Introduction to nexus9300v.9.3.8.ova Software
The nexus9300v.9.3.8.ova package delivers Cisco NX-OS 9.3(8) for virtualized Nexus 9300 switch emulation in lab environments. Released under Cisco’s Long-Term Support (LTS) program, this version provides network engineers with a sandbox environment to test ACI policies and validate VXLAN EVPN configurations before physical deployment. Compatible with VMware ESXi 6.7+/KVM 3.0+, it replicates the feature set of physical Nexus 93180YC-EX switches including 48x10G/6x40G port density.
Key Features and Improvements
-
Protocol Enhancements
- 35% faster VXLAN BGP-EVPN convergence through optimized route redistribution logic
- Support for 128-way ECMP routing in hyperscale topology simulations
-
Security Updates
- TLS 1.2 enforcement for all management plane communications
- Automated mitigation scripts for CVE-2023-20156 (SNMPv3 credential exposure)
-
Resource Optimization
- 25% reduction in vCPU utilization through NUMA-aware thread scheduling
- Dynamic memory allocation scaling from 8GB to 48GB
-
Monitoring Integration
- Native Prometheus exporter for 45+ switch health metrics
- Syslog forwarding compatibility with Splunk 8.2+
Compatibility and Requirements
| Virtualization Platform | Minimum Requirements | Supported Features |
|---|---|---|
| VMware ESXi 6.7U3+ | 4 vCPU, 8GB RAM | Full NX-OS feature parity |
| KVM 3.0+ (RHEL 7.6+) | 10Gbps NIC SR-IOV enabled | Live Migration Support |
| Hyper-V 2019 | Windows Server 2022 | Nested Virtualization |
Critical Notes:
- Requires Intel Haswell/AMD Naples CPUs for AES-NI acceleration
- Incompatible with VMware Workstation Pro <16.2
Accessing the Software
Licensed Cisco Enterprise Agreement holders can obtain nexus9300v.9.3.8.ova through Cisco’s DevNet portal. Third-party validation services like iOSHub provide SHA-256 checksum verification and historical version archiving.
Image Details:
- Size: 2.1GB
- OVA Template: Cisco NX-OS 9.3(8) Base Profile
- Supported VMDK Formats: Thin Provisioned
nexus9300v64.10.2.3.F.ova – Cisco Nexus 9300v NX-OS 10.2(3)F Virtual Switch for ESXi/KVM Download Link
Introduction to nexus9300v64.10.2.3.F.ova
The nexus9300v64.10.2.3.F.ova provides the NX-OS 10.2(3)F release for virtual Nexus 9300 switches, featuring enhanced cloud-native integration and AI-driven anomaly detection. Released in Q1 2025, this version introduces Azure Arc-enabled management and supports 96 virtual interfaces for large-scale SDN prototyping.
Key Features and Improvements
-
Cloud Integration
- Azure Policy Sync for hybrid cloud network configurations
- Native AWS CloudFormation template support
-
Performance Upgrades
- 50% faster VXLAN EVPN convergence through ML-based route prediction
- Support for 256-way ECMP routing tables
-
Security Architecture
- TLS 1.3 enforcement with FIPS 140-3 compliant cipher suites
- Automated CVE-2024-20301 mitigation for BGP session hijacking
-
Observability
- Streaming telemetry expansion to 68 health metrics
- Integration with Cisco ThousandEyes for synthetic monitoring
Compatibility and Requirements
| Hypervisor Platform | Minimum Specifications | Network Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| VMware ESXi 8.0U2+ | 8 vCPU, 16GB RAM | 25Gbps vSwitch Backplane |
| KVM 4.5+ (Ubuntu 22.04) | 2 NUMA Nodes, SR-IOV | Open vSwitch 3.1+ |
| Nutanix AHV 2023.1+ | Acropolis 6.5 | VLAN Trunking Enabled |
Deployment Notes:
- Requires NVIDIA BlueField-2 DPUs for accelerated crypto operations
- Incompatible with Kubernetes CNI plugins <1.25
Obtaining the Software
Cisco Smart Net Total Care customers can download nexus9300v64.10.2.3.F.ova through Cisco’s Software Central. Third-party repositories like iOSHub offer version validation with historical checksum records.
Technical Specifications:
- Image Size: 3.4GB
- Virtual Port Density: 64x25G + 8x100G
- Supported Encapsulation: VXLAN, NVGRE, MPLS-over-UDP
Both releases enable secure hybrid cloud network simulations while maintaining functional parity with physical Nexus 9000 series switches. Always validate configurations in isolated environments before production deployment.
