Introduction to nexus9500v64-lite.10.3.2.F.qcow2 Software
The nexus9500v64-lite.10.3.2.F.qcow2 is a production-ready virtual machine image for Cisco Nexus 9500v Series Virtual Switches, designed to replicate the feature-rich capabilities of physical Nexus 9000 Series hardware in cloud and virtualized environments. This QCOW2 format image enables software-defined networking (SDN) implementations with full Layer 2/Layer 3 protocol support, optimized for integration with hypervisors like VMware ESXi and KVM.
As part of Cisco’s Cloud Scale Architecture, this software version supports enterprise data center requirements including VXLAN EVPN, programmable APIs, and automated provisioning. The “lite” designation indicates a resource-optimized variant suitable for lab testing and small-scale deployments, requiring reduced memory and CPU allocations compared to full-scale production versions.
Key Features and Improvements
- Enhanced Virtualization Performance
- 35% reduction in vSwitch latency through optimized packet processing algorithms
- Support for VMware vSphere 8.0U2 and Red Hat OpenStack Platform 17.1
- Security Updates
- TLS 1.3 support for management plane communications
- PATCH method hardening in NX-API to prevent HTTP request smuggling vulnerabilities
- Protocol Enhancements
- BGP EVPN route scale increased to 500,000 paths
- VXLAN hardware-accelerated forwarding for improved multicast handling
- Management Improvements
- Simplified integration with Cisco Nexus Dashboard
- NETCONF/YANG 1.1 compliance for network automation
Compatibility and Requirements
| Category | Supported Specifications |
|---|---|
| Hypervisors | VMware ESXi 7.0+, KVM (RHEL 8.6+), Microsoft Hyper-V 2019 |
| Host Resources | 8 vCPUs, 16GB RAM, 20GB storage (minimum) |
| Physical Hardware | UCS C-Series M5/M6, HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10+ |
| Network Adapters | VMware vmxnet3, Intel 82599 Virtual Function |
| Management Platforms | Cisco DCNM 11.5+, Cisco Prime Infrastructure 3.10+ |
Known Compatibility Notes
- Requires BIOS virtualization extensions (VT-x/AMD-V) enabled
- Not compatible with Citrix Hypervisor (XenServer) platforms
- Limited to 40Gbps throughput in “lite” configuration mode
Accessing the Software
For authorized users with valid Cisco service contracts, the nexus9500v64-lite.10.3.2.F.qcow2 image can be obtained through Cisco’s Software Download portal. Third-party verified downloads with SHA-256 checksum verification are available through our partner platform at https://www.ioshub.net.
Technical support and licensing activation services can be coordinated through our certified network engineers. For bulk deployment inquiries or enterprise licensing agreements, contact our solutions team for customized deployment packages.
