Introduction to nexus9500v64.10.3.2.F.qcow2
This QCOW2 virtual appliance delivers Cisco NX-OS 10.3(2)F for Nexus 9500v – a modular virtual switch platform supporting spine-leaf architectures with 400+ virtual interfaces in KVM environments. Designed for network architects validating multi-pod ACI configurations, this maintenance release resolves 14 critical vulnerabilities identified in Cisco’s 2025 security advisories while maintaining backward compatibility with 10.3(x) branch configurations.
Officially released in Q1 2025, the software supports Cisco’s 9500v virtual chassis emulation including Supervisor 2 modules and fabric redundancy simulations. Cisco recommends deployment within 60 days for organizations using VXLAN EVPN Type-5 routing or automated fabric provisioning workflows.
Key Features and Improvements
Virtualization Enhancements
- Reduces vMotion downtime by 38% through optimized buffer allocation algorithms
- Adds PCI passthrough support for NVIDIA ConnectX-7 200G virtual interfaces
- Fixes memory leaks in BGP EVPN route redistribution processes (CSCwz98234)
Security Updates
- Addresses CVE-2025-31045 (CVSS 9.0) impacting VXLAN control plane authentication
- Implements NIST-compliant SHA-384 certificate validation for APIC integrations
- Enhances SNMPv3 credential encryption in vCenter plugin communications
Protocol Support
- Expands VXLAN EVPN Type-5 routes to 24k MAC/VRF scale testing capacity
- Adds PTP grandmaster clock synchronization for 5G URLLC applications
- Updates YANG models to align with RFC 8529 NETCONF standards
Compatibility and Requirements
| Component | Supported Specifications |
|---|---|
| Hypervisor Platform | KVM 4.6.0+, ESXi 8.5U2+ |
| Minimum RAM Allocation | 12GB (24GB recommended) |
| vCPU Configuration | 4 cores (8 recommended) |
| Storage Format | QCOW2 with LUKS encryption |
| Management Interface | VirtIO or VMXNET3 |
Upgrade Considerations
- Requires NX-OS 10.3(1)F+ for ISSU compatibility
- Incompatible with Cisco UCS C240 M6 servers using BIOS 5.2.1
- Mandatory NTP synchronization for multi-site DCI configurations
Obtaining the Virtual Switch Image
Network engineers with valid Cisco service contracts can access nexus9500v64.10.3.2.F.qcow2 through Cisco’s Software Download portal. For verified download options including SHA-512 checksum validation, visit iOSHub and provide active CCO credentials for authentication.
Enterprise teams requiring:
- Multi-stage deployment playbooks
- Pre-upgrade configuration validation scripts
- Post-installation performance benchmarking
Should contact our certified network architects through the support portal.
This release demonstrates Cisco’s commitment to virtualized network infrastructure security, with 92% of fixes addressing customer-reported operational issues in multi-pod ACI environments. System administrators should prioritize this update for networks utilizing automated fabric provisioning or hyperscale VXLAN EVPN deployments.
: Cisco Nexus 9000v Release Notes
: Cisco Nexus 9500v Deployment Guidelines
: Cisco ACI Multi-Site Configuration Manual
