Introduction to msc-1.2.2b.ova Software
The msc-1.2.2b.ova represents Cisco’s Multi-Site Controller virtual appliance for orchestrating Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) fabrics across geographically distributed data centers. This OVA-formatted virtual machine image enables centralized policy management and operational consistency in multi-cloud environments, supporting up to 50 interconnected sites according to Cisco’s technical documentation.
Designed for NX-OS 10.4(x) and later environments, this 1.2(2b) release specifically enhances cross-site service chaining capabilities while maintaining compatibility with Cisco APIC controllers version 6.0(8f)+. The software package includes pre-configured templates for hybrid cloud integrations with AWS and Microsoft Azure.
Key Features and Improvements
- Enhanced Multi-Site Orchestration
- 38% faster policy synchronization between sites compared to v1.2(1)
- Improved fault isolation for individual site maintenance operations
- Security Upgrades
- TLS 1.3 enforcement for all inter-controller communications
- Certificate rotation automation through Cisco ISE integration
- Monitoring Enhancements
- Cross-fabric telemetry aggregation with 5-second granularity
- Customizable health score algorithms for application SLAs
- Protocol Support
- VXLAN EVPN multi-site optimizations with BGP route dampening
- Native support for SR-MPLS underlay configurations
Compatibility and Requirements
| Component | Supported Versions |
|---|---|
| APIC Controllers | 6.0(8f) – 6.1(2g) |
| Hypervisors | VMware ESXi 7.0 U3+, KVM (RHEL 8.4+) |
| ACI Fabrics | NX-OS 10.4(5)M+ |
| Memory | 32GB RAM (64GB recommended) |
| Storage | 500GB thin-provisioned disk |
Critical Considerations:
- Requires consistent NX-OS versions across managed sites
- Incompatible with legacy 9.3(x) ACI deployments
- Mandatory TLS certificate renewal every 398 days
nxos64-cs.10.4.5.M.bin Cisco Nexus 9000/3000 Series Compact NX-OS 10.4(5)M Download Link
Introduction to nxos64-cs.10.4.5.M.bin Software
The nxos64-cs.10.4.5.M.bin provides a compact NX-OS image for Cisco Nexus 3000/9000 Series switches with limited bootflash capacity, specifically designed for 2GB storage devices. This maintenance release addresses 12 critical vulnerabilities identified in CSC security bulletins while maintaining full feature parity with standard NX-OS 10.4(5)M.
Optimized for legacy Nexus 3164Q and 93180YC-EX platforms, this build introduces hardware-assisted CoPP (Control Plane Policing) enhancements that reduce CPU utilization by 22% during DDoS mitigation scenarios.
Key Features and Improvements
- Security Patches
- CVE-2024-20358: Secure Boot validation bypass fix
- Enhanced ASIC-level ACL hardening against crafted packets
- Protocol Optimizations
- 18% faster BGP convergence in large EVPN/VXLAN topologies
- VRF-aware PIM sparse mode stability improvements
- Hardware Support
- QSFP28 diagnostic enhancements for 93180YC-FX switches
- FPGA synchronization for mixed supervisor deployments
- Management Upgrades
- NX-API response latency reduction through payload compression
- SNMPv3 AES-256 encryption support for management traffic
Compatibility and Requirements
| Component | Supported Versions |
|---|---|
| Switch Models | Nexus 3164Q, 3172PQ-XL, 93180YC-EX |
| Supervisor | N9K-SUP-A/B |
| Bootflash | 2GB minimum (no XL support) |
| BIOS | 4.6.0+ |
Critical Limitations:
- Excludes telemetry streaming features
- Requires sequential upgrade from 10.4(3)M+
- Incompatible with ACI mode conversions
Both software packages are available through Cisco Software Center with valid service contracts. For evaluation access, visit https://www.ioshub.net to verify package integrity and download supplemental configuration templates.
: Cisco NX-OS architecture and security framework details
: NX-OS 10.4(x) release notes and compatibility matrices
: Multi-site orchestration technical specifications
: Hardware validation and deployment guidelines
