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Bundle Mode Upgrades

Traditional IOS upgrade workflow - from capacity check to cleanup

Overview

Bundle Mode is the traditional IOS upgrade method where the full monolithic IOS image is placed in flash and booted directly. NetGUI automates each phase of this process while providing real-time status and rollback options.

Note: Bundle Mode is appropriate for older IOS and IOS-XE devices. For Catalyst 9000 series switches, see the Install Mode Upgrades guide.

Supported platforms

  • Cisco Catalyst 2960, 3560, 3750 series
  • Cisco Catalyst 4500, 6500 series
  • IOS-XE devices in bundle mode (ASR, ISR)

Flash Capacity Verification

Before uploading an image, NetGUI checks available flash space on each target device and flags any that cannot accommodate the new image.

1
Navigate to Upgrades → Bundle Mode.
2
Select target devices and the target IOS image from the image repository.
3
Click Check Flash Capacity. NetGUI runs show flash: on each device and compares available space to the image size.
4
Devices with insufficient space are flagged in red. Use the Flash Cleanup link to free space before proceeding.
Tip: Require at least 20% free flash headroom beyond the image size to ensure the device can write the file without errors.

IOS Image Upload and Verification

NetGUI transfers IOS images from the jump server's image repository to device flash over SCP or TFTP.

Configuring the image repository

Place IOS images in the configured image directory on the jump server (default: /opt/netgui/images/). NetGUI scans this directory on login and displays available images in the upload wizard.

Running the upload

  1. Select devices that passed the flash check.
  2. Choose the target image from the repository dropdown.
  3. Select transfer method: SCP (recommended) or TFTP.
  4. Click Start Upload. Progress bars show per-device transfer status.
  5. When complete, NetGUI automatically runs verify /md5 flash:{image} and compares against the known-good MD5.
verify /md5 flash:cat9k_iosxe.17.09.04a.SPA.bin ....Done! verify /md5 (flash:cat9k_iosxe.17.09.04a.SPA.bin) = a3f2c91e8d04b77...
Important: Never proceed if MD5 verification fails. Delete the failed image and retry the transfer.

Boot Variable Configuration

After a successful upload and verification, set the boot variable to the new image.

1
On the upgrade wizard, click Set Boot Variable.
2
NetGUI configures boot system flash:{new-image} and removes the old boot statement.
3
A write memory is issued automatically to persist the configuration.
4
Verify the boot variable by clicking Confirm Boot Config - this runs show boot and displays the result.
BOOT path-list : flash:cat9k_iosxe.17.09.04a.SPA.bin Config file : flash:/config.text

Scheduling Device Reloads

Reloads can be scheduled for an immediate execution or a specific maintenance window.

Options

  • Immediate: Reload all selected devices now.
  • Scheduled: Enter a date/time (device local time). NetGUI issues reload at HH:MM DD-Mon-YYYY.
  • Staggered: Reload devices in groups with a configurable delay between groups (e.g., 5-minute intervals).
Important: Confirm your maintenance window is approved before scheduling. Use the staggered option for critical infrastructure to reduce blast radius if issues occur.

Monitoring the reload

NetGUI polls each device after the scheduled reload time and reports online/offline status. Devices that fail to come back within the configured timeout (default: 10 minutes) are flagged for investigation.

Post-Upgrade Verification

After devices reload, NetGUI automatically runs a post-upgrade verification suite:

  • show version - confirms new IOS version is running
  • show ip interface brief - checks all expected interfaces are up
  • show spanning-tree summary - verifies STP state
  • show ip route summary - confirms routing table is populated

Results are presented in a pass/fail table. Any failures are highlighted and the raw output is available for inspection. A full upgrade report can be exported as PDF or CSV.