This procedure enables you to download switch images to leaf and spine switches at your own timing without performing the actual software installation. During this operation, switches remain up and no reboot is performed.
Note
When you upgrade a switch from one release to the next release, the fault code F1821 is displayed as the bootflash memory increases. Ignore this fault as it is auto cleared after the switch upgrade.
If you are downgrading the software on the Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controllers (APICs), the process is identical to the process for upgrading the software, except that the target release that you choose will be earlier than the currently installed release. The text for dialogs, fields, buttons, and other controls in the Cisco APIC graphical user interface (GUI) specify "upgrade" even though you are downgrading the software.
Before you begin
Ensure that you check and follow these guidelines:
Follow these steps to pre-download images to the leaf and spine switches:
Procedure
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1. |
On the menu bar, choose .
The
Dashboard window appears, which provides general information one the controllers and the leaf and spine switches (nodes).
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2. |
In the left navigation window, click .
The
Switches window appears, which provides firmware information for the upgrade groups of leaf and spine switches.
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3. |
Click the Actions icon and select Create Update Group from the scroll down menu. |
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4. |
In the Setup Switch Update Group window appears, enter a name for the Upgrade Group Name. |
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5. |
In the Switch Selection step, click the Add Switches button, then select the switches that need to be upgraded / downgraded and then click OK, then click Next. |
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6. |
In the Version Selection step, select an Update Type, then in the Select Firmware section select an image that you want to upgrade/downgrade. |
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7. |
(Optional) If you need any of the advanced options listed below, click Advanced Settings to bring up the Advanced Settings window.
Note that typically there is no need to set these advanced options. We recommend that you disable the options or use the default values.
In the Advanced Settings window, perform any of the following actions if needed:
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In the Compatibility Check field, leave the setting in the default Enforced setting, unless you are specifically told to disable the compatibility check feature.
Note
A compatibility check verifies if an upgrade path from the currently running version of the system to a specific newer version is supported or not based on catalog that is embedded in Cisco APIC image. If you choose to disable the compatibility check feature by entering a check mark in the box next to the Compatibility Check field, you run the risk of making an unsupported upgrade to your system, which could result in your system going to an unavailable state.
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Graceful Upgrade (Graceful Check) Enable this option to perform a Graceful Upgrade when the firmware installation is triggered. By default, this setting is Unenforced. See Graceful Upgrade or Downgrade of ACI Switches for details and make sure to follow the guidelines when enabling this option. Otherwise, your upgrade may fail.
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In the Run Mode field, choose the run mode to proceed automatically to the next set of nodes after the set of nodes has gone through the maintenance process successfully. The options are:
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Pause Upon Upgrade Failure: The update group does not approve further switch upgrades if there is an upgrade failure in one of the switches, or if the APIC cluster status becomes not Fully Fit, which may happen (for example, when all APIC-connected leaf switches are upgraded at the same time, which is not recommended in Guidelines for ACI switch upgrades and downgrades).
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Pause Upon Install Failure: The update group does not approve further switch upgrades if there is an install failure in one of the switches.
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Never Pause: The update group approves further switch upgrades even if there are upgrade failures.
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8. |
Click Update.
The download process begins. You can monitor the download progress by viewing the Progress column in the table.
If the download fails for some nodes, you can remove the failed nodes from this upgrade group so that you can move forward with the upgrade for the nodes that were successful in the download phase, click the pencil icon next to any node that you want to manually remove from this upgrade group and click Remove.
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What to do next
See Common reasons for download failure for troubleshooting.
When you see the status of Download Complete for all the nodes in your group, you will see Ready to Install at the top of the screen.