Upgrade Checklist: Firepower Management Centers
Use this checklist to upgrade Firepower Management Centers, including FMCv. If you are upgrading FMCs in a high availability pair, complete the checklist for each peer.
Complete the checklist every time you upgrade. Skipping steps can result in an unsuccessful upgrade. At all times during the process, make sure that the appliances in your deployment are successfully communicating and that there are no issues reported by the health monitor.
Plan the Upgrade
Maintain deployment compatibility at all times by correctly planning and following an upgrade path.
✓ | Action/Check | Details |
---|---|---|
Verify Upgrade Path Check your place in your upgrade path. Know which upgrade you just performed and which you are performing next. |
||
Check Versions Check current and target versions on the FMC:
|
||
Check FMC Compatibility Check if the FMC will be able to manage the devices after it upgrades. If not, revise your upgrade path so you upgrade the devices first. |
||
Read Release Notes Read the release notes, paying special attention to the things that can affect upgrade, including:
|
Pre-Upgrade Actions and Checks
Minimize disruption by performing prechecks outside the maintenance window.
✓ | Action/Check | Details |
---|---|---|
Make Required Configuration Changes Make required pre-upgrade configuration changes, and be prepared to make required post-upgrade configuration changes. |
||
Check Disk Space Run a preliminary disk space check for the Firepower software upgrade. |
||
Get Upgrade Package Obtain the correct upgrade package and upload it to the FMC. Do not untar signed (.tar) packages. |
||
Run Firepower Software Readiness Check Run a readiness check. Requires Version 6.1+. |
||
Back Up Events & Configurations Back up event and configuration data. Back up to an external location and verify transfer success. If you store device backups on the FMC, verify those are also backed up externally. When you upgrade the FMC, it purges locally stored backups. |
||
Schedule Maintenance Window Schedule a maintenance window when it will have the least impact, considering the tasks you must perform and the time the upgrade is likely to take. |
Upgrade the Firepower Management Center
Perform the upgrade in a maintenance window.
✓ | Action/Check | Details |
---|---|---|
Upgrade Hosting If needed, upgrade the hosting environment (FMCv). |
See the documentation for your hosting environment. |
|
Upgrade Firepower Software Upgrade the Firepower software. |
or |