"Recommended" IOS versions - definitive list?

[darren.g]

Learned colleagues!

Does anyone know if there's a definitive (and regularly updated) list of the current "recommended" IOS versions for routers/switches?

I have an issue with a router on a client site which is connected via DSL into a private network which is horribly unreliable - the link drops out several times a day - and the ISP which provides the link is telling me I have to update the IOS on the router to rectify the issue.

It's an 887M running a relatively recent IOS already (version 15), and I'd like to know what the current "recommended" IOS for this model router is - but can't for the life of me find a definitlve list.

Thanks!

[paolo bevilacqua · Accepted solution]

There is no recommended list. An IOS version that works for someone, fails for somebody else.

Sometime, newer images are buggier than older, sometime the opposite.

Regarding the 877M, you should begin with "show dsl interface" and looking at the logs to see how exactly it drops.

[Reza Sharifi · Accepted solution]

Darren,

As Paolo said, Cisco does not recommend any IOS version to use (or at least not publicly). I have seen a few people posting here and having issues with IOS 15 for different platforms.  Downgrade to 12.4.xx revision and see if that solves the issue.  I think, this is provider problem, and not the IOS, but it is worth a downgrade.

HTH

[darren.g]

Reza Sharifi wrote:
Darren,
As Paolo said, Cisco does not recommend any IOS version to use (or at least not publicly). I have seen a few people posting here and having issues with IOS 15 for different platforms.  Downgrade to 12.4.xx revision and see if that solves the issue.  I think, this is provider problem, and not the IOS, but it is worth a downgrade.
HTH

Reza.

I think it's a provider problem too - trouble is, $POE has built this network with the cheapest, dodgy ISP they could possibly find - and now the service levels stink, and they demand better performance and scream when crap links run for cheap don't perform.

I've chucked it back to the outsourced "support" group and said "Go for it - upgrade it to whatever the ISP wants, but I bet it 'aint gonna fix the issue".

I've got a vague recollection of posts referring people to "recommended" IOS versions before, hence the question. The explainations given by Paolo and yourself make much more sense (and are more in line with my gut feeling).

Cheers

[Joseph W. Doherty]

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Not a guarantee, but one approach is to select the oldest general feature train (if possible) IOS with the features you really need.  This assumes such a release has had much exposure and maintenance, which often, but not always, insures it works as it's supposed to.

Next choice might be certain "quality" indications.  Older mainline trains had "GD" (general deployment) tags and I believe the newer versions have something somewhat similar, something other than "ED" (early deployment) tags.  Some software also have "safe harbor" labels.  Whatever the specific tag, all imply the correct functioning of such releases are better than average.  Here too, these additional tags don't guarantee "better", nor imply other IOS releases are worst, just again, such software has either had more exposure and time to bake or had additional testing.

Lastly you can also review release notes and the bug tracking system for known defects and see if any might impact how you intend to use feature of a particular release.