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Cisco ASR 1001-HX router as SDWAN router

November 03, 2022 ,

Cisco ASR 1001-HX router as SDWAN router

It is necessary to upgrade the current ASRs to compatible code as part of the prerequisite for building the SD WAN topology over the ASR1000-X and integrating it into the SD WAN fabric.

Fig 1.1- Cisco SDWAN router ASR 1001-HX

Starting with Cisco IOS XE Release 17.2.1r, use the universalk9 image to deploy both Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN and Cisco IOS XE on Cisco IOS XE devices.

Step 1: Copy the IOS XE and ROMON image to the USB

IOS-XE Image :IOS-XE Image Download

ROMON Image : ROMOM Image download

Step 2: Attach console to the router and use putty to take console with serial COM port and speed of 9600

Step 3: Insert the USB to the USB port to the router and verify the images are seen. Run command “dir usb0:” or “dir usb1:” based on the port on which the usb is inserted.

Step 4: Copy both the images ( IOS-XE & ROMON) to the flash of the router by running the command “copy usb0: bootflash:” and Press enter. Ideally the ASR’s routers would have enough memory to hold both the images.
i. If not, copy “.pkg” file only and proceed to the ROMON Upgrade section
ii. Once the ROMON is upgraded, come pack here to copy the “.bin” file and proceed to the IOS Upgrade section

Step 5: Verify the files are on the flash of the bootflash of the router by running command “dir bootflash:”

Step 6: Initiate the process of upgrading the ROMON of the router by running command “upgrade rom-monitor filename bootflash:asr1000-romon.173-1r.SPA.pkg all” and wait till the ROMON gets upgraded as this process “flashes” ROMON, Re Partitions the flash and rewrites. Once the flash process is complete reload the router. Once the reload is completes, on the first boot the ROM is validated and tested as part of the integrity tests and now you should get into the EXEC mode of router

Step 7: Run command “sh rom-monitor R0:” to verify the ROMON is upgraded to 17.3(1r). Now lets upgrade the IOS of the router.

Step 8: Go to config t and run the command “boot system flash bootflash:/asr1000-universalk9.17.03.02.SPA.bin” and it will initiate a copy sequence in the router to upgrade the IOS. Once the upgrade process is complete, the router by default would boot in the “Autonomous” mode. Check and verify the same using the command “show platform software device-mode”

Step 9: In the router EXEC mode, without going into the configuration mode, run the command “controller-mode enable” and select no to continue. Wait for the router to complete the process, there would be a long list of log messages Reboot the router to make sure router comes up correctly.

Step 10: Once the router reboots verify the ROMON and the IOS code update as intended. You can check that with “show version” command on the router

So now Cisco ASR 1001-HX router is ready as SDWAN router. configure the basic bootstrap configs on the router and attached SDWAN template to manage it through the SDWAN portal