Cisco Catalyst 3850 Quick reference guide

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Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch
Deployment Guide
Deployment Guide

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Contents
Preface......................................................................................................................................................................3
Purpose ................................................................................................................................................................3
Audience...............................................................................................................................................................3
Conventions..........................................................................................................................................................3
Introduction.............................................................................................................................................................. 4
Initializing the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch............................................................................................................ 4
Console Setup ......................................................................................................................................................5
Using the USB Console Port............................................................................................................................5
Using the RJ45 Port.........................................................................................................................................5
Cisco IOS XE Software Bundle and Packages Overview ..................................................................................... 6
Booting Cisco IOS XE Software............................................................................................................................7
Booting the Switch in Install Mode....................................................................................................................7
Booting the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch in Bundle Mode................................................................................. 8
Updating Cisco IOS XE Software.......................................................................................................................... 8
Software Rollback...............................................................................................................................................10
Software Clean ...................................................................................................................................................10
Migration to Install Mode from the Bootloader Prompt........................................................................................14
Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch Right-to-Use Licensing Model ...............................................................................16
RTU License Types ............................................................................................................................................16
Permanent RTU License................................................................................................................................17
Image-Based License in a Stack.................................................................................................................... 19
AP-Count License in a Stack.......................................................................................................................... 20
License Migration Between Switches.............................................................................................................22
Evaluation RTU License................................................................................................................................. 25
License Usage Monitoring...................................................................................................................................26
License Storage Management............................................................................................................................27
Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch Stacking................................................................................................................... 27
Overview.............................................................................................................................................................27
Plug-and-Play Stack Deployment .......................................................................................................................29
Deploying Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch StackWise-480 NSF and SSO...............................................................32
Converged Access with the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch .................................................................................... 33
Distributed Functions Enable Converged Access...........................................................................................33
Logical Hierarchical Groupings of Roles ........................................................................................................34
Converged Access Network Design with Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch ...........................................................35
Case Study: Configuring Converged Access with the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch........................................38
Configuring the Small Branch Deployment................................................................................................38
Configuring the Large Branch or Medium Size Campus Deployment........................................................ 40
Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch Database Manager Template .................................................................................42
SDM Template Resources: VLAN and Advanced...............................................................................................42
SDM Template Configuration..............................................................................................................................43
Monitoring SDM Resources................................................................................................................................44
Appendix A: List of Bootloader Commands........................................................................................................ 45
Appendix B: Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch Mobility Agent and Mobility Controller Configurations................. 46

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Preface
Purpose
The purpose of this guide is to explain the basic concepts and provide general procedures and commands to
deploy Cisco®Catalyst®3850 Switches. It does not provide detailed information about these commands.
Audience
This guide is for networking professionals who are responsible for designing, implementing, or administering a
network that includes a standalone Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch or a Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch stack, referred to
as the switch. Readers of this guide are expected to have prior experience working with the Cisco IOS®Software
and familiarity with the concepts and terminology of local area networking, wireless local area networking, and
Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching.
Conventions
This publication uses these conventions to convey instructions and information:
●Command names are in boldface text.
●System displays are in screen font.

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Introduction
The next-generation Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch meets the current and future demands of enterprise access-layer
networks. As these networks incorporate ever more technologies, they must be secure, scalable, and resilient. The
Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch offers operational simplicity, scalability, and superb performance. The new Cisco
StackWise-480 stack architecture delivers the industry’s best-in-class stack bandwidth and resiliency.
The Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch supports the powerful next-generation Cisco IOS XE Software. The modular Cisco
IOS XE Software architecture enables rich, scalable, and cost-effective integrated borderless networking services.
The Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch is the first stackable access-layer switch that provides both wired and wireless
services on a single Cisco IOS XE Software-based platform.
This guide describes the procedures required to deploy a Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch:
1. Initializing the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch
2. Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch right-to-use (RTU) licensing model
3. Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch stacking
4. Converged access with the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch
5. Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch Database Manager (SDM) template
Initializing the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch
●Console setup
●Cisco IOS XE Software bundle and packages overview
●Booting Cisco IOS XE Software
●Updating Cisco IOS XE Software
●Software rollback
●Software clean
●Boot loader upgrade
●Migration to installed mode

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Console Setup
The Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch (similar to the Cisco Catalyst 3750-X Switch) has two console ports: a USB mini
console port in the front and an RJ45 console port in the rear. You can use either port (but not both) for input.
However, both ports always display the switch output.
The default console port speed setting is 9600 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, and no flow control.
Using the USB Console Port
Figure 1. USB Console Port
The USB console port is the default management port and is supported in both install and boot loader modes.
Before using the USB port, download the required driver to your PC from Cisco.com:
http://software.cisco.com/download/release.html?mdfid=282979369&softwareid=282855122&release=3.1.
The USB console port has a configurable inactivity timer that automatically disables the port after a specified period
from 1 to 240 minutes. Use this command to configure the inactivity timeout interval:
Using the RJ45 Port
Figure 2. RJ45 Console Port
To use the RJ45 port, you must configure precedence for it by using these commands:
Configuring precedence for the RJ45 port enables it for input and disables input on the USB console port.
However, switch output is always displayed on both ports.

