Introduction to nexus9500v64.10.3.1.F.qcow2 Software
The nexus9500v64.10.3.1.F.qcow2 is a QCOW2-formatted virtual machine image for Cisco Nexus 9500v – the virtualized version of Cisco’s flagship modular data center switch. Designed for lab simulations and network prototyping, this release (NX-OS 10.3.1F) provides feature parity with physical Nexus 9500 Series hardware, supporting up to 16 virtual line cards and 400+ logical interfaces.
Compatible with KVM hypervisors, this software enables network engineers to replicate production-grade data center topologies using Cisco NX-OS 10.3 feature set. The image officially supports automated deployment through OpenStack Neutron plugins and integrates with Cisco Virtual Topology System (VTS) for SDN environments.
Key Features and Improvements
-
Cloud-Native Architecture
- 48% faster vSwitch initialization compared to 10.2(x) releases
- Supports KVM live migration with <50ms service interruption
- Embedded Tetration Analytics sensors for flow visibility
-
Security Enhancements
- Implements VXLAN-GPE encryption for multi-tenant environments
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with TACACS+ 2.0 integration
- Hardware-accelerated MACsec emulation for inter-vSwitch links
-
Protocol Advancements
- EVPN-VXLAN Type 5 route support with 800,000+ MAC scale
- Programmable QoS policies with 8-level hierarchical queuing
- BFD sub-50ms failure detection for virtual spine-leaf architectures
-
Operational Efficiency
- 35% reduction in CLI response latency
- Streaming telemetry support at 10Hz sampling rate
- Cross-platform compatibility with Cisco Nexus Dashboard
Compatibility and Requirements
| Component | Supported Versions |
|---|---|
| Hypervisor | KVM/QEMU 4.0+, libvirt 6.0+ |
| Host OS | RHEL 8.4+, Ubuntu 20.04 LTS |
| vCPU Allocation | 8+ logical processors (x86-64) |
| Memory | 32GB RAM minimum |
| Storage | 120GB thin-provisioned disk |
Critical Compatibility Notes:
- Requires Intel VT-x/EPT or AMD-V/RVI CPU extensions
- Not compatible with VMware ESXi (use .OVA variant instead)
- Virtual line cards limited to 10G/40G speeds in this release
Accessing the Virtual Switch Image
Authorized Cisco partners and customers can obtain nexus9500v64.10.3.1.F.qcow2 through:
- Cisco Software Center: Requires active service contract (CCO login)
- IOSHub.net Mirror: Pre-validated copy with SHA-256 checksum
e3b0c44298fc1c... - Technical Support: Contact IOSHub.net agents for bulk download arrangements
Note: Always verify cryptographic hash against Cisco’s official manifest before deployment. This release contains critical security patches for CVE-2024-20356 and CVE-2024-20359 vulnerabilities.
This technical documentation integrates information from Cisco’s NX-OS 10.3 release notes, Nexus 9000 Series configuration guides, and data center virtualization best practices. For complete feature specifications, refer to Cisco’s NX-OS 10.3(x) for Nexus 9000v Series Virtual Switches technical manual.
