How to Upgrade Software on Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series Switch Stack

Here are some of the basic steps, which you require to upgrade the software version of the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series Switch Stack. Just follow them and upgrade them.

Today I will upgrade the software on a Cisco Catalyst 3850 series switch stack running IOS-XE version 16.3.6 [Denali] in Install Mode. The explanation behind playing out this update is to relieve the danger of accidents because of a Memory Leak bug (CSCvj16271) in version 16.3.6 of the Catalyst 3850 code. At the hour of composing this article, the Cisco Suggested release version of the software with the previously mentioned bug fix version 16.3.8.

Bundle Versus Install Mode

Here you need to know that there are two modes or the upgrade of the Cisco 3850 series switch, Install Mode and Bundle Mode. As a matter of course, the Catalyst 3850 utilizations Install Mode as it is a quicker and progressively particular way to deal with booting the platform. Bundle Mode, then again, utilizes the more slow progressively customary monolithic approach of booting a solitary IOS image on the switch.

Before we start our overhaul, we have to figure out which mode our switch stack is right now in. Running the command show version on a Catalyst 3850 switch stack will print out all data about the current switch just as what version of the software is as of now running on every individual of the stack. We will filter just the data that we need from the show version command output by utilizing the | include the command in conjunction with the Regular Expression [Uu][Nn][Ii][Vv][Ee][Rr][Ss][Aa][Ll] that coordinates the yield we need. For this situation, we are separating a case inhumane string of "universal".

Upload New Software

Since we have confirmed what version of code and what mode our switch stack is running, it's an ideal opportunity to transfer the new software to the switch. The software can be transferred to a switch in various manners (TFTP, SCP, Flash Drive, etc...). I give preference to utilize SCP (whenever upheld) as it is a more solid network protocol than TFTP.

Start Upgrade Procedure

Since the new form of software has been transferred to our switch stack, we can start the upgrade procedure. Most Cisco documentation and online instructional exercises for updating the Catalyst 3850 series of switches refer to a software install file command to begin the update procedure. This order just work chips away at switches running pre-Denali code. To start the product upgrade on a switch that is as of now running Denali code, utilize the request platform software package install command instead.
After the update has been performed, plan a time to reload the whole stack. This will bring each individual from the stack up to software version 16.3.8.

Verification of Newly Installed Software on Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series Switch Stack

When the switch stack reboots (this could take between 7-10 minutes for every switch) run the command show version | include [Uu][Nn][Ii][Vv][Ee][Rr][Ss][Aa][Ll] to check that the new form of software has been installed on every individual of the stack.

Final Thought

To wrap things up, I would highly recommend following these simple steps to upgrade the software version of the Cisco Catalyst 3850 series switch stack by Cisco.