I have a couple dozen switches I want to upgrade from IOS 12.2 to 15. Most of these are 2960's, with a few 3560's in key places. I have all the different tar files I will need downloaded to the network already. But since IOS12 doesn't seem to support SCP, I'm having a problem with getting the new IOS images to the switches. I would prefer to test the entire process on non-production switches first, make any mistakes there, fix the mistakes, and have proven the process I'm going to use before I update the production switches. I would prefer that there be no impact on the users from the upgrade process. I would also like to have a process in place for doing the upgrade that would not need NCM, in case it would not be available for whatever reason.
With that said, I was hoping to be able to use the TFTP server that is a part of Solarwinds to help facilitate things. I know the service is up and running, by checking Services on the server. I do not know whether I would use the address of the Solarwinds server and just connect to the TFTP port or if it is normally running as a separate address. If I can access the TFTP server, I don't know exactly where I can copy the files to so that I can move them to the switches. So I suppose my questions are:
1. Am I completely nuts for not wanting to add the non-production switches to Solarwinds, use NCM to update them, then remove them from Solarwinds? Some of the switches have never been out of the box.
2. Is it feasible to use the TFTP server to hold the files to transfer to the switches for upgrades and do the upgrades manually, one at a time?
3. Is the IP address for the TFTP server the same as the one for the Solarwinds server and I just proceed as I would if I were accessing any other (T)(S)FTP server? If it is NOT the same, where would I go to find out the address to access it?
4. Since I want to use a manual process that has been tested (if possible), would I be time ahead by setting up an internal server that is completely separate from Solarwinds nad it's TFTP server?
Thanks, in advance, for any information or help,