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Cisco IOS XE Software Bundle and Packages Overview
The Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch uses Cisco IOS XE Software. Cisco IOS XE Software is delivered as a bundle that
contains a set of packages. The Cisco IOS XE Software bundle uses this image name convention:
<platform_name>-<bundle_feature_set>.<key_ver>.<IOS-XE_version>.<IOS_image_version> .bin
Example: cat3k_caa-universalk9.SPA.03.02.00.SE.150-1.EX.bin
Explanation of bundle naming convention:
Image Name
Element
Explanation
Example
platform_name
The name of the platform supported by the Cisco IOS XE Software bundle; caa represents
converged access architecture
cat3k_caa
bundle_feature set
The feature set provided by the Cisco IOS XE Software bundle
universalk9
key_ver
A three-character string indicating that the Cisco IOS XE Software bundle (or the packages it
contains, or both) is digitally signed
SPA
IOS_XE_version
The bundle’s Cisco IOS XE Software release number
3.2.0SE
IOS_image_version
The Cisco IOS Software image version of the Cisco IOS Software package contained in the
bundle
15.0(1)EX
The Cisco IOS XE Software bundle contains a set of packages and a provisioning file, called packages.conf, that
is created automatically during the install process.
The show version running EXEC command displays the current running package(s) version:

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The Cisco IOS XE Software bundle includes these packages:
Package Name
File Name
Contents
Base
cat3k_caa-base.SPA.03.02.00SE.pkg
Kernel distribution
Drivers
cat3k_caa-drivers.SPA.03.02.00.SE.pkg
Platform drivers
Infra
cat3k_caa-infra.SPA.03.02.00SE.pkg
Infrastructure software, including system
manager, installer, HA manager, and more
Cisco IOS Software
cat3k_caa-iosd-universalk9.SPA.150-1.EX.pkg
Cisco IOS Software image
Platform
cat3k_caa-platform.SPA.03.02.00.SE.pkg
Software not specific to the Cisco IOS Software
platform and stack manager, platform manager,
and more
WCM
cat3k_caa-wcm.SPA.10.0.100.0.pkg
Wireless controller software
Booting Cisco IOS XE Software
You can boot and run the Cisco IOS XE Software on the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch in either of two modes:
●Install mode (recommended mode of operation)
●Bundle mode
Booting the Switch in Install Mode
Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switches shipped to customers from manufacturing boot up in install mode. The Cisco
Catalyst 3850 Switch is booted in install mode using a package provisioning file packages.conf. Do not modify this
file.
In this example, the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch is configured to autoboot from the built-in flash memory:
The show version command output displays the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch mode of operation:
The packages and the provisioning file reside in the flash.

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Note: Booting in install mode from a USB flash drive or using Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) is not
supported.
Booting the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch in Bundle Mode
Booting a Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch in bundle mode is just like booting a monolithic Cisco IOS Software image on
a Cisco Catalyst 3750-X Switch.
This command boots the switch in bundle mode:
Note: Booting the switch in bundle mode consumes more memory than booting in install mode because the
packages are extracted from the bundle and copied to the RAM.
You can boot the switch in bundle mode from the built-in flash memory, an external USB drive (usbflash0), or
TFTP. Bundle mode is used to boot a Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch from the boot loader prompt.
Updating Cisco IOS XE Software
When the switch is in install mode, you can install any new Cisco IOS XE Software bundle by using the software
Install command.
Note: This command works only when the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch is booted in install mode.
Use the show switch command to check the status of the switch or switch stack. This example shows the status
of a two-switch stack, where switch 2 is active:
This example shows the command syntax and the console log from a software install in a stack of two switches:

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Software Rollback
The software rollback command allows you to revert to an earlier Cisco IOS XE Software package after a
software install. Software rollback is functional only when at least one rollback package with the file name
packages.conf.00- is present. The rollback file is created automatically during the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch
Cisco IOS XE Software image update process.
This example shows the flash directory of a switch with an available rollback package:
To revert to an earlier software image, use the software rollback command with the rollback package name:
Software Clean
Flash space in a Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch can be recovered safely by using the software clean command. This
command deletes any redundant package files (.pkg), bundle files (.bin), or provisioning files (packages.conf*),
without deleting the active .pkg and .conf file.
Do not use the delete command to remove unnecessary files from flash, because you might also delete the active
.pkg or .conf files that are required for booting the switch.
Note: After you use the software clean command, the switch cannot revert to an earlier software image,
because the required rollback files are deleted by this operation.
This example shows the results of the software clean command on a stack of two Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switches:

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Boot Loader Upgrade
The Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch shipped from manufacturing is configured to autoboot Cisco IOS XE Software from
the built-in flash and display the autoconfiguration dialog. In special circumstances a boot loader upgrade might be
necessary for a Cisco IOS XE Software image upgrade.
These are the steps to upgrade a Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch boot loader image:
Step 1. Enable manual boot and power cycle the switch.
Enter the boot manual command, along with the switch name or number:
This is a sample of the switch display following a manual boot:
There is a limited set of commands that are supported at the boot loader command prompt. Enter a question mark
to view the available commands.
Note: Appendix A of this guide shows the complete list of boot loader commands.

