PB448258
Revised: June 25, 2009
Introduction
This product bulletin describes the end-of-sale and end-of-life (EoL) guidelines for Cisco IOS® XE Software on the Cisco® ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Router.
Cisco IOS XE Software is a time-based release as opposed to a feature-based release. Consequently, these end-of-sale and EoL guidelines of the Cisco IOS XE Software differ from the guidelines of other traditional Cisco IOS Software releases. This product bulletin outlines these differences and describes the standard end-of-sale and EoL milestones.
Cisco IOS XE Software Release
Cisco is introducing a new software release and a specific EoL guidelines with the introduction of the first Cisco IOS XE Software release. Cisco IOS XE Software provides for more frequent releases and quicker obsolescence of individual software releases, enabling Cisco to introduce a greater number of stable IOS XE Software releases with fewer new features in each release. As a result, the customer release qualification time of each release may be reduced.
The architecture of the Cisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Router is designed with In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) capabilities. End users can usually perform hitless software upgrades while the system is in service.
The Cisco IOS XE Software releases are time-based, each with a fixed release date, as opposed to feature-based releases, with a variable release date. The schedule specifies three individual software releases at 4-month intervals within a 12-month cycle.
Cisco IOS XE Software Support
Each Cisco IOS XE software release is classified as either a Standard-Support or Extended-Support release. A Standard-Support release has a sustaining support lifetime of one year from FCS with two scheduled rebuilds. These rebuilds are typically released at an eight (8) week and a ten (10) week interval after First-Customer-Ship (FCS) of the affected IOS XE software release.
The Extended-Support release provides a sustaining support lifetime of two years from FCS with four scheduled rebuilds. The first two of these rebuilds are released at an eight (8) week and a ten (10) week interval after FCS of the subject IOS XE software release while the second two rebuilds are released at a sixteen (16) week interval thereafter.
Cisco makes no commitment to introduce software fixes to the affected IOS XE Software release after the final planned rebuild release.
Software issues found after the final rebuild release will be fixed in a subsequent major IOS XE Software releases until the End of Software Maintenance Support (EoSWM) milestone. An exception may arise to address mission-critical, high-severity software fixes and security vulnerabilities which may result in an additional rebuild release after the final scheduled rebuild date (but before the EoSWM milestone) on an as-needed basis at the discression of Cisco. No software fixes will be introduced to the affected IOS XE software release after the EoSWM milestone.
After the EoSWM milestone, the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) will provide customer support on the affected IOS XE Software release within the guidelines set by existing Cisco EoL policies at the EoSW milestone.
Cisco IOS XE Software Release Schedule
Cisco IOS XE Software releases 2.1 through 2.3 are Standard-Support releases. Release 2.4 is the first Extended-Support release. After release 2.4, every third IOS XE Software release will be an Extended-Support release. Table 1 defines the support models used by each of the IOS XE Software releases through Release 2.13.
Table 1. Cisco IOS XE Software Release Support
|
Support Model |
IOS XE Release |
|
Standard-Support |
2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 2.8, 2.9, 2.11, 2.12 |
|
Extended-Support |
2.4, 2.7, 2.10, 2.13 |
End-of-Sale and End-of-Life Guideline Definition
The Cisco IOS XE Software's end-of-sale and EoL guidelines have pre-set time intervals for each of the EoL milestones. These time intervals are based on the support model of the affected Cisco IOS XE Software version. Table 2 summarizes the end-of-sale and EoL milestones for Cisco IOS XE Software releases.
Table 2. Cisco IOS XE Software End-of-Sale and End-of-Life Milestones by Release
* An additional rebuild release may be released after the final rebuild date to address mission-critical, high-severity software fixes and security vulnerabilities (before the EoSWM date) on an as-needed basis at the discretion of Cisco Systems, Inc.
The Cisco IOS XE Software end-of-sale and End of Software Maintenance Support (EoSWM) timeline for Standard-Support releases shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Cisco ASR 1000 Series Router Standard-Support Software End-of-Life Timeline
The Cisco IOS XE Software end-of-sale and End of Software Maintenance Support (EoSWM) timeline for Extended-Support releases shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Cisco ASR 1000 Series Router Extended-Support Software End-of-Life Timeline
Upgrade Paths
Customers are encouraged to migrate to one of the Extended-Support releases (Cisco IOS XE Software release 2.4,2.7, 2.10, 2.13, etc.) when the release becomes available with appropriate features for the applications.
Customer Notifications
Cisco will issue individual EoL bulletins for each software release affected by an EoL plan. Standard-Support releases will have an EoL announcement published at FCS. Extended-Support releases will have an EoL announcement published six months after FCS.
Cisco Services
Cisco offers a wide range of services programs to accelerate customer success. These innovative services programs are delivered through a unique combination of resources, processes, tools, and partners, resulting in high levels of customer satisfaction. Cisco services help you protect your network investment, optimize network operations, and prepare your network for new applications to extend network intelligence and the power of your business. For more information about Cisco Services, refer to Cisco Technical Support Services at: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/svcs/ps3034/serv_category_home.html or Cisco Advanced Services at: http://www.cisco.com/go/services.
For More Information
Please refer to product bulletin PB448387, "Cisco IOS XE Software for Cisco ASR 1000 Series Routers", for more information about the overall software release strategy for the Cisco ASR 1000 Series products.
For more information about the Cisco ASR 1000 Series Routers, visit http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps9343/index.html or contact your local Cisco account manager.
For information about Cisco service and support programs and benefits, visit: http://www.cisco.com/public/Support_root.shtml.