Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2S on Cisco Catalyst 4500 and 4900 Series Switches [Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series Switches]

PB468800

Cisco® announces new software release designations effective April 1, 2008 for new technology releases off the Cisco IOS® Software Major Release 12.2S for the Cisco Catalyst® 4500 and 4900 Series. This announcement provides clarity on software maintenance plans and does not change any Cisco standard end-of-life policies, located at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/products_end-of-life_policy.html. The Cisco standard end-of-life policy defines maintenance and support requirements for a major release, which for the Cisco Catalyst 4500 and 4900 Series is 12.2S. The end-of-life policy does not specify how long bug-fix maintenance rebuilds can be expected on a new technology release such as 12.2(31)SGA on Major Release 12.2S. Figure 1 shows the release numbering convention for Major Release 12.2S.

Figure 1. Release Numbering

Under current policy, after a new technology release becomes available on the same major release, bug fixes will generally not be applied to previous new technology releases. In order to get comprehensive bug fixes, customers must move to the latest new technology release.

As long as maintenance is offered under the Cisco end-of-life policies for a major release, bug fixes will continue to be applied to that release, but can only be expected to appear in the most recent new technology release of that major release. For example, for Cisco IOS Software Major Release 12.2S, a move from Release 12.2(25)EWA to Release 12.2(31)SGA would have been required after Release 12.2(31)SGA became available in order to get bug fixes through rebuilds.

To allow customers to qualify, deploy, and remain on a new technology release with active bug-fix maintenance plans, Cisco will now designate new technology releases on Major Release 12.2S as either a new feature release or extended maintenance release. A new feature release will be a "time-based release," which will continue to offer new software and hardware functionality. The extended maintenance release will be offered at least with a 6-month overlap between each extended maintenance release with bug-fix maintenance rebuilds.

Under the new policy, bug fixes can be expected in any new technology release that is in an active maintenance state as defined by the extended maintenance release designator.

Figure 2 shows sample standard maintenance and extended maintenance releases and explains the new policy.

Figure 2. Planned Release Maintenance Process Timelines

New Feature Release

• Time-based release available periodically between 4 and 6 months

• Ideal for latest feature and hardware support until the next extended maintenance release is available.

• Same internal shipping quality criteria as extended maintenance release.

• Critical fix support for network-affecting bugs such as Product Security Incident Report Team (PSIRT) issues. (Standard Cisco PSIRT policy will take precedence and be fixed in the next time-based release. For example, if a PSIRT is encountered in the spring release, it will be fixed in the subsequent release.)

Table 1 highlights"New feature release" goals and dates for the Cisco Catalyst 4500 and 4900 Series.

Table 1. New Feature Release Goals and Dates for Cisco Catalyst 4500 and 4900 Series

Goal	Definition	Date
Posting to Software Download Center	The date the software release is first available at http://www.cisco.com/kobayashi/sw-center/sw-ios.shtml.	Day 0
End of new feature release maintenance	All critical fixes including PSIRT fixes will be made available for this software release in the next time-based release. A software upgrade to the next available maintenance release might be required for continued bug fix on supported supervisor engines.	+4-6 months (depending on next software release)

Extended Maintenance Release

• Ideal for long-term maintenance support and also incorporating all the features and hardware support of previous new feature software release and extended maintenance release.

• 12.2(47)SG is going to be the next extended maintenance release.

• Regular maintenance rebuilds (approximately one every 3 to 4 months).

• Six more months of PSIRT support.

• At least 12 months of overlap with next extended maintenance release to allow for smooth transitions. At one point, there will be always two extended maintenance software releases available for customers to choose depending on requirements.

Table 2 shows extended maintenance release goals and dates for the Cisco Catalyst 4500 and 4900 Series.

