Cisco Updates/Upgrades

[eddie.sardinha]

Hi All, 

We're looking for managed patching for our switches, firewalls etc but we like to know how often we should be patching and upgrading our network devices?  How often does Cisco release critical and non-critical patches and upgrades?

Thanks,

[balaji.bandi · Accepted solution]

Cisco patches will be released based on the complaints/user issues reported  and vulnerabilities found in the code.

you can subscribe for that newsletter for your devices in the network, and keep checking the any new patches available and it related to your environment to patch.

Good to keep upto date software in the device always, does not mean you need to keep upgrade all time.

Always test in low effected areas and move to other network slowly by analyzing the network stability after upgrade to new IOS.

[Leo Laohoo]

I've always made it a rule not to allow any Cisco gear to run for more than a year.
And since the appliances will have a reboot anyway, might as well throw in an IOS upgrade.

[Marvin Rhoads]

You can run the free Cisco Network Assistant software to take an inventory of your hardware and software and analyze everything running against published security advisories.