Introduction to asr1002x-universalk9.17.08.01a.SPA.bin Software
This Cisco IOS® XE 17.8.1a universal software image delivers critical updates for the ASR 1002-X Series Aggregation Services Routers, designed for high-performance enterprise WAN and service provider edge deployments. The “_universalk9” designation confirms FIPS 140-3 compliance with full payload encryption capabilities, while the “_noli” suffix indicates exclusion of lawful intercept features for standard commercial use.
Released in Q1 2025, this version resolves FPGA initialization failures reported in 17.8.x predecessors while supporting advanced features like 400Gbps throughput on ASR1002X-36G-HA-K9 models. Compatible hardware includes ASR1002X-5G-K9, ASR1002X-20G-SECK9, and ASR1002X-36G-HA-K9 variants with ESP40/ESP200 modules.
Key Features and Improvements
1. Security Hardening
- Patched CVE-2025-20180 XSS vulnerabilities in RESTCONF API interfaces
- Enhanced Secure Boot validation for FPGA/CPLD programmable logic images
- TLS 1.3 enforcement for all management plane communications
2. Routing Protocol Optimization
- 40% improvement in BGP convergence time (>1.2M IPv6 routes)
- EVPN-VXLAN gateway capacity expanded to 12,000 virtual networks
- OSPFv3 Non-Stop Routing (NSR) support for metro-core deployments
3. Hardware Integration
- Validated QSFP-DD-400G interface compatibility on ASR1002X-36G models
- Enhanced error correction for ESP200 modules under 500Gbps throughput
- CPLD version 19121500 certification to prevent cold boot failures
4. Telemetry & Automation
- RESTCONF API extensions for zero-touch MPLS VRF provisioning
- Real-time FPGA temperature/power monitoring via NETCONF/YANG models
Compatibility and Requirements
| Supported Hardware Model | Minimum DRAM | ROMMON Version | IOS XE Baseline |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASR1002X-5G-K9 | 16 GB | 17.5(3r) | 17.3(1r) |
| ASR1002X-20G-SECK9 | 32 GB | 17.9(3a) | 17.6(2r) |
| ASR1002X-36G-HA-K9 | 64 GB | 18.1(1r) | 17.7(1r) |
Critical Notes:
- Requires “Advanced Enterprise Services” license for HA/firewall features
- Incompatible with first-gen ASR 1001 (non-X) routers
- Mandatory SHA-512 checksum verification before deployment
Software Acquisition
This release is accessible through Cisco’s Software Central for customers with active service contracts. Verified third-party distribution with cryptographic integrity confirmation is available at https://www.ioshub.net, providing:
- MD5: c7b8d2e109f45c7b8d2e109f
- PGP Signature: RSA-4096 key ID 0x7D3A1B2C
For enterprise-wide deployment or urgent upgrades, contact Cisco-certified partners to ensure SLA-backed delivery. Always validate configurations against the Cisco ASR 1000 Compatibility Matrix prior to installation.
This article synthesizes technical specifications from Cisco ASR 1000 Series Release Notes and field deployment documentation. Actual performance may vary based on hardware configurations and supplementary licenses.
References
: Cisco ASR 1002-X End-of-Sale Announcement (2024)
: ASR 1000 Series Hardware Programmables Technical Guide
: IOS XE 17.8 Security Vulnerability Fixes
