Field Notice: FN - 62432 - Cisco VG224 Requires Software Upgrade Due to Replacement of End-of-Sale Parts

May 26, 2006

NOTICE:

THIS FIELD NOTICE IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS AND DOES NOT IMPLY ANY KIND OF GUARANTEE OR WARRANTY, INCLUDING THE WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY. YOUR USE OF THE INFORMATION ON THE FIELD NOTICE OR MATERIALS LINKED FROM THE FIELD NOTICE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. CISCO RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE OR UPDATE THIS FIELD NOTICE AT ANY TIME.

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Products Affected

• VG224

Serial Numbers

Cisco VG224's manufactured after March 26, 2006 are affected.

Contact your Cisco Field Account Team and ask them to send an email to fn_62432_sn@cisco.com for a complete list of affected Serial Numbers.

Problem Description

Cisco manufacturing ran out of the end of sale components and has accidentally substituted new parts that were to be used beginning July 1, 2006. Due to this issue it has become necessary for customers to upgrade Cisco IOS® Software earlier than expected.

Product Bulletin:

Cisco VG224 Requires SW Upgrade Because of Replacement of End-of-Sale Parts

Due to end of sale components on the Cisco VG224 Voice Gateway board, Cisco VG224 voice gateways manufactured beginning March 27, 2006 require a Cisco IOS Software upgrade.

Customers running Cisco IOS Software releases earlier than the following are affected:

• 12.3(11)T10

• 12.3(14)T6

• 12.4(2)T3

• 12.4(4)T1

• 12.4(5a)

Background

Because of the end of sale of parts by Cisco Systems component vendor, a component of Cisco VG224 voice gateways manufactured beginning March 27, 2006 needs to be replaced with a next-generation component by the same vendor. The specific component affected is the Subscribe Line Interface Chip (SLIC).

Cisco VG224 platforms with the new component require an upgrade of Cisco IOS Software release that provides coefficients to tune the new component to behave as previous component. There is no change in feature function. Usually component changes do not require software upgrades; the new component is pin-for-pin compatible, but needs firmware changes that are integrated in Cisco IOS Software.

The new software is compatible with both the old and new component. Platforms with old and new components are completely interoperable.

Beginning on March 27, 2006, Cisco VG224 platforms must upgrade to the new software.

For the Cisco VG224 gateways with the new component, customers must upgrade to one of the following Cisco IOS Software release branches or later:

• 12.3(11)T branch (12.3(11)T10 rebuild has the new component changes)

• 12.3(14)T branch (12.3(14)T6 rebuild has the new component changes)

• 12.4(2)T branch (12.4(2)T3 rebuild has the new component changes)

• 12.4(4)T branch (12.4(4)T1 rebuild has the new component changes)

• 12.4(5a)

Problem Symptoms

The Cisco VG224 with the new component is not backward-compatible with Cisco IOS Software releases older than release trains specified. The Cisco VG224 with the new component loaded with Cisco IOS Software releases older than the specified Cisco IOS Software trains will demonstrate the following behaviors:

• The new SLIC can be checked in detail also at boot up. This is the output for the VG224 routers shown in the bootup mode which the customer will see when the box boots up with the v2.1 and an IOS image which does not support the new chip.

  ============================================================
  
  *Mar  1 00:00:27.279: EDSP_dnld_OK:DL_RDY bit isn't set for dev 0
  
  *Mar  1 00:00:29.515: EDSP_dnld_OK:DL_RDY bit isn't set for dev 0
  
  *Mar  1 00:00:31.751: EDSP_dnld_OK:DL_RDY bit isn't set for dev 0
  
  *Mar  1 00:00:33.983: EDSP_dnld_OK:DL_RDY bit isn't set for dev 0
  
  *Mar  1 00:00:36.219: EDSP_dnld_OK:DL_RDY bit isn't set for dev 0
  
  *Mar  1 00:00:36.219: Warning -- on-board AVM devices failed initialization,
  
  *Mar  1 00:00:36.219: its analog FXS voice ports are not created.
  
  *Mar  1 00:00:36.219: Reboot the router again to clear the condition
  
  
  ============================================================
  

• The Cisco VG224 with the old component is compatible with any Cisco IOS Software release.

Workaround/Solution

Identify if the hardware platform revision or version contains the old or new component. If the platform contains the new component, upgrade the Cisco IOS Software to specified releases or later releases on the same branch.

Customers have the following deployment options:

Customers with existing Cisco VG224 platforms can:

• Maintain Cisco VG224 platforms with the old component running any software release while deploying Cisco VG224 platforms with the new component running new software releases.

• Upgrade all Cisco VG224 platforms with the old component onto same software that Cisco VG224 platforms with the new component are running.

New customers of Cisco VG224 platforms can:

• Order platforms with software branches indicated previously; software downgrade will cause the platform to have bootup error messages as listed previously in the section Problem Symptoms.

How To Identify Hardware Levels

Note: New hardware can be determined by the serial number as listed in the "Affected Serial Number" section. In addition, when the ECO has been issued, all products will have a new Top Assembly Part Number.

Example:

Router#sh diag
VG224 Backplane EEPROM:
        PCB Serial Number        : XXXXXXXXXXX
        Processor type           : XX
        Top Assy. Part Number    : 800-XXXXX-05
        Board Revision           : A0
        Fab Part Number          : XX-XXXX-XX
        Deviation Number         : XXXXX-XXXX
        Manufacturing Test Data  : XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX
        RMA Number               : 0-0-0-0
        RMA Test History         : 00
        RMA History              : 00
        Chassis Serial Number    :
        Chassis MAC Address      :
        MAC Address block size   :
        Field Diagnostics Data   :
        Hardware Revision        :
        Number of Slots          :
        EEPROM format version 4

Verify that the Top Assembly Part Number field has 800-XXXXX-05 under the Cisco VG224 Backplane EEPROM: The number after the second "-" should be 05 or higher.

Revision History

Revision	Date	Comment
1.0	26-MAY-2006	Initial Public Release

For More Information

If you require further assistance, or if you have any further questions regarding this field notice, please contact the Cisco Systems Technical Assistance Center (TAC) by one of the following methods:

• Open a service request on Cisco.com
• By email
• By telephone

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