Upgrade SD-WAN Controller and Edge Device Software

Updated: June 21, 2026

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Provides instructions for upgrading SD-WAN Controller and Edge Device software within multitenant environments to maintain reliability and security.

Use these steps to upgrade all Cisco SD-WAN components to the required software versions for multitenancy support.

We recommend that you upgrade the WAN edge device software in the same maintenance window. If the WAN edge device software is not upgraded within the OMP graceful restart window, traffic may be lost.

Before you begin

Minimum software requirements for SD-WAN Controllers and WAN edge devices:


Device	Software Version
SD-WAN Manager	Cisco vManage Release 20.4.1 or later
SD-WAN Validator	Cisco SD-WAN Release 20.4.1 or later
SD-WAN Controller	Cisco SD-WAN Release 20.4.1 or later
Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN device	Cisco IOS XE Release 17.4.1 or later

Procedure

	1.	Upgrade the software on the three SD-WAN Manager instances in the cluster to Cisco vManage Release 20.6.1 or a later release. For more information, refer to the cluster management section of the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Getting Started Guide. Skip the step to upgrade the configuration-db service using the command request nms configuration-db upgrade .
	2.	After the SD-WAN Manager software is upgraded to Cisco vManage Release 20.6.1 or a later release, log in to SD-WAN Manager.
	3.	Upload the Cisco SD-WAN Release 20.6.1 or a later release and the Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN Release 17.6.1a or a later release software to SD-WAN Manager. Refer to the information about adding an image to the software repository in the Manage Software and Upgrade section of the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Monitor and Maintain Configuration Guide.
	4.	Upgrade the Cisco SD-WAN Validator software to Cisco SD-WAN Release 20.6.1 or a later release. Refer to: Information about upgrading the software image on a device in the Manage Software Upgrade and Repository section of the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Monitor and Maintain Configuration Guide Information about activating a new software image in the Manage Software Upgrade and Repository section of the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Monitor and Maintain Configuration Guide
	5.	Enable maintenance window on SD-WAN Manager. Refer to the information about configuring or canceling an SD-WAN Manager server maintenance window in the Basic Settings for Cisco SD-WAN Manager section of the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Control Components and Device Management Guide.
	6.	Upgrade the SD-WAN Controller software to Cisco SD-WAN Release 20.6.1 or a later release.
	7.	Upgrade the Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN device software to Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN Release 17.6.1a or a later release. Refer to: Information about upgrading the software image on a device in the Manage Software Upgrade and Repository section of the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Monitor and Maintain Configuration Guide Information about activating a new software image in the Manage Software Upgrade and Repository section of the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Monitor and Maintain Configuration Guide

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