New to CatOS to IOS Conversion - Need Help w/ Questions

estein · ‎11-28-2007

I'm brand new to the CatOS to IOS conversion process, and do not have any switches to test the process on! And yet I have to document the process in such a way that I can share the document with my sites so they can peform the task themselves. Without being able to try it on my own, I need to make sure I'm going about this the right way and could use the help of anyone who has gone through this fun!

Most of the sites have 6509s, with various SUPs and modules. The 6509s are in hybrid CatOS mode.

1 - Is there a hardware grid handy that shows what SUP models allow for a conversion to IOS, and any other hardware restrictions to take into account? I would like to provide the sites with a grid of hardware requirements, since I don't know what each has.

2 - I found two Cisco docs with different 6500 CatOS to IOS conversion methods:

http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/473/81.html

http://cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps708/products_tech_note09186a008070f124.shtml

I like the "conversion utility" idea - it sounds more convenient anyway! Is that the best method to use?

3 - Any other lessons learned during your own conversion experiences, that you could share?

4 - A few sites have 4500s... can I use the exact same process steps on these models, assuming the hardware can accommodate?

Thanks so much!

JORGE RODRIGUEZ · ‎11-28-2007

Emily, whether this can help or not here are my 2 cents, I tried helping out someone a while back but was the other way around native to hybrid but somewhere along the process got stock, basically tried to revert back to native and we both noted interesting things. please refer to thread bellow

For the conversion utility do a search in forum to see any commens on it, I have read about it but have not used it.

http://forum.cisco.com/eforum/servlet/NetProf?page=netprof&CommCmd=MB%3Fcmd%3Dpass_through%26location%3Doutline%40%5E1%40.1ddfdf37/6#selected_message

As far as a list of things to lookout prior to migration I have not seen anything out there other than searching in forum for any relevant threads and the requirements listed in your posted link.. as long you follow the process you should be fine.

I do recommend though to prepare for anything that may go wrong so have handy for example small IOS image that you can boot from in the event that you end up in rommon without anything in bootflash, small image to Xmodem it quickly since it takes a long time for a copying with xmodem using large IOS files.

And as usual with any upgrades of this caliber backup switch config and router as well, get all the images for CATOS and router fresh images saved just in case you need to go back.. I find when preparing for the worce all goes smoothly.

lastly, for the 4500 are the sups running CATOSs? what Sup tpe are they..

rate any helpful posts !

HTH

Jorge

Jorge Rodriguez

glen.grant · ‎11-28-2007

If the 4500's are catos they are not upgradable without getting a new supervisor , at least a Sup II plus to run IOS code.