In the ever-evolving landscape of network security, staying up to date with the latest technologies and features is paramount. For users of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), upgrading from version 2.X to 3.X presents an opportunity to leverage new functionalities while maintaining robust security measures. However, this transition requires careful planning and execution to guarantee a seamless upgrade process.
In this guide, we'll outline the essential steps to navigate the upgrade effectively for a smooth transition and maximized benefits of Cisco ISE 3.X.
Pre-Upgrade Preparation: Before embarking on the upgrade journey, thorough preparation is crucial. Here's what you need to do:
Upgrade Process: Follow the recommended upgrade path provided by Cisco. This typically involves installing the new version alongside the existing one, migrating configuration settings, and confirming that your data has transferred.
Another option you have for the upgrade process— worth considering especially if you are a smaller team — is to start your upgrade fresh. Look at this upgrade as an opportunity to clean out unnecessary data that you may be storing and review your environment. Think about the impact that old, outdated patches or endpoint data can have on your new, upgraded system. If you have the capacity, we recommend doing your backup and then rebuilding every single time you want to upgrade. Upgrades can bring in corruption. Not only is this a better method, but in many cases, it is the faster method.
Consider spinning up the new image for the 3.X upgrade as a new box or VM or rebuild one of the existing ISE nodes you have with the new image.
Keep in mind that if you upgrade your box, newer versions will require more disk space as some of the more current ISE nodes require significantly more resources. Not all physical boxes can be upgraded which means that not all nodes will carry over. Upgrading alone will not fix this problem for you.
RESTORE the image that you have at that point
The admin node pushes the intelligence out to every node in your environment. At IE, we consider this a much more efficient way to upgrade your ISE environment. If you want to learn more, contact us.
Configuration Migration: Migrate your existing configuration from ISE 2.X to 3.X. Export configurations, policies, and settings from the old version and import them into the new one.
Testing and Validation: After completing the upgrade and configuration migration, thorough testing is essential to verify that everything works as intended:
Post-Upgrade Tasks: Once the upgrade is successful, there are several post-upgrade tasks to complete:
Ongoing Maintenance: After completing the upgrade, ongoing monitoring and maintenance are essential to ensure the continued security and performance of your Cisco ISE deployment:
IE offers an expert team of engineers specializing in Cisco ISE deployments, upgrades, and optimal utilization for customers. We’re here to help you upgrade efficiently and utilize the most cost-effective Cisco ISE license for your needs. You can request assistance from our ISE engineers or learn how to maximize the ISE deployment in your environment here. Additionally, Cisco provides some helpful resources and walkthroughs on the process. Regardless of how you’d like to proceed with this upgrade, we’re here to help!
Sources:
https://software.cisco.com/download/home/283801620/type/283802505/release/3.2.0
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/ise/3-1/upgrade_guide/HTML/b_upgrade_method_3_1.html