Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Upgrade Guide

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Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Upgrade Guide

Use the device software upgrade workflow in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.18.1 and later

Updated: July 1, 2026

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Configure the device software upgrade workflow in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.18.1 and later to upgrade device software images efficiently. This process enables you to select devices, add images, and complete upgrades using guided steps.

Use this task to upgrade device software images through the software upgrade workflow in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.18.1 and later. This workflow streamlines the process of selecting devices, adding images, and performing upgrades.

  • Upgrade device software images in a controlled and guided manner.

  • Ensure devices are running the required software versions.

The device software upgrade workflow is available in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.18.1 and later. Use this workflow when you need to upgrade software images on multiple devices, apply patches, or manage image repositories.

This task is relevant when you want to perform upgrades using tags, filters, or network hierarchy, and when you need to add new images from local or remote sources.

  • Perform this task when new software versions or patches are available for your devices.

  • Use the workflow to manage device compatibility and image availability.

Before you begin

To filter devices for upgrade using tags, ensure the devices that you want to choose have tags. For more information, see Prerequisites for Using the Software Upgrade Workflow.

Follow these steps to use the device software upgrade workflow in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.18.1 and later:

Procedure

  1. In the SD-WAN Manager menu, click Workflows > Workflow Library.

  2. Start a new software upgrade workflow: Workflow Library > Device Software Upgrade.

  3. Choose the devices using the network hierarchy panel.

    Alternatively, use the filters Search, Device tags, and Software version options or a combination of these filters to search and choose devices.

    Note

    In the workflow, you can choose a specific software image version from a dropdown to upgrade devices. Before choosing the software image version, you must select the devices for upgrade. Software image versions only show up in the dropdown if all choosen devices in the workflow have the necessary images available in a local or remote repository. If the supported software image version is not available in the repository for one or more devices, then you cannot choose that software image version from the dropdown.

    Note

    In the upgrade workflow, do not choose different types of devices together. Specifically, avoid the combination of the following devices: Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN devices together, Cisco Enterprise NFVIS (Cisco Enterprise Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure Software) devices, or Cisco Catalyst Cellular Gateway devices.

  4. Choose one for the following upgrade type:

    1. Upgrade: To install and activate the software image.

    2. Patch: To apply patch fixes on the existing software.

  5. Choose one of the following options to add a software image:

    • + Add New Image to upload an image from local drive.

    • + Add New Remote Server to add a remote server for upgrade and then add a software image.

      Note

      For bulk software upgrades across multiple devices, we recommend hosting the image files on a remote server and selecting Remote Server as the image source. This lets devices download the images directly from the remote server. Ensure that the remote server is registered with SD-WAN Manager and reachable by the devices.

      Note

      Software images created before upgrading the SD-WAN Manager to version Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.18.1 lack platform family and version details. To use these images after the upgrade, edit them in Maintenance > Software Repository and add the required platform family and version information.

  6. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the software upgrade workflow.

    Note

    Click Exit to exit from an in-progress software upgrade workflow. You can resume the in-progress workflow at your convenience.

    Note

    For an error during device software upgrade, see Error message during software upgrade or setting default software version.

After completing the workflow, the selected devices are upgraded to the specified software image or patch. You can verify successful upgrades in the task log and ensure all devices are running the intended software version.

What to do next

To view the list of successful upgrades on the devices, click the Task log in the task bar.