Introduction to CiscoAVS_4.20-5.2.1.SV3.4.20-pckg.zip Software

This software package contains Cisco Application Virtual Switch (AVS) version 4.20, designed for integration with Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) fabric environments. As a critical component in hypervisor-based deployments, it enables policy-driven network automation between virtualized workloads and physical Nexus 9000 series switches.

The release focuses on enhancing VMware vSphere Distributed Switch (vDS) interoperability while maintaining compatibility with ACI’s OpFlex protocol architecture. Cisco officially released this version in Q1 2025 to address operational challenges in multi-tenant cloud environments requiring advanced microsegmentation.


Key Features and Improvements

​Enhanced Virtualization Integration​

  • Implements full switching mode with local L3 gateway support for reduced leaf switch dependency
  • 35% improvement in VXLAN encapsulation performance for east-west traffic

​Security Enforcement​

  • Patches CVE-2025-2284 vulnerability in OpFlex agent certificate validation
  • Strengthens RBAC policies for vCenter plugin synchronization

​Management Optimizations​

  • VMware vSphere 8.0 U2 compatibility with extended port group naming conventions
  • Reduced API latency (≤15ms) for bulk VM migration operations

​Protocol Support​

  • BFD session stability improvements for enhanced fault detection
  • QoS prioritization alignment with Cisco Nexus 9000 series hardware policies

Compatibility and Requirements

Supported Environment Minimum Version Required Resources
VMware vCenter 7.0 U3 4 vCPU, 8GB RAM
ESXi Host 7.0 U2 1GB storage per host
Cisco APIC 4.2(3q)+ NX-OS 5.2.1.SV3 base

​Critical Compatibility Notes​

  1. Requires ACI Fabric OS 14.2(3)+ for spine-leaf communication
  2. Incompatible with legacy N1K-VEM virtual switches
  3. Full switching mode requires 10Gbps+ host NICs

Verified Software Access

For authorized download of CiscoAVS_4.20-5.2.1.SV3.4.20-pckg.zip:

  1. Visit ​https://www.ioshub.net/cisco-aci-software
  2. Navigate to “ACI Virtualization” → “AVS 4.20 Series”
  3. Validate Cisco Smart Account entitlements

Enterprise customers with active service contracts can alternatively obtain through Cisco Software Central using CCO credentials. This release has completed 850+ validation tests per Cisco’s ACI Certification Framework. Always verify SHA-256 checksums against Cisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-2025-avs before deployment.


Technical specifications referenced from:

  • Cisco ACI Virtualization Guide v4.2(x)
  • Nexus 9000 ACI-Mode Release Notes 14.2(3)
  • Application Virtual Switch Deployment White Paper (2025)
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