End-of-Life Switch Models and Firmware Updates

[noc-locaweb]

Hi everyone,

Recently, in the environment I manage, we identified some end-of-life switch models running the following firmware versions:

• WS-C3560-48TS-S - Cisco IOS 12.2(50)SE3 (IPBASEK9)

• WS-C3560G-48TS-S - Cisco IOS 12.2(55)SE12 (IPSERVICESK9)

• WS-C3750E-48TD-S - Cisco IOS 12.2(55)SE12 (UNIVERSALK9)

• WS-C3560-48TS-S - Cisco IOS 12.2(44)SE5

• WS-C2960-48TC-L - Cisco IOS 12.2(53)SE2 (LANBASEK9)

• WS-C3560-48TS-S - Cisco IOS 12.2(55)SE12 (IPBASEK9)

I’d like to test upgrading all of them to version 15.2(8)E7 in a lab environment, with the goal of addressing the known vulnerabilities on these devices. However, since these switches are end-of-life, I can no longer find firmware images for them, and Cisco support is no longer available for these updates—they’ve simply advised me to contact a vendor and replace the switches.

My question is:
Is it possible to find these firmware images for older devices somewhere, so I can test the upgrade in the lab? If everything works, I’d like to update the switches in production, at least until we can secure a budget to replace them.

I’d really appreciate any advice or support on this topic.

Thank you in advance!

[Flavio Miranda]

@noc-locaweb 

 Not from Cisco but if you dig into the internet you probably can find some site that have this available. Sites related to software emulator like GNS3, for example. 

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Advice?  Probably a waste of time to lab test illegal software, unless you plan to utilize such illegal software; which for most legal businesses in most countries is inadvisable.  I.e. probably not a line your business would want to cross, if it hasn't yet.

Understand, companies like Cisco, probably won't pursue an individual using legally purchased network devices, using illegal software, at home, for a learning lab.  But, using a bunch of network devices, in a production environment, for a group like a commercial business, might get stomped upon.

[Kasun Bandara]

@noc-locaweb hi, there may be a third party places where you can download these OSs. but there is no guarantee that whose are not tampered or injected with malicious code. even you test in lab, it may be a bad idea to use in PROD.

[Leo Laohoo]

Final 2960/2960G firmware are 12.2(55)SE12 or 15.0(2)SE11

Final 3560/3560G firmware are 12.2(55)SE12 and 15.0(2)SE11

Final 3750/3750G firmware are 12.2(55)SE12 and 15.0(2)SE11