Scenario
Make: Cisco Switches
Model: Cisco 2960 Series
Mode: Command Line Interface [CLI]
Description: In this article, we will discuss the stepwise method to upgrade or downgrade the firmware or IOS of the Cisco 2960 Switch Stack. We are considering here the switch stack has 4 members. Firmware upgrade of Cisco Standalone Switch can also be done as mentioned in the linked article.
Firmware Download
First of all download the firmware from the Cisco Software Download Site which you want to upgrade and save it on your local desktop/laptop. There are many Firmware or IOS Release types available on the Cisco Software download site (Refer to the attached article to understand the differences).
Once the required firmware or IOS is downloaded, save it to the local drive. This firmware will be used to transfer to the switch.
Firmware Upgrade
Step1: TFTP Server
A TFTP server must be on the network and the switch software must be accessible to the TFTP server before attempting to download the switch software by TFTP. Download the TFTP server using the link attached below if you do not have one.
http://tftpd32.jounin.net/tftpd32_download.html
Step2: Access Of The Switch
Access the master switch and ensure the TFTP server and switch both can ping each other.
edledge-switch#ping 192.168.1.5
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 192.168.1.5, timeout is 2 seconds:
!!!!!
Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 1/1/1 ms
Step3: Configuration Backup
It is always recommended and important to take back up the current running configuration before starting the firmware upgrade/downgrade to counter the situation if anything goes wrong.
edledge-switch#copy running-config tftp:
Address or name of remote host []? 192.168.1.5
Destination filename [edledge-switch-config]? edledge_cisco_2960_switch_stack_backup
Accessing tftp://192.168.1.5/edledge_standalone_2960_switch_backup.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1030 bytes copied in 2.489 secs (395 bytes/sec)
edledge-switch#
Step4: Enable Password
Set enable password if it is not set yet. It is not required if any other alternative mode of authentication is already configured. Do not forget to save the configuration when you set the enable password.
edledge-switch#conf t
edledge-switch(config)#enable password edledge
edledge-switch(config)#exit
edledge-switch#wr
Building configuration...
[OK]
Step5: Image Transfer
Now transfer the firmware file using the TFTP server from local storage to the switches. Since the switch is in the stack and also it has 4 members. We would need to upload the firmware into the flash of each member.
Upload the firmware on First Switch:
edledge-switch# copy tftp flash1:
Address or name of remote host []? 192.168.1.5
Source filename []? c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin
Destination filename [c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin]? [ENTER]
Accessing tftp://192.168.1.5/c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin...
Loading c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin from 192.168.1.5:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[OK - 26714112 bytes]
26714112 bytes copied in 165.180 secs (860573 bytes/sec)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upload the firmware on Second Switch:
edledge-switch# copy tftp flash2:
Address or name of remote host []? 192.168.1.5
Source filename []? c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin
Destination filename [c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin]? [ENTER]
Accessing tftp://192.168.1.5/c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin...
Loading c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin from 192.168.1.5:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[OK - 26714112 bytes]
26714112 bytes copied in 165.180 secs (860573 bytes/sec)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upload the firmware on Third Switch:
edledge-switch# copy tftp flash3:
Address or name of remote host []? 192.168.1.5
Source filename []? c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin
Destination filename [c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin]? [ENTER]
Accessing tftp://192.168.1.5/c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin...
Loading c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin from 192.168.1.5:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[OK - 26714112 bytes]
26714112 bytes copied in 165.180 secs (860573 bytes/sec)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upload the firmware on Fourth Switch:
edledge-switch# copy tftp flash4:
Address or name of remote host []? 192.168.1.5
Source filename []? c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin
Destination filename [c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin]? [ENTER]
Accessing tftp://192.168.1.5/c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin...
Loading c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin from 192.168.1.5:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[OK - 26714112 bytes]
26714112 bytes copied in 165.180 secs (860573 bytes/sec)