Introduction to C9800-CL-universalk9.17.09.03.SPA.bin Software

This software package delivers the Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controller for cloud environments, designed for Cisco IOS XE Dublin-17.9.x releases. As a virtual network appliance, it enables centralized management of up to 6,000 wireless access points (APs) and 64,000 clients across public/private cloud infrastructure.

The 17.09.03 version enhances interoperability with major hypervisors including VMware ESXi 7.0, KVM (RHEL 7.2+), and Microsoft Hyper-V 2019. It maintains backward compatibility with AWS EC2 and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) marketplace deployments.


Key Features and Improvements

​1. Security Enhancements​

  • AES-256 encryption for all controller passwords (CLI/SSID PSK) through unified password encryption aes implementation
  • Automatic certificate regeneration workflow to resolve HTTPS ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH errors during system recovery

​2. Cloud Operations Optimization​

  • TFTP transfer acceleration via configurable block size adjustment (ip tftp blocksize 8192)
  • Fixed BREAK signal responsiveness in ROMMON for 9800-L hardware controllers in hybrid deployments

​3. Protocol Handling​

  • Enforced 1,500-byte minimum fragmentation for RADIUS packets on Gi0 (OOB) interfaces
  • Unified mode conversion logic for Aironet 1815T APs in standalone-to-controller transitions

Compatibility and Requirements

​Component​ ​Supported Versions​ ​Notes​
Hypervisors VMware ESXi 6.7/7.0 OVA deployment requires OVF Tool
KVM (RHEL 7.1-7.2, Ubuntu 16.04) qcow2 format available
Hyper-V 2016/2019 ISO image recommended
Public Clouds AWS EC2, GCP Marketplace Preconfigured AMIs available
Management Systems Cisco Prime Infrastructure Requires controller removal before Netconf-YANG disablement

​Known Constraints​​:

  • GUI access failure if ip http active-session-modules none remains enabled during upgrades
  • VMware ESXi 6.5 not supported for direct OVA deployments

Accessing the Software Package

The C9800-CL-universalk9.17.09.03.SPA.bin file and associated deployment formats (OVA, ISO, qcow2) are available for verified network administrators at https://www.ioshub.net. For enterprise support contracts, contact Cisco TAC to validate your licensing entitlements.

This release implements critical fixes documented in Cisco Security Advisory CSCvp77466 for IPSet stability. Always cross-reference the Cisco Feature Navigator for protocol compatibility before deployment.

: Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller Release Notes (Cupertino 17.9.x)
: Cisco Catalyst 9800-CL Cloud Deployment Guide (Dublin-17.12.01 ED)

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