IOS for Cisco IE3000 switches

[Lim Victor]

Hi Guys,

I was trying to upgrade an Cisco IE3000 switch when i realised there were 2 IOSs available for version 15.

15.0(2)EY

15.0(2)SE

What is the different between these 2 versions? Which should i download?

Anywhere I can read to learn more about the alphabets?

Thanks.

[Reuben Farrelly]

Does http://www.cisco.com/go/fn help?

[Lim Victor]

Hi Rueben,

I went to the feature navigator but it does not have the version that I am looking at.

Thanks.

[paolo bevilacqua]

You can read the Release Notes to learn what has changed.

[Lim Victor]

Hi Paolo,

I had gone thru the release notes.

the below were the new features I read

====================================================================

15.0(2)SE

New Software Features

•Support for IPv6 multicast. For more information, see the Implementing IPv6 Multicast chapter of the Software Configuration Guide on Cisco.com.

•Option to minimize boot up time with the boot fast command. For more information, see the Assigning the Switch IP Address and Default Gateway chapter in the Software Configuration Guide on Cisco.com

•Support for static routes on switch virtual interfaces (SVIs). For more information, see the Configuring SDM Templates and Configuring Static IP Unicast Routing chapters in the Software Configuration Guide.

•Support for port security on Etherchannels. For more information, see the Configuring Port-Based Traffic Control chapter in the Software Configuration Guide.

15.0(2)EY

New Software Features

Power over Ethernet (PoE) and Power Over Ethernet Plus (PoE+)

Support for IEEE 802.3af (Power over Ethernet) and IEEE802.3at (Power over Ethernet+) features. For more information, see the Power Over Ethernet Ports section in the software configuration guide on Cisco.com.

====================================================================

I am wondering if there is any reference like the old versions where S = service provider, E - enterprise feature set etc...

My current switch on arrival from the distributor is on EY version though it does not have any POE ports. I am wondering why EY was chosen.

Thanks for your's and Reuben replies nevertheless

[paolo bevilacqua · Accepted solution]

Some things are known to Cisco only.

If the switches work fine you can stop worrying and move on.

[Lim Victor]

Hi Paolo,

So i should choose to upgrade to the latest version of EY rather than SE?

My customer had requested that we provide a bug scrub on the IOS used, so i need to decide on the IOS to use and the reason.

[Reuben Farrelly · Accepted solution]

It looks like 15.0EY is a limited/short life train to just introduce PoE/PoE+ with special modules on this hardware.
If you don't have those modules and don't need PoE support on the module then stick to 15.0SE.

15.0SE is the codebase going forward that most if not all of the smalleer switches are already using.  It's as close as you'll probably ever get to a mainline release.  There are large numbers of devices running this train and it gets lots of testing and bug fixes (although after the recent debarcle with 15.0(2)SE3 and tacacs, some would question that, but overall that's the case).

You probably won't see very many new features, and certainly far fewer bugs fixed in the 15.0EY train, and probably far fewer again new builds again of this code.

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

IOS with "EX" or "EY" are, what I'd like to call as, "special" engineering release.

It's special because these releases are to get newly released platforms or appliances "up and running" until the main line gets in.

15.0(2)SE is the main line. 

[Lim Victor]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the advice. Will select SE then.

You guys have been a great help

[Leo Laohoo]

Will select SE then.

Thanks Victor.

15.0(2)SE4 was just released just a few hours ago.  I'm testing it now.