What is the process for replacing both units in HA Cluster via RMA's?

keith.parker · ‎04-27-2015

Hi All,

I have a pair of 6506's with FWSM modules within (at version: FWSM Firewall Version 4.0(6) ; Device Manager Version 6.1(3)F ) .

Recently, the ability to write running-config to start-config has failed. After 2 sessions with Cisco TEC which involved, among other things tried, fsck's fixes, re-formatting disks/flash, reloads...the issue has resurfaced. It would work for a couple of days and then fail again with error below(on both units):

hostname# wr mem
Building configuration...

%Error opening system:/running-config (No such device)
%Error writing to flash:/startup-config (No such device)
Error executing command
[FAILED]
hostname#

Cisco has now recommended that both units be RMA'd with replacements.

My questions to the experts here is:

1 ) What is the specific process for replacing BOTH units in same window in this HA cluster? I looked for documentation for this very issue and found nothing specific.
2 ) Is it possible to do this with little or no downtime?
3 ) What kind of gotcha's may be encountered? Such as with MAC address changes, could that cause next hop devices to be angry?

Any help is always appreciated..tx so much!

Marvin Rhoads · ‎04-27-2015

Start off replacing the hardware unit that is currently running as the standby member. The procedure is documented in some detail here.

Then make it active (i.e. "failover active"). That is a zero downtime action and a gratuitous arp is automatically issued by the newly active member to ensure the right unit gets the traffic flows.

Verify operations on the newly active member.

Repeat the above for the now-Standby unit.

keith.parker · ‎04-28-2015

Thanks for the reply Marvin, appreciated!

Will keep your words close when a maintenance window is scheduled for this activity.

Cheers..

keith.parker · ‎04-28-2015

Thanks for the reply Marvin, appreciated!

Will keep your words close when a maintenance window is scheduled for this activity.

Cheers..