Next, let’s look at the process for a nondisruptive downgrade on a Cisco MDS fabric switch.
Step 1. Verify that the system image files for the downgrade are present in the active supervisor module bootflash:
switch# dir bootflash:
26126848 May 07 11:51:20 2019 m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.8.4.1.bin
20090368 Apr 06 05:25:31 2001 m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin
20044800 Mar 30 15:42:05 2014 m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.6.2.7.bin
107197681 Apr 06 05:26:53 2001 m9250-s5ek9-mz.6.2.5.bin.S68
107587249 Mar 30 15:42:52 2014 m9250-s5ek9-mz.6.2.7.bin
Step 2. If the software image file is not present, download it from an FTP or TFTP server to the active supervisor module bootflash. You can obtain the software image file from the Cisco.com Software Download Center: http://www.cisco.com/cisco/software/navigator.html.
switch# copy tftp://tftpserver.cisco.com/MDS/m9250-s5ek9-
kickstart-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin
bootflash:m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin
switch# copy tftp://tftpserver.cisco.com/MDS/m9250-s5ek9-
kickstart-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin
bootflash:m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin
Step 3. Ensure that the required space is available in the active supervisor:
switch# dir bootflash:
26126848 May 07 11:51:20 2019 m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.8.4.1.bin
12288 Aug 26 19:06:14 2011 lost+found/
18939904 Jul 01 10:54:49 2011 m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.6.2.5.bin
101756072 Jul 01 10:33:52 2011 m9250-s5ek9-mz.6.2.5.bin
Usage for bootflash://sup-local
120695976 bytes used
63863640 bytes free
184559616 bytes total
Step 4. If you need more space in the active supervisor module bootflash, delete the files that are not required, to make space available:
switch# delete bootflash: m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.6.2.5.bin
switch# delete bootflash: m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.6.2.5.bin
Step 5. Run the show incompatibility system image-filename command to determine whether you must disable the features not supported by a release earlier than the release that is installed.
switch# show incompatibility system bootflash:m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-
mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin
no incompatible configuration
Step 6. Save the configuration using the copy running-config startup-config command:
switch# copy running-config startup-config
Step 7. Run the install all command to downgrade the software:
switch(config)# install all kickstart
m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin system
m9250-s5ek9-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin
Installer will perform compatibility check first. Please wait.
Verifying image bootflash:/m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin for
boot variable “kickstart”.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Verifying image bootflash:/m9250-s5ek9-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin for boot
variable “system”.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Performing module support checks.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Verifying image type.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Extracting “system” version from image
bootflash:/m9250-s5ek9-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Extracting “kickstart” version from image
bootflash:/m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Extracting “bios” version from image
bootflash:/m9250-s5ek9-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Performing Compact Flash and TCAM sanity test.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Notifying services about system upgrade.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Compatibility check is done:
Module bootable Impact Install-type Reason
—— ——– —— ————– ——
1 yes non-disruptive reset
Other miscellaneous information for installation:
Module info
—— ———————————-
1 FC ports 1-40 and FCoE ports 1-8 are hitless, IPS 1-2 are hitful,
and
Intelligent Applications running are hitful
Images will be upgraded according to following table:
Module Image Running-Version New-Version Upg-Required
—— ——— —————— ———— ————-
1 system 8.1(1b) 7.3(1)DY(1) yes
1 kickstart 8.1(1b) 7.3(1)DY(1) yes
1 bios v2.1.17(01/08/14):v2.1.17(01/08/14) v2.1.17(01/08/14) no
Do you want to continue with the installation (y/n)? [n] y
Install is in progress, please wait.
Performing runtime checks.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Notifying services about the upgrade.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Setting boot variables.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Performing configuration copy.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Module 1: Refreshing compact flash and Upgrading
bios/loader/bootrom/power-seq.
Warning: please do not remove or power off the module at this time.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Converting startup config.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Upgrade can no longer be aborted, any failure will result in a disruptive
upgrade.
Freeing memory in the file system.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Loading images into memory.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Saving linecard runtime state.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Saving supervisor runtime state.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Saving mts state.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Reloading the kernel to proceed with the upgrade.
All telnet and ssh connections will now be temporarily terminated.
<output omitted>
Status for linecard upgrade.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Performing supervisor state verification.
[####################] 100% — SUCCESS
Install has been successful.
Step 8. Run the show version command to verify the successful downgrade:
switch# show version
Cisco Nexus Operating System (NX-OS) Software
TAC support: http://www.cisco.com/tac
Documents: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps9372/
tsd_products_support_series_home.html
Copyright (c) 2002-2016, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
The copyrights to certain works contained herein are owned by
other third parties and are used and distributed under license.
Some parts of this software are covered under the GNU Public
License. A copy of the license is available at
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html.
Software
BIOS: version 2.1.17
loader: version N/A
kickstart: version 7.3(1)DY(1)
system: version 7.3(1)DY(1)
BIOS compile time: 01/08/14
kickstart image file is:
bootflash:///m9250-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.7.3.1.DY.1.bin.S21
kickstart compile time: 1/11/2016 16:00:00 [02/11/2016 10:35:42]
system image file is: bootflash:///m9250-s5ek9-mz.7.3.1.DY.1. bin.S21
system compile time: 1/11/2016 16:00:00 [02/11/2016 13:08:53]
Hardware
cisco MDS 9250i 40 FC 2 IPS 8 FCoE (2 RU) Chassis (“40FC+8FCoE+2IPS
Supervisor”)
Motorola, e500v2, core 0 with 4155752 kB of memory.
Processor Board ID JAF1626BCQH
Device name: alishan-dr
bootflash: 4013856 kB
Kernel uptime is 0 day(s), 17 hour(s), 18 minute(s), 58 second(s)
Last reset at 443194 usecs after Wed Aug 31 10:58:41 2016
Reason: Reset due to upgrade
System version: 7.3(1)DY(1)
Service:
plugin
Core Plugin
switch#
Step 9. Verify the status of the modules in the switch, using the show module command:
switch# show module
Mod Ports Module-Type Model
Status
— —– ————————– ——————-
———
1 50 40FC+8FCoE+2IPS Supervisor DS-C9250i-22PK9-SUP active
*
Mod Sw Hw World-Wide-Name(s) (WWN)
— ———- — ————————————————
1 7.3(1)DY(1) 0.9 20:01:54:7f:ee:1b:14:a0 to 20:28:54:7f:ee:1b:14:a0
Mod MAC-Address(es) Serial-Num
— ————————————– ———-
1 f0-f7-55-29-50-60 to f0-f7-55-29-50-6f JAF1626BCQH
* this terminal session
switch#