79xx Firmware Process Question

[TheCardMan]

Looking to update firmware on all my 79xx phones. I want to test the firmware on a couple of phones first. So what I did was downloaded the new files and went into CCM OS Admin and installed the file for the 7945 & 7965's. Then went into Device Defaults and changed back the Firmware Load Name to the original and clicked save. Then I went into my phone and placed the load name in my Device Configuration. Reset the phone and sucssesfully updated my phones firmware.

My question is this: The instructions for updateing all phones state once you have done the above and leave the NEW file name in the Default you have to Stop and Start the TFTP Service on the Publisher and then on each Subscriber. If I do this will it automatically start updating all phones immediately. That is my fear, I have about 1200 of this device type and can not afford to have them all reset at once. Specifically I have about 6 phones I can't touch unless I can do one at a time. Do I put the old firmware load name in the Device Configuration on the 6 phones so they don't change?

Main thing I want to understand is by stopping and restarting TFTP will it automatically start reseting phones? Or do I force reset each phone?

Thanks in advance.

 

[mrlugz]

Im in the same boat.

I have just received a few 7962's which aren't working on CUCM 8.6.2.22900-9. due to them being version 15 hardware.

I have the .cop files but have yet to install them as I want to understand the implications of doing so before hand.

We run all of our phones with extension mobility enabled if it makes any difference.

Question for TheCardMan - did you have to restart the TFTP server after you loaded the files initially?

Kind regards

MrLugz

 

[TheCardMan]

No - I did not reset of the TFTP Server so far. Copied file to my publisher and then just changed the default name back to the original. Then individually on my personal phone put the name of the new load in the device configuration page. And it all worked. Just make sure you copy the current name of the default load in its existing state and once you load the new file in, so you can change it back the exact file name by using copy/paste.

 

[gnrslash4life]

To upgrade the firmware all you actually need to do is, upload the firmware. Restart TFTP (no this does not cause the phones to upgrade). Then reset the phones you want to upgrade. A reset is what causes the upgrade to kick in. If you don't want it to kick in then thats when you edit the load info on the specific phone.

 

[TheCardMan]

OK, I got that. Just wanted to be sure that when I restart the TFTP I do not cause phones to reset. Thanks for your reply!

 

[SteveBallantyne]

Another good piece of advice that I have used, is to install your new firmware but then immediately switch back to the old firmware for all devices. So you can conduct testing on one or more first!

Before you install the new firmware - go into Device > Device Settings > Device Defaults. Then scroll down to this model phone in the list and copy the "Load Information" field into notepad, or wherever. You can call it "old firmware". If you are too late on this ... you can always go into Cisco Unified OS Administration > Software Upgrades > TFTP File Management. Then conduct a search for files then "ends with" ".loads". Your load name is the file name minus the ".loads" extension.

Once your new firmware is installed ... go back to the Device Defaults page. Copy the new contents of "Load Information" into notepad and call it "new firmware". Now, if you DON'T want your phones upgrading on you just yet, you can paste the old firmware into the Load Information box and click Save. Then you can conduct testing of the new firmware on one or more specific devices by browsing to them in Call Manager (Device > Phone). Scroll down to the Phone Load Name box, and paste the name of the "new firmware".

I always suggest testing your firmware before you deploy it everywhere. The latest code is not always the best, as I have found with Cisco telephony.

Sorry for the tl;dr post. Hoping to help anyone else out who is in the same boat. I learned all this 'the hard way'.