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Cisco 3750 stack with different IOS features

Umesh Shetty
Level 1
Level 1

Hi All,

If I were to stack a 3750X-48T-E with a 3750g-24ts the formere with an IPservices image and the latter an IPbase image. Would there be a problem ?

This switch will be used as a layer 2 only and the 3750G does not have any L3 license?

Thanks in advance

Umesh

11 Replies 11

Reza Sharifi
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

Hi,

As long as your IOS image is the same version for both devices, you should be able to stack them with different feature sets. Usually, best practice is to have the same image with the same license level on all switches.

HTH

Thnx  Reza,

I went through the docoment at

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/switches/catalyst-3750-series-switches/prod_white_paper09186a00801b096a.pdf

This paragaraph below is where I needed more clarity.It says that if I use IPservices and IPBase together and one of the members does not have a license for the ipservices image it could cause license violation issue.

Upgrades Apply to All Devices in the Stack

Because the switch stack behaves like a single unit, upgrades apply universally to all members of the stack at once.

This means that if an original stack contains a combination of IP Base and IP services software feature sets on the

various switches, the first time a Cisco IOS Software upgrade is applied, all units in the stack will take on the

characteristic of the image applied. While this makes it much more efficient to add functionality to the stack, it is

important to make sure all applicable upgrade licenses have been purchased before allowing units to be upgraded

from IP Base .to IP Services functions. Otherwise, those units will be in violation of Cisco IOS Software policy.

Regards

Umesh

Hi,

I have seen a document that talks about stacking with different license level, but can't find it and I have personally never deployed it 3750s with different license levels.

So, I think you should have the same license level on all.

from the same link you provided:

Cisco IOS Software Images Must Be Identical

The Cisco StackWise technology requires that all units in the stack run the same release of Cisco IOS Software.

When the stack is first built, it is recommended that all of the stack members have the same software feature set -

either all IP Base or all IP Services. This is because later upgrades of Cisco IOS Software mandate that all the

switches to be upgraded to the same version as the master.

HTH

It will depend on your configuration.

If your switch master is running IP Services and you have, for example, routing protocols enabled then this will cause a problem in the future if the master switch fails and the next switch that takes over is running IP Base.

This is the reason behind the logic that all switch members must have the same IOS and the same Feature Set.

Joseph W. Doherty
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

Disclaimer

The  Author of this posting offers the information contained within this  posting without consideration and with the reader's understanding that  there's no implied or expressed suitability or fitness for any purpose.  Information provided is for informational purposes only and should not  be construed as rendering professional advice of any kind. Usage of this  posting's information is solely at reader's own risk.

Liability Disclaimer

In  no event shall Author be liable for any damages whatsoever (including,  without limitation, damages for loss of use, data or profit) arising out  of the use or inability to use the posting's information even if Author  has been advised of the possibility of such damage.

Posting

Yes, as noted by others, you can have different feature sets.  (What you want to avoid is different IOS versions!)

As noted by Leo, if only one stack member has the higher license/image, and it fails, you lose higher license features.  The "easy", but expensive solution, is to insure every stack member has the higher license/image.  The "complex", but less expensive solution, is to insure at least one additional stack member has the higher license/image.

In the original series, if you upgrade a stack using the "upgrade" process, all the stack members get the same IOS image, which violates license.  So, you need to upgrade images, manually, per stack member and upgrade the boot string.  Mixed series stacks don't, I recall, have a simple one command "upgrade" process for the whole stack.  However, for any reason, if you use bin images, individual stack member upgrades is pretty easy.

In the -E/X series, they have a device license.  So you can run with a base image, or univeral image.  The latter will provide advanced feature, only when the device also has an active license for their usage.

Thanks All,

So if I had a stack comprising of an E series and a G series ( does not have a local license file but the service contract only allows it be be used as a L2). The E series is the master with a universal image and the G series has an IP Base image ( in line with the contract ). If I use this stack as a L3 device it would mean the member switch which should be strictly L2 and has a L2 image locally, but because the master has a universal image it has to do routing as well. Would this be deemed as a contract violation?

Thnx in Advance

Umesh

If I use this stack as a L3 device it would mean the member switch which should be strictly L2 and has a L2 image locally, but because the master has a universal image it has to do routing as well.

Let's say your stack master is the 3750E with IP Services license and the 3750G is IP Base.

You can configure routing to the entire stack. 

HOWEVER, if your stack master should fail, then all Layer 3-related configuration is removed because the new stack "master" is only running IP Base.

Would this be deemed as a contract violation?

That's not even close to contract violation. 

Contract violation is when you illegally copy an IOS to and from another appliance without explicit approval from Cisco.

Thnx Leo ,

I now understand what yuo want to say. Another situation I came across was with an E and a G series stack and IP services and IP Base on them respectively. This stack is however strictly used as an access layer switch. Ths E series is the master in the stack. Do you feel it is ok to have an access switch with an IP Services image ? rather than an IP Base . The SDM template is Desktop Default on both swithces. Any features in the IP Base image for L2 funtionality that the IP Services does not contain ?

Thanks in Advance 

Umesh

Do you feel it is ok to have an access switch with an IP Services image ? rather than an IP Base .

Depends on the network, configuration. 

In practice, all my access switch are routing.  This is because I have segmented each floor to their own IP subnet.  So in my case, all my access switches HAVE TO be on IP Services.

Disclaimer

The   Author of this posting offers the information contained within this   posting without consideration and with the reader's understanding that   there's no implied or expressed suitability or fitness for any purpose.   Information provided is for informational purposes only and should not   be construed as rendering professional advice of any kind. Usage of  this  posting's information is solely at reader's own risk.

Liability Disclaimer

In   no event shall Author be liable for any damages whatsoever (including,   without limitation, damages for loss of use, data or profit) arising  out  of the use or inability to use the posting's information even if  Author  has been advised of the possibility of such damage.

Posting

The license on these platforms, I believe, is permanent, i.e. doesn't expire and require a service contract.  You can legally use the platform without a service contract in conformance with the purchased license.  You just don't get (most) Cisco support without the service contract.

I've never worked the service contract "paperwork", so I don't know if you can get maintenance for a license level lower than what the platform has, and if you can, what that really means for support.  Again, as far as I know, if you has a service contract for IP Base, it's still legal to run IP Services, if you had acquired the license for it.  If you had a L3 issue, though, Cisco could decline opening a TAC case to resolve a problem.

Universal images, alone, don't provide L3.  On E/X series you need univeral image and IP Services license to use advanced IOS features, like full L3 routing.

On the original series, their license is a "paper" license, as they will run IP Services when not legal.  (If originally purchased with more than IP Base, they should have -E suffix in part number rather than -S suffix.  But, the -S could be later "upgraded" by purchasing a IP Service [or once upon a time Advanced IP Services] license.)

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