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ACI to NX-OS Transformation: Converting Your Image

August 15, 2023 , ,

ACI to NX-OS Transformation: Converting Your Image

Many organizations make the switch from Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) to Cisco Nexus Operating System (NX-OS) as part of a strategy evolution to keep up with shifting network requirements. The promise of this metamorphosis is more agility, performance, and control. In this essay, we examine the drivers, advantages, and considerations of the complex shift from ACI to NX-OS.

Cisco ACI Architecture
Fig 1.1- Cisco ACI Architecture

Step 1: Power on the switch and keep hitting Ctrl + C until you get to the loader prompt as loader >   

Step 2: Boot from loader : loader > boot usb2://nxos.7.0.3.I4.7.bin   (connect USB which have nxos on it to the switch)  you should get Booting usb2://nxos.7.0.3.I4.4.bin

Trying diskboot
Filesystem type is fat, partition type 0xb
Image valid
Image Signature verification was Successful. 
Boot Time: 4/4/2017  16:25:26
INIT: version 2.88 booting
Unsquashing rootfs ..
It will take about 5 minutes to complete boot up, once you see line “Abort Auto Provisioning and continue with normal setup ?(yes/no)[n]:

Step 3: Once you click yes , it should bring you up to this setup.
         ---- System Admin Account Setup ----
Do you want to enforce secure password standard (yes/no) [y]: n
  Enter the password for "admin":
  Confirm the password for "admin":

Step 4:  Select this option : Would you like to enter the basic configuration dialog (yes/no): n 
it should bring you to login screen.

Step 5: After login:  Copy nxos to bootflash: switch# copy usb1:nxos.7.0.3.I4.7.bin bootflash:

Step 6: Change the boot option and save the config:
NDNA_Switch# config t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
NDNA_Switch(config)# boot nxos bootflash:nxos.7.0.3.I4.4.bin
Performing image verification and compatibility check, please wait....
NDNA_Switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config
[########################################] 100%
Copy complete. 

Step 7: This step is optional but it checks all the compatibility:
NDNA_Switch(config)# install all nxos bootflash:nxos.7.0.3.I4.4.bin
Installer will perform compatibility check first. Please wait.
Installer is forced disruptive 
Verifying image bootflash:/nxos.7.0.3.I4.4.bin for boot variable "nxos".
[####################] 100% -- SUCCESS
Verifying image type.
[####################] 100% -- SUCCESS
Preparing "nxos" version info using image bootflash:/nxos.7.0.3.I4.4.bin.
[####################] 100% -- SUCCESS
Preparing "bios" version info using image bootflash:/nxos.7.0.3.I4.4.bin.
[####################] 100% -- SUCCESS
Performing module support checks.
[####################] 100% -- SUCCESS
Notifying services about system upgrade.
[####################] 100% -- SUCCESS

 Compatibility check is done:
Module  bootable          Impact  Install-type  Reason
------  --------  --------------  ------------  ------
     1       yes  non-disruptive          none 

Images will be upgraded according to following table:

Module       Image                  Running-Version(pri:alt)           New-Version  Upg-Required
------  ----------  ----------------------------------------  --------------------  ------------
1        nxos                               7.0(3)I4(4)           7.0(3)I4(4)            no
1        bios     v07.56(06/08/2016):v07.56(06/08/2016)    v07.56(06/08/2016)            no

Do you want to continue with the installation (y/n)?  [n] y
Install is in progress, please wait.
Performing runtime checks.
[####################] 100% -- SUCCESS
Setting boot variables.
[####################] 100% -- SUCCESS
Performing configuration copy.
[####################] 100% -- SUCCESS

Module 1: Refreshing compact flash and upgrading bios/loader/bootrom.
Warning: please do not remove or power off the module at this time.
[####################] 100% -- SUCCESS
Install has been successful.

NDNA_Switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config
[########################################] 100%
Copy complete.
NDNA_Switch(config)# sh running-config

And you are done with the NS-OX image in Cisco Nexus 9k devices