Overview
This section explains NX-OS software optionality, highlighting modular package management and how this capabily delivers flexibility, a leaner footprint, and asynchronous feature delivery.
Optionality is a feature in NX-OS software that
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uses modular packages for selective feature upgrades
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supports both base and full modes, and
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enables independent upgrade or removal of optional RPMs without service disruption.
Beginning with NXOS Release 9.2(1), NX-OS software image supports modular package management. NX-OS software now provides flexibility to add, remove, and upgrade the features selectively without changing the base NX-OS software.
Using modular NX-OS software provides several advantages:
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Leaner NX-OS software
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Asynchronous delivery of the features and the fixes—provide quick fixes that are independent of the releases, including new features
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Reduced footprint of binaries and libraries at run time
Modes
NX-OS software is provisioned to boot the NX-OS software in two modes as described in the illustration:
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Base NX-OS mode
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Full NX-OS mode
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Base NX-OS mode contains:
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Upgradable mandatory packages
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Patchable packages
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Full NX-OS mode contains:
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Upgradable optional packages
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Upgradable mandatory packages
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Patchable packages
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The default mode is full NX-OS mode.
In base NX-OS mode, basic Layer 2 and Layer 3 features are available. All dynamic routing features (for example, BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, and ISIS ) and other optional feature RPMs are not available by default. You have to install the optional feature RPMs on top of the base image.
In full NX-OS mode, all feature RPMs are installed during boot time when Ethernet plugin is activated by the plug-in manager. There is no change in the user behavior as compared to the previous releases.