Downloading Catalyst Software

Cisco Catalyst operating systems are available via the Cisco Software Center at http://www.cisco.com/public/sw-center/. Users should read the documentation and release notes for each software version before downloading and installing on any Catalyst switch. The Cisco documentation lists minimum and recommended software versions for each Catalyst platform, modules, and linecards. Although Catalyst OS does not offer different levels of software images based on feature requirements, Cisco IOS for switches does offer various feature sets depending on the platform. Cisco offers differentiated features sets so that customers may choose and pay for a combination of features they require. For example, a customer requiring only IP routing may not choose the more expensive Enterprise feature set.

After a decision has been made to run either hybrid or native, the software can be downloaded from the Cisco Software Center. Figure 5-1 is a snapshot of what users see when selecting Catalyst 6000 from the LAN Switching menu in the Cisco Software Center.

Figure 5-1. Catalyst 6000 Software Center

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As seen in Figure 5-1, users are faced with a number of choices when downloading Catalyst 6000/6500 software. Users are often confused about which link to choose based on their need to download Catalyst OS, IOS for the MSFC running in hybrid, or IOS for the Supervisor running in native mode.

Figure 5-2 indicates that selecting Download Supervisor & Related Interface Cards Software in the section Download Catalyst 6000 Series Software Images provides users with access to Catalyst OS software images to be used standalone on Layer 2-only Catalyst 6000/6500 switches, or in hybrid mode with separate IOS images on MSFCs.

Figure 5-2. Link to Catalyst OS Software

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Each Catalyst OS image filename for Catalyst 6000/6500 Supervisors begins with cat6000-sup. For example, the filename cat6000-sup6-4-6.bin represents the Catalyst OS software version 6.4(6).

Figure 5-3 indicates that selecting Download IOS Supervisor Software provides uses with access to native IOS software images for the Catalyst 6000/6500 Supervisors.

Figure 5-3. Link to Native Software

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Each native IOS image filename for the Catalyst 6000/6500 begins with c6sup. For example, the filename c6sup22-jsv-mz.121-13.E9 represents native IOS for the Catalyst version 12.1(13)E9.

Figure 5-4 indicates that selecting Download other Intelligent Module Software (MSFC, MSM, CSM, and so on) provides user access to IOS software images for the MSFCs. These software images when paired with Catalyst OS images on the Supervisor create a hybrid configuration.

Figure 5-4. Link to MSFC Software

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Each IOS image filename for the MSFC begins with c6msfc. For example, the filename c6msfc2-jsv-mz.121-13.E11 is IOS for the MSFC2 version 12.1(13)E11.

The following excerpt from the Catalyst documentation on Cisco.com describes the naming conventions used by Catalyst OS and Cisco IOS images:

• Catalyst OS on the Supervisor and Cisco IOS on the MSFC (hybrid):

  - Catalyst OS image naming conventions for Supervisor Engines I, II, and Supervisor Engine 720 and Cisco IOS image naming conventions for the MSFC1, MSFC2, and MSFC3 are described later in this chapter.

  - Catalyst OS naming conventions for the Supervisor Engine I, IA, II, and 720

  - cat6000-sup: Supervisor 1 and 1A
  
  

  - cat6000-sup2: Supervisor II
  
  

  - cat6000-sup720: Supervisor 720
  
  

  - Cisco IOS naming conventions for the MSFC1, 2, and 3

  - c6msfc : MSFC1
  
  

  - c6msfc2: MSFC2
  
  

  - c6msfc3: MSFC3
  
  

  - c6msfc-boot: MSFC1 boot image
  
  

  - c6msfc2-boot: MSFC2 boot image
  
  

• Examples of Catalyst OS images for the Supervisor and Cisco IOS images for the MSFC:

  - cat6000-supk8.8-1-1.bin is the Catalyst 6500/6000 Supervisor I and IA Catalyst OS image, version 8.1(1)

  - cat6000-sup720k8.8-1-1.bin is the Catalyst 6500/6000 Supervisor 720 Catalyst OS image, version 8.1(1)

  - c6msfc-boot-mz.121-19.E is the Catalyst 6500/6000 MSFC 1 Cisco IOS Boot image, version 12.1(19)E

  - c6msfc-ds-mz.121-19.E is the Catalyst 6500/6000 MSFC 1 Cisco IOS image, version 12.1(19)E

  - c6msfc2-jsv-mz.121-19.E is the Catalyst 6500/6000 MSFC 2 Cisco IOS image, version 12.1(19)E

  - c6msfc3-jsv-mz.122-14.SX2 is the Catalyst 6500 MSFC 3 Cisco IOS image, version 12.2(14)SX2

• Cisco IOS (native) images:

  - Cisco IOS (native) image naming conventions for the Supervisor Engines I, IA, II, and Supervisor Engine 720 are described later in this chapter.

  - Cisco IOS (native) naming conventions for the Supervisor IA and II

• The c6supxy indicates the Supervisor/MSFC combination upon which it will run, where x is the Supervisor version and y is the MSFC version:

  - c6sup— original name for native IOS image, runs on the Supervisor I, MSFC1.
  
  

  - c6sup11— Supervisor I, MSFC1
  
  

  - c6sup12— Supervisor I, MSFC2
  
  

  - c6sup22— Supervisor II, MSFC2
  
  

• Examples of Cisco IOS (native) images for the Supervisor I and II:

  - c6sup-is-mz.120-7.XE1 is the Catalyst 6500/6000 Cisco IOS image (with Supervisor I/MSFC1), version 12.0(7)XE1

  - c6sup11-dsv-mz.121-19.E1 is the Catalyst 6500/6000 Cisco IOS image (with Supervisor I/MSFC1), version 12.1(19)E1

  - c6sup12-js-mz.121-13.E9 is the Catalyst 6500/6000 Cisco IOS image (with Supervisor I/MSFC2), version 12.1(13)E9

  - c6sup22-psv-mz.121-11b.EX1 is the Catalyst 6500 Cisco IOS image (with Supervisor II/MSFC2), version 12.1(11b)EX1

• Cisco IOS (native) naming conventions for the Supervisor 720:

  The s720xy indicates the MSFC/Policy Feature Card (PFC) combination on the Supervisor Engine 720, where x is the MSFC version and y is the PFC version.

  s72033— MSFC3, PFC3

  Example of Cisco IOS (native) naming convention for the Supervisor 720:

  - s72033-jk9s-mz.122-14.SX is the Catalyst 6500 Supervisor 720 Cisco IOS image (with Supervisor 720/MSFC 3/PFC 3a), version 12.2(14)SX