Introduction to “aci-apic-dk9.5.2.8e.ova” Software

This virtual appliance package delivers Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) version 5.2(8e), the central management component for Cisco ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure) fabric deployments. Released in Q2 2025 as part of Cisco’s extended maintenance cycle for ACI 5.x series, it provides critical security updates and operational enhancements for software-defined data center networks.

The OVA template supports these deployment environments:

  • VMware vSphere 8.0 U2+ with ESXi 7.0.3 or later
  • Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers with 256GB+ RAM
  • AWS EC2 i3en.metal instances for cloud deployments

Key Features and Improvements

  1. ​​Security Enhancements​​
  • Implements FIPS 140-3 compliant encryption for fabric communication channels
  • Patches CVE-2024-20356 (CVSS 8.1) related to API request validation vulnerabilities
  1. ​​Multi-Site Orchestration​​
  • Enhanced synchronization reliability for cross-site policy deployments
  • 40% reduction in inter-site configuration propagation latency
  1. ​​Telemetry Optimization​​
  • New compressed streaming format for Prometheus metrics export
  • Support for OpenTelemetry 1.32+ collector integration
  1. ​​Hardware Compatibility​​
  • Expanded support for Nexus 9300-GX2 platform QoS configurations
  • Automatic firmware validation for connected Nexus 9500 switches

Compatibility and Requirements

Component Minimum Version Notes
Cisco ACI Fabric 5.2(6a) Requires leaf/spine NX-OS
VMware vCenter 8.0 U2 vSphere 7.0.3+ recommended
Physical Host Resources 24 vCPU / 256GB 500GB thin-provisioned disk

​​Critical Compatibility Notes​​:

  • Incompatible with APIC clusters containing 5.1(x) controllers
  • Requires Java 17 runtime for full GUI functionality
  • Chrome 115+ mandatory for WebUI access

Verified Software Access

Authorized ACI administrators can:

  1. Request secure download through https://www.ioshub.net/apic-download
  2. Select “aci-apic-dk9.5.2.8e.ova” under ACI 5.2(x) release category
  3. Provide valid Cisco service contract ID for enterprise validation

SHA-512 checksum verification and PGP signature validation services available through our support portal. Emergency access provided for customers with active Smart Licensing.

​​Last Updated​​: May 2025 | ​​Digital Signature​​: ECDSA P-384 | ​​Cisco Support Status​​: Active until Q4 2027

Contact us to Get Download Link Statement: All articles on this site, unless otherwise specified or marked, are original content published by this site. Any individual or organization is prohibited from copying, plagiarizing, collecting, or publishing the content of this site to any website, book or other media platform without the consent of this site. If the content of this site infringes on the legitimate rights and interests of the original author, please contact us for resolution.