[Switching Public Beta] Be the First to Experience the Cloud-native IOS XE on Meraki Dashboard!

[Minyi]

Introducing the cloud-native IOS XE on the Meraki dashboard! With this release, we are beginning an exciting transition from a container-based architecture to one based on native IOS XE with support for Meraki cloud management.  

This drastically simpler architecture unlocks many benefits for your cloud-managed Cisco Catalyst switches, including the C9300-M, C9300L-M, C9300X-M, and MS390 families. Some benefits include faster boot and initialization performance, especially for stacks and the start of a new generation of capabilities we will deliver with faster speed. It also introduces the ability to perform CLI show commands directly from Dashboard! 

Please refer to this announcement post for more details. 

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We value your feedback on our latest release! Please take a moment to complete this brief 5-minute survey (https://forms.office.com/r/gHuK4bJRZ5) and share your experience with us. 

[PhilipDAth]

I am keen to try this out.

Is the new naming convention, IOS-XE, mean the end of the CS naming convention far into the future?

[Minyi]

Hi @PhilipDAth, how are you doing? That's correct, CS17 will be the last CS-branded firmware release, and we will be transitioning to cloud-native IOS XE moving forward. There will be a time for these two firmwares (CS and cloud-native IOS XE) to co-exist on the dashboard until the natural progression. 

[PhilipDAth]

Are we expecting to lose any functionality in this change to native IOS-XE, for this release?  Or do we think all existing features will be operational?

[Minyi]

Great question - please review the temporary feature gaps on this overview page:  https://documentation.meraki.com/MS/Cloud-Native_IOS_XE/Cloud-Native_IOS_XE_Overview

[cmr]

When can we expect the DHCP server to work properly? i.e. with default router and domain name options possible.

[WirelesslyWired]

We should have the DHCP server configuration resolved soon. I will check with engineering and get back to you. 

[WirelesslyWired]

Ok just checked and the fixes should be in production for the beta. If you have a chance to try it @cmr , please do and feel free to reach out to me alburger@cisco.com if you find issues. From testing we are seeing things working the way it should, but would be glad to have some field feedback. 

[PhilipDAth]

My initial experience, I crashed and burned with this upgrade.

I have test trunk ports setup both with and without SGT.  It is the easiest way to restore access to a switch if you screw the SGT config up.  I normally use the SGT trunk ports.

After the switch had been offline for an hour following the upgrade, I switched across to using the trunk port without SGT.  It still required a power cycle, but then came online.  I then changed back to using the trunk ports that had SGT enabled, and everything continued to work.

My suggestion - don't attempt to do the upgrade if you have SGT enabled on your trunk towards the Internet.

Tools/Reboot Device no longer works.

The Dashboard Throughput tool does not work.

The terminal function doesn't work.  It reports an error no matter what command you try.  Even ? for help returns an "internal error".

Blink Leds does not work.

I couldn't retrieve the MAC forwarding table.

[MRCUR]

The tools (including CLI) work for me on a migrated MS390. It seems like your migration might not be done yet or something else is going on. 

[PhilipDAth]

I'm testing on a C9300.

[PhilipDAth]

This is a bit confusing as well.  Does that mean the config on the switch is up to date, or it hasn't applied a change made 27 minutes ago?

[MRCUR]

I think this should say "last fetched" once on IOS-XE. 

[PradeepK]

This is such a cool feature!! Customers would love it

[PhilipDAth]

I managed to get 12 hours of run time out of the switch and then it crashed.  I have got support taking a look now.

[cmr]

So, better that a 390 then 😈

[PhilipDAth]

I'm giving up on this code train.  I only managed to keep it running 1 hour before crashing this time.

This code train is VERY unstable.

[cmr]

Ouch!  Out of interest, what model(s) of 9300 did you try and were you using advanced features, or just the usual L2/L3 switching and routing?

[PhilipDAth]

My unit is a C9300-24UX.

I mostly had SGT enabled.

[PhilipDAth]

Things got worse.  I downgraded from IOS XE 17.15.1.9 to CS17.1.3.1, and it left the C9300 dead.  None of the Ethernet ports work anymore.  No link lights.

Support is now arranging an RMA for me.

[cmr]

Sounds like MR31.1.5, but for switches 😬

[Brennan_Martin]

Hey Philip, thanks (as always) for the feedback - sorry you’re having a poor experience. Generally this beta is working pretty well, but it sounds like this switch is likely stuck in ROMMON. I’d like to make sure we’re properly investigating - would you mind sending me the case number via DM and I’ll have the team take another look?

Will we see you next month at CL MEL? Would love to sit down and share a bit about what we’re doing and get your thoughts.

[PhilipDAth]

Done, and I plan to be at Cisco Live Melbourne.  🙂

[MRCUR]

Thankfully I haven't had the issues like @PhilipDAth with a migrated MS390, but I do have a C9200L that seems to be happy never kicking off the migration. Definitely not enough info through CLI or Dashboard to tell what's going on or what's not going on. 

[WirelesslyWired]

@MRCUR On the 9200L, you have claimed the switch into a network but it has not migrated correct? 

[MRCUR]

@WirelesslyWired Yes that's correct. 

[WirelesslyWired]

Did you open a ticket by chance? If not, please do and forward me the ticket ID at alburger@cisco.com

[NetEngJH]

Nice to see a sense of humour still exists at Cisco! Worth upgrading just to press this button.