Firmware NX5500 upgrade from 5.8.6.0 to 7.6.x.x

[colink]

We have an existing RFS4000 with 24 x AP7532 APs, all running 5.8.6.0 firmware.
The AP7532s are end of purchase, so we're going to procure some Extreme AP310 APs and add them later.
Along with the new APs we're going to replace the RFS4000 with an NX5500 controller.

The upgrade path I want to follow is:
Disconnect the RFS4000
Connect the new NX5500 (same IP and same Vlans) running the same 5.8.6.0 firmware
The AP7532s should all adopt to the new NX controller
Once stable, upgrade the NX5500 to WiNG 7.6.x.x (whatever is the latest still supporting AP7532s)
  and load the firmware versions for AP310 and AP7532 APs.

I'm unsure how the APs will react once the controller boots with the 7.6.x.x firmware
(The APs are all level 2 adopted)
... will they auto adopt, so that I can then upgrade their firmware, or will they not adopt at all
The AP7532 profiles are currently configured for no autoinstall firmware
... should I change this to autoinstall firmware?

[colink]

Thanks Chris.

I was just after some assurance that the APs would adopt and accept firmware from the controller.

I’ll pre-load both firmware versions onto the NX5500 (including AP7532 and AP310 if not included in image) and set the AP profiles to auto-upgrade.

[ckelly · Accepted solution]

colink,

It should work exactly as you described.

Once the NX5500 is upgraded to 7.6.x code, the APs will connect/adopt but will be in a ‘version-mismatch’ state. What this causes is the inability to push any new configuration changes*, otherwise, everything continues to work as usual.

What happens when they connect after the upgrade depends on how you have the controller configured for auto-upgrades. If the auto-upgrade feature is enabled, then the APs will adopt and the controller will then upgrade right away.

If the auto-upgrade feature is disabled (default setting) then the APs still adopt but then they just sit there in the version-mismatch state until you manually upgrade the APs.  Again though, the APs will adopt and function as usual, you just will not be able to push out any new configuration changes until the code version on the AP matches what is on the controller. (This is an intentional design aspect in WiNG...that CAN be bypassed, at your own risk)