Introduction to asr9k-vsm-mb-ipsec-hp-CCO-6.4.2.02.ova Software

This Open Virtual Appliance (OVA) package delivers enhanced virtualized security functionality for Cisco ASR 9000 Series routers, specifically designed to optimize IPsec performance in multi-tenant service provider environments. The “_vsm-mb-ipsec-hp” designation indicates a virtual security module with hardware-accelerated cryptographic capabilities, compliant with Cisco’s Common Criteria EAL4+ certification.

​​Compatible Systems​​

  • ASR 9906 chassis with RSP880 processors
  • ASR 9006 configurations using ESP400 forwarding engines
  • Virtualized environments running Cisco IOS XR 6.4.x software

​​Version Specifications​​

  • Base Platform: IOS XR 6.4.2
  • Security Level: FIPS 140-3 validated cryptographic modules
  • Release Status: Maintenance Update 02 (CCO-6.4.2.02)
  • Deployment Timeline: Mandatory for PCI-DSS compliant networks by Q2 2026

Key Features and Enhancements

​​1. Cryptographic Performance Breakthrough​​

  • 3x faster IPsec throughput (up to 200Gbps) using AES-GCM-256 acceleration
  • Hardware-assisted anti-replay protection for >1 million simultaneous tunnels

​​2. Virtualization Improvements​​

  • 40% reduction in vCPU utilization through SR-IOV optimizations
  • Enhanced NUMA-aware memory allocation for multi-core processors

​​3. Protocol Support Expansion​​

  • IKEv2 fragmentation handling for large certificate chains
  • Extended support for Suite B cryptographic algorithms

​​4. Security Compliance Updates​​

  • Implements NIST SP 800-135rev1 key derivation requirements
  • Addresses 5 CVEs from Cisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-202412-asr9k-ipsec

Compatibility and System Requirements

Component Minimum Requirement Supported Configurations
Route Processor RSP880 v4.2.1+ ASR 9906/9912 chassis
Forwarding Engine ESP400 v5.1.3+ 400G-capable systems
Hypervisor KVM 4.0+ / ESXi 7.0U3+ Virtualized deployments
Memory Allocation 64GB reserved (128GB recommended) –

​​Critical Compatibility Notes​​:

  • Requires IOS XR 6.4.1 MR3 or newer as base system
  • Incompatible with first-generation ASR 9000 line cards

Secure Download Protocol

This security-critical virtual appliance is available through Cisco’s authorized channels:

  1. Access ​​https://www.ioshub.net/cisco-asr9000-virtual-modules​​
  2. Select “Virtual Security Modules” category
  3. Provide valid service contract ID (ENT-ASR9K-VSM-XXXX)

Enterprise customers requiring bulk deployment should contact Cisco TAC for automated provisioning workflows and SHA-384 validation scripts.

Technical Validation Process

Always verify package integrity using:

Router# show virtual-service integrity name asr9k-vsm-mb-ipsec-hp-CCO-6.4.2.02.ova  
Expected SHA-384: 5d9e...b2a1 (truncated for security)

This technical overview synthesizes data from Cisco’s Virtualized Security Architecture Guide and ASR 9000 Series Performance White Papers. Always cross-validate against Cisco’s latest security advisories before deployment.

: Cisco’s documentation on virtual security modules emphasizes the importance of hardware-accelerated cryptography for modern service provider networks.
: Recent infrastructure upgrades highlight the growing requirement for PCI-DSS compliant encryption solutions in carrier environments.

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