How to upgrade IOS version/feature set on Cisco 3560

Assumption
1. The switch to be updated is in a factory default configuration.
2. IP address of the switch is 10.240.0.2/24.
3. IP address of the tftp/scp server is 10.240.0.3/24.
4. User name for scp server is switchadmin.
5. The feature set will be upgraded from ipbase to ipservice.
6. The switch will be updated to c3560-ipservicesk9-mz.122-55.SE7.bin.
7. The switch does not require a web console.

Procedure
1. Configure a ssh server or tftp server

2. Assign an IP address to a switch
> en
#conf t
(config)#int vlan 1
(config-if)#ip add 10.240.0.2 255.255.255.0
(config-if)#no sh
(config-if)#^z

3. Check whether the device can hold both current and new IOS images in the flash.
3.1. Check the new images size
3.2. Check a free space on the flash.

#dir flash:

If the switch has enough space, go to step 5

4. If the flash does not have sufficient free space, delete the current IOS image.

Delete the image file with "delete flash:/filename" or "delete /force /recursive flash:/dir_name"

5. Transfer the new image
! Assume the image is stored on tftp root directory.
! "copy " part can be omitted, in some IOS version.
! Don't use scp since it takes more time than you thought.
#copy tftp://10.240.0.3/c3560-ipservicesk9-mz.122-55.SE7.bin flash:

6. Verify the transfered image
! verify command was released 12.2(4)T, 12.0(22)S
#verify /md5 flash:/c3560-ipservicesk9-mz.122-55.SE7.bin

7. Change boot image
#conf t

! Just specify the path to the boot image.
(config)#boot system flash:/c3560-ipservicesk9-mz.122-55.SE7.bin
(config)#^z

! Verify boot configuration
#sh boot

! Save changes
#wr me

8. Reboot the switch
#reload

Note
1. If the boot loader needs update, it will be done automatically when the first time the switch is booted up with the new image (, and it causes a reboot).

2. Almost equivalent of step 5 to 7 is
! Assume the image is stored on "flash:/c3560-ipserviceslmk9-tar.122-55.SE7.tar/c3560-ipservicesk9-mz.122-55.SE7.bin"
#archive download-sw /imageonly /leave-old-sw tftp://10.240.0.3/c3560-ipserviceslmk9-tar.122-55.SE7.tar
(If the switch shows a feature set incompatibility error, add "/allow-feature-upgrade" option when upgrading/downgrading a feature set.)

Consideration
1. This method is faster than upgrading IOS with archive command since unnecessary files are not transfered. (=> The tar archive contains files for the web console as well.)

2. Downloading an image is a quite high load task. The CPU usage went up between 84%-77% while transferring. It should be done in a maintenance window.

Reference:
Catalyst 3750 Software Upgrade in a Stack Configuration with Use of the Command-Line Interface
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps5023/products_configuration_example09186a00804799d7.shtml

Upgrading a Cisco 3750 IOS from a .bin image file
http://thias.marmotte.net/2008/11/upgrading-a-cisco-3750-ios-from-a-bin-image-file/

MD5 File Validation
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios/fundamentals/configuration/guide/cf_md5_ps6350_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapter.html