Wireless Access

Hi,

I'm looking to find out some information on upgrading the code on our Mobility Controllers.

I understand that in the event of an upgrade, the APs will be forced to upgrade as they cant communicate with the controllers with different versions of code.

In terms of a Master/Master Standby configuration I assume inevitably that I will lose wireless service during the upgrade.

I've read somewhere that you shouldnt run two controllers in this configuration with different versions of code? is this correct?

If so, how is it that you can upgrade both controllers without the above happening. For a brief time it seems that this is unavoidable?

Or is it really Major releases of code?

I'm looking to upgrade from 6.1.2.5 to 6.1.3.9.

Thanks

Ian

Upgrade and reboot both controllers at the same time.  In the release versions for each version of code there are very detailed upgrade instructions.

In an Active/Standby Master configuration, you definitely want both controllers running the same version of code, because in a failover scenario, you don't want your APs to have to upgrade/downgrade code.

I would handle this in the following way: 

1. Pre-load controllers with new version of code.

2. Shutdown VRRP on active-master to failover APs to backup

3. Reboot active-master to load new code version

4. Make sure pre-emption is NOT checked and bring VRRP back up on active-master

5. Shutdown VRRP on backup-master to failover APs back to active and they will upgrade their code

6. Reboot backup-master to load new code version

7. Bring VRRP back up on backup-master and test failover again.

Not sure if this is what you would be suited for, but I think this would help to minimize down time.

Thanks.

I would also add that when you reboot the Master, make sure you write mem.   These steps are excellent to reduce the amount of downtime you will have but you will need to plan for at least a half-hour to an hour outage depending on the number of APs in your campus network to account for them loading the new code.  But this allows you to verify your new code is upgraded properly prior to pushing it out to the APs.

it might not be allowed in every environment but i normally explain that an upgrade will cause downtime and usually that is accepted. you can try to minimize it, but if you set the expectation from the start there might not be wireless for a max an hour that is how it is.

Wouldn't also preloading the APs reduce the downtime to just the length of time the APs need to reboot?

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@Andrew Bell wrote:

Wouldn't also preloading the APs reduce the downtime to just the length of time the APs need to reboot?

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 http://www.arubanetworks.com/techdocs/ArubaOS_63_Web_Help/Web_Help_Index.htm#ArubaFrameStyles/Management_Utilities/AP_Image_Preload.htm "This feature is only supported on the 3400, 3600, 7200 Series and M3 controllers."  

How much time you actually save depends on the size and the bandwidth of your wired network.

Yes, good point.  I've only ever worked with 7240's.  I'm preloading 750 AP's right now, and it'll run for about an hour.

Hi!

Does any body know what exactly this message is?

An AP image preload has already been executed. You must reload the controller before executing another one.

Does not make sense at all.

I'm running 6.3.1.2 and just upload to the controller (7200) without reboot the new version 6.3.1.3.

Then I want to preload all the AP's before reboot the controller and upgrade it to 6.3.1.3 , but with this annoying message, I don't know exactly what to do.

Regards,

Tomaz.

Same Error for me. Has anoybody a solution for this:

An AP image preload has already been executed. You must reload the controller before executing another one.

If i reload the controller APs would upgrade immediately, but that's not what i want.

i would create a new thread for that exact issue (or contact TAC and report back), chance on someone finding this one and replying is small.

I did a firmware upgrade and did a preload for one AP (not knowing you could not add more).  after I did it for just one ap (it was my first time so I wanted to see what would happen) I got this message when I tried to do the rest of the AP's on the controller (before I did the upgrade) .

You can get the rest of the APs to preload.  Yes the menus and messages are confusing,

and I'm not sure exactly what they are doing/saying or why, but some combination of selecting groups and hitting add/apply buttons gets it going on the rest of the selected APs and the ones you already did will say something like "no preload needed".  I've only done it a few times so I haven't nailed the behavior down quite yet.  There might be a timing component so a bit of patience may help.