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Use the version boot loader command to display the current boot loader version:
Step 2. Load the new boot loader image from a TFTP server.
This example shows how to establish TFTP connectivity to the switch from the boot loader prompt:
This example shows how to copy the boot loader image from TFTP:
Note: You can also copy the boot loader image from a USB flash drive.
Step 3. Reset the switch.
The reset command reloads the switch, and it starts up with the new boot loader image:
To install the Cisco IOS XE Software, migrate from the boot loader prompt to the install mode.

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Migration to Install Mode from the Bootloader Prompt
The Cisco IOS XE Software image for the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch is distributed as a bundle image. You cannot
copy this bundle directly to the flash and then boot the switch. You must install the Cisco IOS XE Software bundle
into the flash and then boot the switch from the installed software using the install mode. Perform this procedure if
the Cisco IOS XE Software image that resides in the flash memory becomes corrupted.
Use the ping command to confirm TFTP connectivity from the boot loader prompt:
Boot the switch from TFTP:
Use the show version command to display the software image version and the mode:
The display shows bundle mode because the switch booted by loading the bundle either from TFTP or from a USB
flash drive.
Copy the final bundle image to the flash either from the TFTP server or from a USB flash drive.
Use the software expand command to expand the bundle image in the flash:

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Confirm that the bundle is expanded and packages.conf file is present in the flash memory:
Reload the switch and boot with the newly created flash:packages.conf:
By default, when the software expand command is executed in the active switch of a switch stack, it is executed
on all switches in the stack.
To autoload the installed image, perform these steps:
Use the no boot manual command to disable manual boot:

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Use the boot system command to modify the boot command to boot from flash:
Use the copy running-config startup-config command to save the configuration:
Use the show boot command to verity that the switch is configured to boot from flash memory:
Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch Right-to-Use Licensing Model
The Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch right-to-use (RTU) is a trust-based licensing model designed to give customers the
flexibility to upgrade, downgrade, or move the license for RMA purposes by using simple EXEC commands. The
RTU licensing model allows customers to specify the desired image-based licensing level (LAN Base, IP Base, and
IP Services) and AP-Count on the switch or switch stack through EXEC commands.
About the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch RTU license:
●The RTU license is purchased along with the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch (or separately) and is NOT tied to
the unique device identifier (product ID + serial number) of a switch.
●When you purchase a switch, the license you specified in the purchase order is preinstalled.
●To upgrade the license, you can order an upgrade license and receive an electronic or printed license. After
accepting the end-user license agreement (EULA), you enable the upgrade by using a simple CLI
command.
●To transfer RTU licenses from one switch to another, deactivate the license on one switch and activate it on
another.
RTU License Types
There are two main categories of Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch RTU license: a permanent RTU license and a 90-day
evaluation RTU license.

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Permanent RTU License
This is a paid license that does not expire. You can activate permanent RTU licenses after you accept the EULA.
The EULA assumes you have purchased the permanent license. There are two types of permanent RTU licenses:
●Image-based (or feature set) license
●Adder AP-Count license
Image-based license: This license is activated by Cisco before the switch is shipped and requires no customer
configuration to enable it. Supported license levels include LAN Base, IP Base, and IP Services.
You can upgrade, disable, or move image-based licenses by using the license right-to-use command, either for
individual switches or for all switches in a stack. Reload the switch or stack to activate the highest level license. For
example, if you upgrade the license level from IP Base to IP Services, then the IP services license is activated by
reloading the switch.
This command enables the ipservices license and accepts the EULA on all switches in the stack:
Adder AP-Count license: The adder AP-Count license is an “add as you grow” license. You can add access point
licenses as your network grows. You activate an adder AP-count license by using EXEC commands, and it is
activated without a switch reload.
This example shows the license summary display for a switch with an activated adder AP-Count license:

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This example shows the license summary display for a switch with a deactivated adder AP-Count license:

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Image-Based License in a Stack
In a Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch stack, all switches must be at the same image-based license (IP Services/IP
Base/LAN Base) level. The active switch license level is considered the reference, and the member switch
licenses are compared to it. If there is a mismatch, the active switch displays a syslog message saying that the
stack configuration was unsuccessful.
This is an example of the display on the active switch console:
This message appears on the member switch console:

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To enable the member switch to join the stack, change the license level of the member switch (switch 2) by
activating the license from the active switch console:
After switch 2 reloads successfully, it joins the stack with the active switch.
AP-Count License in a Stack
AP-Count license is available only with IP Base and IP Services licenses. A Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch stack can
support a maximum of 50 access points. An AP-Count license is required only if a Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch is
configured as both a mobility controller and a mobility agent. An AP-Count license is not needed if the Cisco
Catalyst 3850 Switch is configured only as an mobility agent, which is the default configuration. For details on
mobility agent, mobility controller, and other wireless and mobility-related entities, refer to the Cisco Catalyst 3850
Switch converged access section.