topic Re: IOx Application Hosting for Cisco-Signed Apps -- BIND9 in Network Devices

IOx Application Hosting for Cisco-Signed Apps -- BIND9

alexgill — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:53:44 GMT

Hi. I'm new here.

I'm trying to run a Cisco-signed application "Bind9" on a C9300 and am following their guide:

"Application Hosting on Cisco Catalyst Switches": https://developer.cisco.com/docs/app-hosting/general-instructions/

The info seems thin on running anything other than "iPerf3" and "Thousand Eyes": https://developer.cisco.com/app-hosting/ciscosigned/

Seems the ISC Bind9 Docker image needs to have a Cisco signature to be installed on the bootflash. I'm not sure how this happens. ANd have found "app-hosting verification" does not help -- only for enforcing with developer created apps for deployment.

Suggestions appreciated.

Re: IOx Application Hosting for Cisco-Signed Apps -- BIND9

Stefan Mihajlov — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 18:47:08 GMT

@alexgill

try
conf t
no app-hosting verification

and run again

Re: IOx Application Hosting for Cisco-Signed Apps -- BIND9

alexgill — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:10:27 GMT

Thanks @Stefan Mihajlov for the tip. ` no app-hosting verification` doesn't see to exist anymore in 17.15 -- what tab completion gives is `no app-hosting signed-verification` which didn't change much. `show app-hosting infra` report then reported `IOX version: 2.12.0.3 [line-br] App signature verification: disabled`. Setting it from the web UI changed that setting: "Application Signature Validation is currently Disabled". Trying the below silently fails as before. (The web UI was more descriptive with an error message -- complaining "App signature validation is required")

> hy-cat-test#app-hosting install appid Bind9 package flash:bind.tar

End of the day, Cisco states this:
"Cisco does not provide any pre-packaged third party unsupported apps. Customers have to package it themselves. Certain third party vendors with whom Cisco has collaborated with can share a link specific to Cisco installation." https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/switches/catalyst-9500-series-switches/222780-understand-app-hosting-on-catalyst-9000.html

It wasn't clear from their webpage, but the only "Cisco-signed" apps are (1) ThousandEyes and (2) Cisco DNA Spaces. Custom apps, and "open source" seems to require running from Cisco USB storage. https://developer.cisco.com/app-hosting/ciscosigned/

I was optimistic about a great solution utilizing powerful equipment we already owned to do some DNS resolving internally.

Re: IOx Application Hosting for Cisco-Signed Apps -- BIND9

Stefan Mihajlov — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 17:28:41 GMT

@alexgill tbh, i stuck with IOX same 🙂

Re: IOx Application Hosting for Cisco-Signed Apps -- BIND9

Cristian Matei — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 19:13:45 GMT

Hi,

Never tried other apps, however, did you try with IOXclient? Here's a guide for it: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/cloud-systems-management/iox/223201-deploy-an-iox-application-using.html

Or, maybe simpler, you can use this guide which as used to deploy NextDNS as a container:https://help.nextdns.io/t/q6ylaba/doh-on-cisco-ios-xe-iox

Bind9 seems to be "officially" supported, however deployment examples are given only for iPerf3 and TRex:

https://developer.cisco.com/app-hosting/opensource/

https://developer.cisco.com/docs/app-hosting/general-instructions/

With a bit of work, you should be able to get it done, also ensure you use a newer (not the latest) MD code version.

Thanks,

Cristian.