Table 2. Extended Maintenance Release Goals and Dates for Cisco Catalyst 4500 and 4900 Series

Goal	Definition	Date
Posting to Software Download Center	The date the software release is first available at http://www.cisco.com/kobayashi/sw-center/sw-ios.shtml.	Day 0
End of extended maintenance	The last date on which regular bug-fix maintenance rebuilds will be made available for this software release. After this date, a software upgrade to the next available release for supported products might be required for continued bug-fix maintenance.	+12 months of overlap with next extended maintenance release
End of critical maintenance	The last date on which a critical fix rebuild (limited to network-affecting issues such as PSIRT advisories; see http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/products_security_advisories_listing.html) will be made available for this software release. After this date, a software upgrade to the next available release for supported products might be required for continued bug-fix maintenance or critical fixes. Standard Cisco PSIRT policy will take precedence; see http://www.cisco.com/go/psirt.	+6 months from end of extended maintenance date

Current Maintenance Release Strategy

The current maintenance release trains are 12.2(25)EWA and 12.2(31)SGA. In the current convention these releases will only incorporate critical bug fixes to help ensure software image stability. The 12.2(25)EWA train has been the main maintenance release for over 3 years; 12.2(31)SGA after over a year of testing and bug fixes has now established itself as a stable release with newly added features. A maintenance release from either branch will typically occur every 3 to 4 months, alternating between the branches. This results in at least four maintenance releases in a single year.

12.2(25)EWA Software Release

Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(25)EWA for the Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series is the most widely deployed software release. Table 3 provides the goals and dates for Extended Maintenance Release 12.2(25)EWA.

Table 3. Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(25)EWA Goals and Dates as First Extended Maintenance Release

Goal	Date
Posting to Software Download Center	September 2004* *Note that this start date is more recent than the date Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(25)EWA was first posted to the Software Download Center in order to more closely align with the publication of this document.
End of extended maintenance	June 1, 2008
End of critical maintenance	December 1, 2008

12.2(31)SGA Software Release

Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(31)SGA for the Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series is the first to receive new designations as an extended maintenance release. Table 4 provides the goals and dates for Extended Maintenance Release 12.2SGA.

Table 4. Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(31)SGA Goals and Dates as First Extended Maintenance Release

Goal	Date
Posting to Software Download Center	September 8, 2006*
End of extended maintenance	June 1, 2010
End of critical maintenance	November 1, 2010

All Cisco Catalyst 4500 systems running previous releases of 12.2EW and 12.2EWA such as 12.2(25)EWA10 should be migrated to Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(31)SGA6 in order to get regular bug-fix maintenance rebuilds until the end of extended maintenance date.

New Feature and Extended Maintenance Release Identification

At the time of initial posting to the Software Download Center, the product bulletin and release notes for a new release will be updated to indicate whether it is designated as a new feature release or an extended maintenance release. Note that the "posting to Software Download Center" date is effective on the initial new technology release posting for all subsequent rebuilds on that release. For example, the "posting to Software Download Center" date for Release 12.2(31)SGA5 will be the date Release 12.2(31)SGA is first posted to the Cisco Software Download Center Website. Therefore, the standard maintenance and extended maintenance designations and dates only apply to the first build of a new technology release, such as 12.2(31)SGA, and all subsequent rebuilds will be subject to the same policy and dates.

Cisco IOS Software Migration Guide for Cisco Catalyst 4500 and 4900 Series Switches

Figure 3 displays the Cisco IOS Software release plan relative to the 12.2S release train and identifies the recommended migration path. Note that 12.2(25)EWA does not have new feature parity, and features such as In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) will require at a minimum the 12.2(31)SGA maintenance train. Currently, the Cisco Catalyst 4500 platform has two active maintenance trains: 12.2(25)EWA and 12.2(31)SGA.

Figure 3. Cisco IOS Software Release Plan for Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series

Summary of Migration Plan

• Customers requiring the latest Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series hardware and software features should migrate to Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(44)SG.

• Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(31)SGA will continue offering maintenance releases. The latest release from the 12.2(31)SGA maintenance train is 12.2(31)SGA6. Customers needing the latest software and hardware support, including ISSU Nonstop Forwarding/Stateful Switchover (NSF/SSO) will need to upgrade to 12.2(31)SGA6.

• Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(25)EWA will not continue offering maintenance releases beyond December 2008.

Support

Support for Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2SG follows the standard Cisco support policy, available at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/products_end-of-life_policy.html.

For more information about the Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series, visit http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/lan/cat4000/index.htm.

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Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2S on Cisco Catalyst 4500 and 4900 Series Switches

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