WCS Upgrade Question

[c.walsh]

Hi,

   I have to upgrade a WCS for a customer to version 6.0.132.0, to support an upgrade of WLC to version 6.0.182.0.

Is there an impact on the license when doing an upgrade?

Also, i do not know the existing version of WCS installed, but i do know there is an upgrade path.

What is the minimum version that can be upgraded to 6.0.132.0?

Would i be able to just uninstall the exisitng version & then install 6.0.132.0 from scratch, then restore the config?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Colin

[rmarosko]

While controllers running 4.2.176.0 or later can be stepped directly to 6.0.(182/188/196).0, the WCS must be stepped by major release all the way up to the desired final version, as there are several database format changes that take place during each upgrade process. Thus, if you are running a 4.2 version of WCS, you will need to upgrade to 5.0.x, then 5.1.x, then 5.2.x, then 6.0.x.

Alternatively, yes, you do have the option of just saving your license XML files, completely nuking the WCS installation, then perform a brand new installation of WCS 6.0 and installing your license files thereafter. You will not be able to restore/import your old database/config, rather it'll be a completely new configuration from scratch. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, mind you.   There are many changes that really make WCS 6.0 shine compared to the previous versions, I highly recommend the upgrade.

...Ron CCIE4526

[Lucien Avramov]

This is wrong, you dont have to upgrade from 4.2 to 5.0, 5.1 .. to get to 6.0.

Please read the upgrade instructions in the release notes regarding the supported version upgrades.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6305/prod_release_notes_list.html

[rmarosko]

Lucien, I'm sure you well know how correct the documentation can be sometimes.... One of our customers attempted the process as posted in the documentation, and failed miserably, the database upgrade did not work. As the customer did have the original database backed up prior to starting the process, I had them reinstall their original version from scratch and restore the database. I then had them step the upgrade through major release version as I mentioned previously, and everything worked fine. End result, happy customer.

It is also pertinent to note that I found the following "Important Note" in the release notes you cited:

When you upgrade to a higher release that requires intermediate version steps (for example, from 4.1.x to 5.2.x), the releases in the upgrade path must be in both chronological order and version order. For example, if you need to upgrade from WCS release 4.1.92 to release 5.2.130, you must install a 4.2.x release as an interim step.

Just for a point of note, I only make recommendations based on personal experience, not based on what documentation says.

Regards,

      Ron

[Lucien Avramov]

What you said earlier is wrong and too general, I insist.

The release notes are actually right at this point.

Let me give you perhaps an explanation about how the upgrade process works.

WCS is using a type of SQL database. When versions are upgraded, often the db scheme is also updated.

Hence for the update process it is VERY important to look at the release DATES (dates also matching +-1 day the day the release notes were published).

So for example a later 4.2 code such as 4.2.128.0 (may 2009) will never be upgraded successfully to 5.0.72 (august 2008), nor 5.1. It could be upgraded to 5.2.148.0 ONLY for 5.2 code or any 6.0 code.

For code earlier or equal than 4.1 there was an extra step as interim. this is NO longer the case, on later codes.

Please do read the release notes for upgrade they are actually correct.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6305/prod_release_notes_list.html

[piotrn001]

Hello Dear Network Engenders,

I don’t want to start any heavy discussions but I have just upgraded my WCS from 4.2.62.0 to 6.0.181.0 in one go without any problems.

So, to make long discussions short, I will have to admit that cisco upgrade path for this product (in my case) work well.

With kind regards to all,

Piotr

[Lucien Avramov]

Thanks for reporting this Piotr. The documentation is accurate and have been tested. That is why I insist on following the release notes.

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[Rob Huffman]

Hi Ron & Lucien,

I thought you both had really good valid points here in this excellent

discussion (+5 points for each of you

One thing that I have noticied over a period of time is that the

documentation available for the WCS and WLC series is some

of the best on CCO. The release dates feature should be implemented

for all Cisco docs. Keep up the good work!

Cheers!

Rob

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[Roger Alderman]

Hi

I have successfully upgraded WCS (previously converted from WLSE) from version 4.2.62.11 to ver 6.0.181.0 without going through an intermediate version.

The documentation says you can do it and the process is automated - I followed the documented upgrade procedure.

As stated before, the documentation is correct and the procedure works very well.

Regards

[c.walsh]

Guys,

     Thanks for all your input, the problem i had, was that the customer was running Software Version 4.0.96.0.

This was not upgradeable without an intermediate upgrade to veraion 4.1.89.0, which was deferred.

I basically started again & deleted WCS, re-installed version 4.2.62.0, readded the license files & then copied the config form the controllers to the WCS.

i did have to reload the maps & add the AP's to them again, but i could see no other way of completing this task.

One other thing thgat was not picked up from the WLC was the mac filters!

Thanks again for your input.

Colin