Cisco Nexus 9000 Series NX-OS Software Upgrade and Downgrade Guide, Release 10.6(x)

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Software image

Updated: February 5, 2026

Overview

This section provides details about the NX-OS software image, which consolidates all necessary system components and outlines the support for disruptive upgrades, SMU package files, and EPLD handling across various Nexus 9000 Series switches.

The NX-OS software image is an image that

  • consolidates the necessary system components into one image,

  • includes a bundled EPLD image beginning with Release 10.5(3)F, and

  • uses a 64-bit format with different prefixes for supported Nexus platforms.

Each Nexus switch is shipped with the NX-OS software preinstalled. The NX-OS software consists of one NX-OS software image, and this image is required to load the NX-OS operating system.

Note

Beginning with Release 10.5(3)F, NX-OS no longer provides a separate EPLD image. The EPLD image is bundled with all NX-OS images, increasing image sizes. For more information, refer to Cisco Nexus 9000 Series FPGA/EPLD Upgrade Release Notes.

NX-OS Release 10.6(x) supports only 64-bit images, which include:

  • The 64-bit NX-OS image file name with nxos64-cs as the prefix (for example, nxos64-cs.10.5.3.F.bin) is supported on all Nexus 9000 series switches except Nexus 9500 -R and -R2 switches and line cards, Nexus 9800 switches, and N9364E-SG2 switches.

  • The 64-bit NX-OS image file name with nxos64-msll as the prefix (for example, nxos64-msll.10.5.3.F.bin) is supported only on Nexus 9500 Series -R and -R2 modular switches.

  • The64-bit NX-OS image file name with nxos64-s1 as the prefix (for example, nxos64-s1.10.5.3.bin) is mandatory on Nexus 9800 and N9364E-SG2 switches. This image is supported from NX-OS Release 10.5(1)F on Nexus 9800 switches and from 10.5(3)F on N9364E-SG2 switches.

  • The 64-bit NX-OS image file name with nxos64-s1-dpu as the prefix (for example, nxos64-s1-dpu.10.6.2.F.bin) is mandatory on N9324C-SE1U and N9348Y2C6D-SE1U Smart switches. This image is supported from NX-OS Release 10.6(2)F. Currently, these switches work in networking mode only.

    Note

    • Only disruptive upgrade is supported on the Smart switches.

    • Service-acceleration feature is not supported in 10.6(2)F.

The Nexus 9000 Series switches support disruptive software upgrades and downgrades by default.

For information about the supported upgrade paths, see the CiscoNexus 9000 and 3000 Upgrade and ISSU Matrix.

Note

  • Until NX-OS Release 10.5(2)F, we provided separate electronic programmable logic device (EPLD) image upgrades to enhance hardware functionality or to resolve known hardware issues. For more information on the EPLD image and the upgrade process, see the Cisco Nexus 9000 Series FPGA/EPLD Upgrade Release Notes.

  • Another type of binary file is the software maintenance upgrade (SMU) package file. SMUs contain fixes for specific defects. They are created to respond to immediate issues and do not include new features. SMU package files are available for download and generally include the ID number of the resolved defect in the filename (for example, n9000-dk10.1.1.CSCab00001.gbin ). For more information on SMUs, see the Cisco Nexus 9000 Series NX-OS System Management Configuration Guide.

EPLD image

The Nexus 9000 Series NX-OS mode switches contain several programmable logical devices (PLDs) that provide hardware functions in all modules. PLDs include electronic programmable logic devices (EPLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), but not ASICs. In this document, the term EPLD is used for FPGA and CPLDs. EPLD upgrades improve hardware functions and resolve known issues.

  • For more information about EPLD, refer to Cisco Nexus 9000 Series FPGA/EPLD Upgrade Release Notes.

  • Until NX-OS Release 10.5(2)F, ISSU supports EPLD upgrades using the install all nxos <nxos-image> epld <epld-image> command during disruptive system (NX-OS) upgrade.

  • While upgrading from pre-10.5(3)F releases to 10.5(3)F and later, first upgrade to 10.5(3) NX-OS using the install all <nxos-image> command. Then, after the NX-OS upgrade is complete, upgrade EPLD using the install epld command.

  • Beginning with NX-OS Release 10.5(3)F, EPLD upgrade takes place during an ISSU system upgrade. To avoid EPLD upgrade, use the skip-epld option. Do not use the epld <epld-image> option as the EPLD image is bundled with the NX-OS images and a separate EPLD image is no longer provided.