So we had an SDX appliance go bad on us. We got a replacement from Citrix in the mail, but its running a slightly newer firmware than the one that we are replacing, which is causing us a problem with attempting to restore a config backup. Can we downgrade the firmware? Citrix support was telling us we just have to reconfigure manually, which I am not about to accept.

I have personally never tried downgrading the firmware on an SDX appliance. Is it the same mode SDX appliance? I would be leery of downgrading SDX side. You can run whatever VPX you want though. Let me ask my fellow smart people.

It's the same hardware model. We are currently trying to reset the appliance to the correct single bundle image version: https://docs.netscaler.com/en-us/sdx/12-1/configuring-management-service/performing-a-factory-reset.html#resetting-the-applia[…]bundle-image-version

I'd be interested to hear how it goes.

lol you have no idea. Our SDX appliances (not our ADC instances) are still on 12.1 for now. We were actively planning to get all our SDX appliances upgraded to 14.1 with change orders in the approval process. Citrix advised that the order of operations is to upgrade ADM, then SDX and finally ADC instances. However, before we could upgrade the SDX appliances, we had a catastrophic networking failure on this one (of four) appliance. So then when we tried to get Citrix to replace the hardware and they told us that it was not supported firmware and we needed to upgrade first and then to work with them to troubleshoot the hardware. So we tried to upgrade it on our own and it failed! So then we called Citrix support back (we are premier support clients **what a joke) and they eventually agreed to try and help us get the firmware upgraded and bricked it in the process. So then 12 hours later, they are on board with doing what we asked for originally - send us a replacement. So now we have the replacement and trying to get it all restored on a test bench before we get it racked up in the datacenter.

Wow. I’m so sorry to hear that. If you need any help getting through or if you need someone to bulldog support, let me know. I fix things, and I know people. 😎

We were able to get it down to the required firmware version by following the article I linked above! But when I go to restore our configuration backup, its stopping us cold because of licensing. Support looped in the customer service team to help. We got the platform license installed, but because this thing is on the test bench, it cannot talk to the ADM appliance to get its pooled bandwidth. And now we are stuck, because the config restore wont proceed without the required bandwidth. And I don't want to put this thing on the network until the config is fully restored. And I cant get the config restored without network access. Endless Loop!!! We have engaged our TAM and she is working on getting us a temporary license so that we can move the restore process ahead.

Ok. What fun?!

Yeah its been painful so far, but Im sure well get through it eventually. Thanks for offering to help wrangle Citrix resources!