Cisco Systems® announces new software release designations effective March 1, 2006, for new technology releases off of the Cisco® IOS® Software 12.2SX Major Release for the Cisco Catalyst® 6500 Series. This announcement provides clarity on software maintenance plans and does not change any Cisco standard end-of-life policies, located at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/products_end-of-life_policy.html. The Cisco standard end-of-life policy defines maintenance and support requirements for a major release, which for the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series is 12.2SX. The end-of-life policy does not specify how long bug-fix maintenance rebuilds can be expected on a new technology release such as 12.2(18)SXF on Major Release 12.2SX. Figure 1 shows the release numbering convention for Major Release 12.2SX.
Under current policy, after a new technology release becomes available on the same major release, bug fixes will generally not be applied to previous new technology releases. In order to get comprehensive bug fixes, customers must move to the latest new technology release.
As long as maintenance is offered under the Cisco end-of-life policies for a major release, bug fixes will continue to be applied to that release, but can only be expected to appear in the most recent new technology release of that major release. For example, for Cisco IOS Software Major Release 12.2SX, a move from Release 12.2(18)SXE to Release 12.2(18)SXF would have been required after Release 12.2(18)SXF became available in order to get bug fixes through rebuilds.
To allow customers to qualify, deploy, and remain on a new technology release for more than 6 to 12 months with active bug-fix maintenance plans, Cisco will now designate new technology releases on Major Release 12.2SX as either a standard maintenance release or extended maintenance release. A standard maintenance release will offer regular bug-fix maintenance rebuilds for 12 months, and an extended maintenance release will offer bug-fix maintenance rebuilds for 24 months.
Under the new policy, bug fixes can be expected in any new technology release that is in an active maintenance state as defined by the standard maintenance and extended maintenance release designator.
Figure 2 shows sample standard maintenance and extended maintenance releases and explains the new policy.
Figure 2. Timelines Showing Planned Release Maintenance Process
Standard Maintenance Release
• Ideal for latest feature and hardware support
• 12 months of critical fixes for bugs with no operational workaround or business affecting severity 1 and 2 issues
• 6 additional months of critical fix support for network affecting bugs such as Product Security Incident Report Team (PSIRT) issues (standard Cisco PSIRT policy will take precedence; see http://www.cisco.com/go/psirt)
The last date on which regular bug-fix maintenance rebuilds will be made available for this software release. After this date, a software upgrade to the next available release for supported products might be required for continued bug-fix maintenance.
+12 months
End of critical maintenance
The last date on which a critical fix rebuild (limited to network-affecting issues such as PSIRT advisories; see http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/products_security_advisories_listing.html) will be made available for this software release. After this date, a software upgrade to the next available release for supported products might be required for continued bug-fix maintenance or critical fixes. Standard Cisco PSIRT policy will take precedence; see http://www.cisco.com/go/psirt.
+6 months from end of standard maintenance date
Extended Maintenance Release
• Ideal for long-term maintenance support and also incorporating all the features and hardware support of previous standard maintenance and extended maintenance releases
• 24 months of regular maintenance rebuilds (approximately one every 3 months) with fixes for critical severity 1, 2, and 3 bugs
• 6 additional months of critical fixes support for network-affecting bugs such as PSIRT issues (standard Cisco PSIRT policy will take precedence; see http://www.cisco.com/go/psirt)
• Release will be safe harbor tested and certified
• 12 months of overlap with next extended maintenance release to allow for smooth transitions
• Release 12.2(18)SXF is the first extended maintenance release, with the 2-year clock starting on March 1, 2006
Table 2 lists extended maintenance release goals and dates for the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series.
Table 2. Extended Maintenance Release Goals and Dates for the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series
The last date on which regular bug-fix maintenance rebuilds will be made available for this software release. After this date, a software upgrade to the next available release for supported products might be required for continued bug-fix maintenance.
+24 months
End of critical maintenance
The last date on which a critical fix rebuild (limited to network-affecting issues such as PSIRT advisories; see http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/products_security_advisories_listing.html) will be made available for this software release. After this date, a software upgrade to the next available release for supported products might be required for continued bug-fix maintenance or critical fixes. Standard Cisco PSIRT policy will take precedence; see http://www.cisco.com/go/psirt.
+6 months from end of extended maintenance date
12.2(18) SXF Software Release
Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(18)SXF for the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series is the first to receive these new designations and is defined as an extended maintenance release. Also, as a special exception, SXF release is granted an extra 12 months of maintenance extenstion over and above the stipulated 24 months for a regular extended maintenance release.Table 3 provides the goals and dates for Extended Maintenance Release 12.2(18)SXF.
Table 3. Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(18)SXF Goals and Dates as the First Extended Maintenance Release
Goal
Date
Posting to Software Download Center
March, 2006*
*Note that this start date is more recent than the date Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(18)SXF was first posted to the Software Download Center in order to more closely align with the publication of this document.
End of extended maintenance
March, 2009
End of critical maintenance
August, 2009
All Cisco Catalyst 6500 systems running previous releases of 12.2SX such as 12.2(17)SXB or 12.2(18)SXE should be migrated to Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(18)SXF in order to get regular bug-fix maintenance rebuilds until the end of extended maintenance date.
12.2(33)SXH Software Release
Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(33)SXH for the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series is available to customers and is also an extended maintenance software release. 12.2(33)SXH is granted an extra 12 months of maintenance extension over and above the stipulated 24 months for a regular extended maintenance release. Table 4 provides the goals and dates for Extended Maintenance Release 12.2(33)SXH.
Table 4. Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(33)SXH Goals and Dates as the next Extended Maintenance Release
Goal
Date
Posting to Software Download Center
August, 2007
End of extended maintenance
August , 2010
End of critical maintenance
February, 2011
12.2(33)SXI Software Release
Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(33)SXI for the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series is available to customers and is an extended maintenance software release. Table 5 provides the goals and dates for Extended Maintenance Release 12.2(33)SXI.
Table 5. Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(33)SXI Goals and Dates as the next Extended Maintenance Release
Goal
Date
Posting to Software Download Center
November, 2008
End of extended maintenance
November, 2010
End of critical maintenance
May, 2011
Standard Maintenance and Extended Maintenance Release Identification
At the time of initial posting to the Software Download Center, the product bulletin and release notes for a new release will be updated to indicate whether it is designated as a standard maintenance release or an extended maintenance release. Note that the "Posting to Software Download Center" date is effective on the initial new technology release posting for all subsequent rebuilds on that release. For example, the "Posting to Software Download Center" date for Release 12.2SXH5 will be the date Release 12.2SXH is first posted to the Cisco Software Download Center Website. Therefore, the standard maintenance and extended maintenance designations and dates only apply to the first build of a new technology release, such as 12.2SXH, and all subsequent rebuilds will be subject to the same policy and dates.
