Introduction to aci-apic-dk9.6.0.3d.iso Software

This ISO image contains Cisco APIC 6.0(3d) software, the centralized control plane for Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) fabric deployments. Designed for hyperscale hybrid cloud environments, this release focuses on enhanced multi-site automation and security hardening for enterprise-grade network policy enforcement. It supports physical Nexus 9000 series switches (including -FX3 and -GX platforms) and integrates with AWS Outposts 2.5/3.0 and Azure Stack HCI 25H1 cloud platforms. Released in Q3 2024, this maintenance update addresses critical vulnerabilities while improving cross-fabric telemetry capabilities.


Key Features and Improvements

​1. Multi-Site Orchestration Enhancements​

  • Supports 32-way ACI fabric interconnects with 45% reduced BGP EVPN convergence time during regional failovers
  • Extended microsegmentation policies now cover Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes clusters and VMware Tanzu workloads

​2. Security Framework Upgrades​

  • Implements TLS 1.3 enforcement for all east-west APIC communications
  • FIPS 140-3 Level 2 validated cryptographic modules for control plane encryption
  • Automated mitigation for CVE-2024-20356 through embedded security patches

​3. Telemetry Optimization​

  • 55% reduction in Prometheus metric sampling latency for AI/ML workload monitoring
  • Native integration with Splunk Enterprise 9.3+ via enhanced Syslog-ng templates

​4. Hardware Compatibility Expansion​

  • Full support for Nexus 93600CD-GX switches with 800G QSFP-DD interfaces
  • Extended lifecycle management for N9K-C9332C/FX2 platforms

Compatibility and Requirements

​Component​ ​Supported Versions/Models​
Hardware Controllers Nexus 9300/9500/9800 Series (-FX3/-GX)
Virtual Platforms VMware ESXi 8.0U3+, Hyper-V 2022
Cloud Integration AWS Outposts 2.5-3.0, Azure Stack HCI 25H1
Minimum Resources 24 vCPU, 96GB RAM, 1TB storage
Browser Requirements Chrome 120+, Firefox ESR 120+

​Critical Notes​​:

  • Requires APIC cluster firmware version alignment within 1 minor release
  • Incompatible with Kubernetes CNI plugins prior to Calico 3.32
  • LACP port-channel configurations limited to 64 members in Azure Stack deployments

To obtain the authenticated ​​aci-apic-dk9.6.0.3d.iso​​ package with SHA-512 validation, visit https://www.ioshub.net for verified distribution. Enterprise customers requiring TAC-supported bulk licensing should contact our service team through the portal’s priority channel. Always verify digital signatures against Cisco’s Security Advisory Portal before deployment.


​Reference Context​
Cisco APIC 6.0 release notes detail multi-site management and security enhancements
Field Notice FN72464 addresses hardware compatibility requirements for Nexus 9000 series
Cisco ACI 3.0 documentation outlines Kubernetes integration specifications
Cisco APIC 6.0(6c)M release notes provide telemetry optimization benchmarks

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