Tried upgrading the AP and two SM’s registered to it from 12.0.0.1 to 12.0.1 using CNUT 4.1.8 and ran into a serious problem. We do not do auto-update or the HTTP server update, but instead do it the old fashioned way.
After updating the AP to 12.0.1 first, neither SM would register to it. Downgrade the AP back to 12.0.0.1 and both SM’s registered immediately. Updated an SM next, and it would not register to the AP while it was at 12.0.0.1, but would when we updated the AP to 12.0.1.
It appears as if 12.0.0.1 and 12.0.1 will not talk to each other, so we’re going to have to manually update each radio before we send them out into the field.
You are correct in that this is considered a “hard upgrade” and the two versions are incompatible. Please see Page 2 of the release notes for R12.0.1.
“System Release 12.0.1 upgrade notice: When upgrading from a previous release to System Release 12.0.1, the network SMs must be upgraded first, then the AP may be upgraded once the SM updates are complete. Once successfully upgraded to 12.0.1, the SMs will lose registration until the AP is subsequently upgraded to 12.0.1. If an SM fails an upgrade to 12.0.1 via CNUT and remains registered, reinitiate the SM upgrade to 12.0.1 to make sure that all SMs are successfully upgraded before upgrading the AP to 12.0.1.
System Release 12.0.1 downgrade notice for APs set to frequency band 5.7-GHz and 20-MHz channel bandwidth: The AP will be allowed to be downgraded to 12.0.0.1 and all SMs running 12.0.1 will not register to the AP. An AP with any other frequency band/channel bandwidth configuration will not be allowed to downgrade. If an AP downgrade is initiated via CNUT and CNUT is configured with SM-Autoupdate enabled, SMs registered to this AP will be rebooted and not upgraded.”
Missed that when reading the release notes…my bad.