Replace Supervisor Module in Cisco Catalyst 6500 VSS 1440

[fuhrersk8]

Hello Cisco forum team!

    I am in the process of replacing a faulty supervisor (VS Sup720 10G) on a Catalyst 6509 VSS pair. I received the RMA and have the document Replace Supervisor Module in Cisco Catalyst 6500 Virtual Switching System 1440  (attached is the document) with the procedure. After reviewing the steps, I have a couple of questions when installing the new supervisor:

   1.  Does all links (including VSL) must be connected prior to powering up the new supervisor? This is before the image and startup config is copied into the new supervisor.

   2. Once the image and startup config is copied from the active VSS switch into the new supervisor, the document says to verify the commands for switch priority within the startup config copied form the active VSS, but the priority from each switch is not stored in the startup config as far as I know. Can you please clarify this?

My goal is to add the new supervisor engine without disrupting the current active VSS switch.

Thanks in advanced for your support!

[Farooq Razzaque]

Hi

As per my understanding, following happened to you.

Your Primary (Active) SUP in switch-1 got failed and standby SUP in switch 2 take over the active role.

You replaced the faulty SUP with RMA SUP and you prefer the role of this new RMA SUP as standby since switchover is required in order to make this new RMA SUP as active.

I want to know what switch ID you configured for the new RMA supervisor which is in standby state now and want to know the switch ID of current active SUP

Also want to know the importance of switch ID number.

Does switch ID number has any relation of selecting the role of supervisor (active/standby)

[fuhrersk8]

  Switch ID is independent of operational state. 

[Farooq Razzaque]

Hi

Thanks for the prompt response.

Appreciate if you can please also answer the remaining questions asked in the previous comments.

As per my understanding, following happened to you.

Your Primary (Active) SUP in switch-1 got failed and standby SUP in switch 2 take over the active role.

You replaced the faulty SUP with RMA SUP and you prefer the role of this new RMA SUP as standby since switchover is required in order to make this new RMA SUP as active.

I want to know what switch ID you configured for the new RMA supervisor which is in standby state now and want to know the switch ID of current active SUP.

Do you have the preemption configured.

Do you have the service modules (ACE,FWSM etc) installed in VSS chassis

[fuhrersk8]

1 2 No No

[Farooq Razzaque]

Hi Rajeesv

I am in the process of replacing the Primary SUP (SUP 720-10G) on Cat 6513 in VSS pair.

Currently the Primary SUP is operational but for some reason we need to replace this SUP with RMA SUP.

So i want to know that should i follow the same procedure which is mentioned in the attached document or this document is only for replacing the standby SUP.

Before replacing the Primary SUP we need to do the switchover (redundancy force-switchover) so that current standby SUP take role of active SUP and current active SUP take role of standby SUP.

[fuhrersk8]

Hello;

   Yes. Follow the document as it is. Once you force the switchover, your supervisor should be in standby mode and proceed with the RMA. Once you received your new supervisor, follow the document.

Regards,

[hvangruijthuijsen]

I documenting our setup and also want to document how to recover from a Supervisor failure.

My question: can I also follow the document  replace_supervisor_module_in_cisco_catalyst_6500.pdf when running version: 15.0(1)SY5

[fuhrersk8]

Hello;

   Yes. Follow step by step.

Regards,

[hvangruijthuijsen]

Thanks fuhrersk8...

[n.s]

To confirm, will there be any impact or downtime required when we follow the steps on Cisco Document ID: 109334 https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/switches/catalyst-6500-virtual-switching-system-1440/109334-replace-vss-sup-proc-v1.html ? We have the same scenario where SUP on Switch2(Standby unit is dead) we have received RMA for the SUP(VS-S720-10) and downgraded the firmware to match the existing switch(active switch).

Would we have to rebuild VSS and reload both chassis?

[n.s]

For anyone else who might be facing the issue.
Cisco TAC at first asked us to re-configure the VSS after the SUP replacement and reload both SW1 and SW2. After a little back and forth we stuck to the document 109334 and there was no downtime because the active remained in production while all steps were performed on the secondary.
Word of caution - after the reboot we experienced 2 Line card failure because of Cisco Field Notice: FN – 63743 https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/field-notices/637/fn63743.html