9200 series ios versions...... which one?

[brian.koomen]

So we are replacing our 2960 and 2960x switches with the 9200-48p series.

Before putting them into production, I was looking to update the IOS.  However, if you been to the IOS update page there are quite a few versions available.   In typical CISCO fashion, support does not want you to install the latest IOS version.  I was told by TAC that I should upgrade only to 17.6.5.

I guess I can read all the release notes for all the releases, but why should I have to do this??   Put one version of the IOS and be done with it.  If QA testing for these updates are that bad, then why put them out for people to download.  What am I missing?

So the main question for this post.....Is there any reasons, why I should not just upgrade the IOS to the 17.11.1 (dublin) version?

[Flavio Miranda]

Hello @brian.koomen 

 Your observations is quite right. And at the end of the day you pick one and pray.   Usually you should pick the latest one with the star icon unless you had experience with some privious version and you find that stable enough to keep it. Another reason people may pick some specific version is due to specific features. But, the Bugs, they are in practically all versions.

[brian.koomen]

I was hoping that wasn't the case....  What other company does this ?

[MHM Cisco World]

the Cisco always test and put star beside the stable IOS version work for specific platform 

[brian.koomen]

Gotcha.  But do they really need 4 (Dublin, Amsterdam, Cupertino, Bengaluru) version of the 17.x rev???   The other thing to consider is when will development stop on any one of these 17.x revs?   Where is there a matrix that you can give you the pros and cons for each flavor of 17? 

[MHM Cisco World]

Gotcha.  But do they really need 4 (Dublin, Amsterdam, Cupertino, Bengaluru) version of the 17.x rev???  if one run version before and it stable and somehow he need to download again, cisco still provide this ver. for download.
 The other thing to consider is when will development stop on any one of these 17.x revs?   there is no Stop, it will still up as soon as there is platform need IOS-XE
Where is there a matrix that you can give you the pros and cons for each flavor of 17? this info. you can get from each ver. release notes

Cisco IOS XE 17 - Release Notes - Cisco

[balaji.bandi]

If you want to be cisco Tetster on your Live environment Cisco welcome you if you going to 17.11.1

if you looking smooth sleep i still go with 17.6.5 (until your environment hitting any bugs and they fixed only on higer version)

[brian.koomen]

Then why release an updated IOS to the public if new IOS releases are known to be garbage?  Guess we will never know the answer to that.....

[brian.koomen]

To add to this..... What do companies do when they have to answer questionnaires about cyber insurance/PCI compliance and questions about over all security standards/protocols?

I know one of the questions for cyber insurance and PCI compliance is about patch management.  Such as: "are your systems on the latest up to date software/firmware?".  With that many downloadable versions of 17, how can you truthfully answer a question like that....I don't think answering....."I just pick the one with a gold star next to it" would be the way to go.....  

I do appreciate the replies.....Thanks.

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

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@brian.koomen wrote:
Is there any reasons, why I should not just upgrade the IOS to the 17.11.1 (dublin) version?

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Because 17.11.1 is an ED (early deployment disaster).  In English parlance, ED means it has introduced more bugs than extra features.  I would never recommend ED software even to my worse enemies.  

I would, however, recommend people migrating to 17.9.3 because 17.3.X and 17.6.X will be EoS soon.  

Any switch running IOS-XE, my advice are the following: 

• Religiously monitor the control-plane CPU and memory.  Most crashes from IOS-XE OS occurs here.  DNAC does not watch the control-plane at all but some NMS do.  
• Reboot the stack every 6 months.  I joke not.  The picture below is a stack of 6 x 9300, IOS-XE version 17.6.4.  The drop is when I reboot the entire stack.

6 x 9300, IOS-XE 17.6.4

[MHM Cisco World]

The best answer from experts man.

Thanks @Leo Laohoo 

[Leo Laohoo]

Thanks.