config)#end
#wr
Building configuration...
[OK]
BBCLGLWC10MZAS01#show boot system
---------------------------
Switch 1
---------------------------
Current Boot Variables:
BOOT variable = flash:packages.conf;
 
Boot Variables on next reload:
BOOT variable = flash:packages.conf;
Manual Boot = no
Enable Break = no
Boot Mode = DEVICE
iPXE Timeout = 0
---------------------------
Switch 2
---------------------------
Current Boot Variables:
BOOT variable = flash:packages.conf;
 
Boot Variables on next reload:
BOOT variable = flash:packages.conf;
Manual Boot = no
Enable Break = no
Boot Mode = DEVICE
iPXE Timeout = 0
#$ file flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.12.03a.SPA.bin activate commit 
install_add_activate_commit: START Tue Sep 15 17:59:46 UTC 2020
install_add_activate_commit: Adding PACKAGE
install_add_activate_commit: Checking whether new add is allowed ....
 
--- Starting initial file syncing ---
[1]: Copying flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.12.03a.SPA.bin from switch 1 to switch 2
[2]: Finished copying to switch 2 
Info: Finished copying flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.12.03a.SPA.bin to the selected switch(es)
Finished initial file syncing
 
--- Starting Add ---
Performing Add on all members
  [1] Add package(s) on switch 1
  [1] Finished Add on switch 1
  [2] Add package(s) on switch 2
  [2] Finished Add on switch 2
Checking status of Add on [1 2]
Add: Passed on [1 2]
Finished Add
 
Image added. Version: 16.12.3a.0.4
install_add_activate_commit: Activating PACKAGE
Following packages shall be activated:
/flash/cat9k-wlc.16.12.03a.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k-webui.16.12.03a.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k-srdriver.16.12.03a.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k-sipspa.16.12.03a.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k-sipbase.16.12.03a.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k-rpboot.16.12.03a.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k-rpbase.16.12.03a.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k-guestshell.16.12.03a.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k-espbase.16.12.03a.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k-cc_srdriver.16.12.03a.SPA.pkg
 
This operation may require a reload of the system. Do you want to proceed? [y/n]y
--- Starting Activate ---
Performing Activate on all members
(output omitted)

If you don't want to keep the management interface configured and routing in place after the upgrade is complete, remove the unnecessary configuration:

conf t
int gi0/0
shut
no ip address
no ip tftp source-interface GigabitEthernet0/0
no ip route vrf Mgmt-vrf 10.194.1.0 255.255.255.0 10.10.10.1
end
wr

Read more

Published by:

Nenad Karlovcec

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