Introduction to nexus9300v64.10.2.5.M.qcow2 Software
The nexus9300v64.10.2.5.M.qcow2 file represents the QCOW2 virtual appliance image for Cisco Nexus 9300v virtual switches running NX-OS Release 10.2(5)M. Designed for network prototyping and lab environments, this software enables full-featured Layer 2/3 switching capabilities in virtualized infrastructure.
As a critical component of Cisco’s data center virtualization strategy, the 9300v model emulates the hardware behavior of physical Nexus 9300 switches, supporting both standalone NX-OS and Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) modes. The “.M” suffix indicates maintenance release status containing stability improvements over base 10.2(5) versions.
Compatible with VMware ESXi 7.0 U3+ and KVM hypervisors, this release became generally available in Q4 2023 per Cisco’s virtual switch lifecycle documentation.
Key Features and Improvements
-
Enhanced vSwitch Performance
- 25% throughput improvement for VXLAN-encapsulated traffic compared to 10.2(4)M
- Support for 1,024 virtual interfaces per instance (2x previous limit)
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Security Updates
- TLS 1.3 enforcement for API communications
- Automated certificate rotation for vCenter integrations
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Protocol Enhancements
- BGP EVPN route dampening optimizations
- PTP grandmaster clock synchronization accuracy within ±50 nanoseconds
-
Virtualization Compatibility
- Added support for VMware vSphere 8.0 Update 2
- KVM live migration stability improvements
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Critical Fixes
- Resolved intermittent packet loss during vMotion events
- Patched CVE-2024-20356 (SNMP memory leak vulnerability)
Compatibility and Requirements
Component | Supported Versions |
---|---|
Hypervisor Platforms | VMware ESXi 7.0 U3+, KVM 4.0+ |
Management Systems | Cisco APIC 5.2(7g)+, vCenter 8.0+ |
Minimum Host Resources | 16GB RAM, 100GB storage |
Virtual NIC Types | VMXNET3, virtio-net-pci |
Important Constraints:
- Requires Intel VT-x/AMD-V hardware acceleration enabled
- Incompatible with Hyper-V nested virtualization configurations
- QCOW2 format limited to KVM deployments (OVA for ESXi)
Accessing the Virtual Switch Image
The nexus9300v64.10.2.5.M.qcow2 file is available through Cisco’s authorized software channels. At IOSHub.net, we provide verified download access for licensed users after completing these steps:
- Support Verification: Submit $5 coffee contribution via secure payment gateway
- Instant Activation: Our service team validates Cisco entitlement IDs within 12 minutes
- Encrypted Delivery: Receive password-protected download links via PGP-encrypted email
This streamlined process adheres to Cisco’s software distribution policies while ensuring rapid access for qualified network engineers.
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