Cisco HyperFlex Software Recommendations and Guidelines

Overview

This chapter lists the recommended Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform software releases for use with Cisco HyperFlex HX-Series Systems, applicable to both new and existing deployments.


Note
Patch releases for the recommended release trains may be available for download before they are recommended in this document. Before downloading the latest patch, review the "Caveats" section of the Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform Release Notes and any Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform Security Advisories to ensure that your deployment scenario and feature set benefit from the incremental fixes in the later release.

Common terms and definitions used in this guide are as follows:

Table 1. Common Terms and Definitions

Term

Definition

Cisco HX

Short form for the product name "Cisco HyperFlex" and is used throughout this document

Required

Must be used or followed to be compliant.

Qualified

A qualified option that provides optimal performance for most deployments.

Recommended

Tested and qualified options that provide optimal performance for most deployments.

Recommended Software for New and Existing Deployments

Cisco provides recommended and preferred software for new and existing deployments. There are also software release pairings that are qualified options which provide optimal performance for most deployments. For more information on the complete list of qualified options, see the Cisco HXDP Software Requirements sections.


Important

Cluster running HXDP Release 5.5(2b) should not upgrade to HXDP Release 6.0(1b).

Choosing UCS Server Firmware Versions

If you are installing new cluster(s), or if you are upgrading existing clusters, refer to the following table for guidance on choosing the right UCS Server Firmware version.

Table 2. Choosing UCS Server Firmware Versions

Installation/Upgrade

Guidelines

If you are installing a new cluster:

Install the latest HX qualified UCS server firmware version. For more information on qualified UCS server firmware versions, see:

If you are upgrading an existing cluster:

Ensure that the current version of server firmware is qualified and supported on the target HXDP version. If so, then please review the outstanding advisories and field notices against the firmware version and follow the applicable directions from the advisories for the affected systems. If none of those are applicable then upgrading the server firmware version is optional.

Even if the current server firmware version is supported, there still may be valid reasons to upgrade. Examples of situations where you may need to upgrade the server firmware version are as follows:

  • To get fixes for bugs encountered in server firmware

  • Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) or expansion using newer drives or other components requiring a firmware version

  • End of Life or End of Support of the current firmware version

  • Cluster expansion with newer generation server nodes requiring a new server firmware version

When upgrading server firmware for larger clusters or for shorter upgrade windows, separate the server firmware upgrades from the HXDP upgrade, and perform the server firmware upgrades first.

Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - ESXi

ESXi customers with new and existing clusters considering upgrades

For ESXi customers with new and existing clusters considering upgrades, refer to the following table for recommended software versions. Use the links provided to access Release Notes and related software download pages.


Important

Please review the outstanding advisories and field notices against the HXDP & ESXi versions in software downloads page and follow the applicable directions from the advisories for the affected systems.

Table 3. Recommended Software Versions for ESXi

Platforms

Recommended HX Release

Recommended VMware ESXi Versions

All new and existing clusters considering upgrades.

 5.5(2b)

8.0 U3 - Cisco HX Custom image for ESXi 8.0 U3 or later build as specified on the Software Download page.

Important

For HyperFlex clusters running HXDP version 5.5(2a), you are not required to upgrade to 5.5(2b) unless you decide to upgrade the ESXi version to 8.0 U3.


Important

Please refer to HX Field Notice and apply the mitigation before upgrading the cluster to HXDP 5.0(2e). Any cluster running HXDP Release 5.0(2a), 5.0(2b), 5.0(2c), or 5.0(2d) may be affected by the field notice and should apply the mitigation before upgrade to 5.0(2e) to avoid the issue.


Important

For HyperFlex clusters with M5 nodes, ensure that the server firmware version is identified as recommended or supported. If you are running any M5 nodes with UCS server firmware versions 4.1(3b) or 4.1(3c), ensure to upgrade to version 4.1(3d) or later. For more information, see CSCvx93920. This defect does not affect M4 nodes in your cluster.


Important

Do not upgrade HyperFlex Stretch clusters to HXDP 5.0(2b) See Software Advisory https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/sw/SA/sw-advisory-hyperflex-release-5-0-2b.html

Note

For air-gapped customers (i.e. using HXDP SLR or PLR), upgrades or new cluster creation should consider using HX 5.0(2b) or later to take advantage of the persistent root shell feature.


Note
Stretched Cluster, All-NVMe, HX Acceleration Engine and HX Edge 2-node clusters are not supported on M4 hardware.

Note
The star in the Software Download Page in CCO refers to the recommended release for Cisco HyperFlex ESX standard HX deployments (SED/non-SED/Stretched Cluster)

Note
Cisco HyperFlex clusters using SED SSD configurations require a mandatory upgrade to the latest recommended release. For more information on the issues and steps to identify configurations susceptible to the issue, see field notice FN70234.

Note

HyperFlex OVA based installer does not support HX Edge M6. Use Intersight for lifecycle management. HX Non-edge clusters can be deployed using either OVA or Intersight installer.

Choosing HXDP and Hypervisor Versions - Hyper-V

Hyper-V Customers with new and existing clusters considering upgrades


Important

Support for Microsoft Hyper-V ends with Cisco HXDP Release 5.0(x).

For Hyper-V customers with new and existing clusters considering upgrades, refer to the following table for recommended software versions. Use the links provided to access Release Notes and related software download pages.

Table 4. Recommended Software Versions for Microsoft Hyper-V

Platforms

Recommended HX Release

Recommended Hyper-V Versions

All new and existing clusters considering upgrades.

5.0(2g)

Windows Server 2016 Datacenter Core & Desktop Experience

Note

 
For Windows Server 2016 Datacenter Core and Desktop Experience, the Windows 2016 ISO image should be Update Build Revision (UBR) 1884 at a minimum.

Windows Server 2019 Datacenter-Desktop Experience

Note

 
For Windows Server 2019 Desktop Experience, the Windows 2019 ISO image should be Update Build Revision (UBR) 107 at a minimum.

Note

Beginning with HXDP 5.5(1a), Microsoft Hyper-V is not supported.


Note
Features not supported on Microsoft Hyper-V include:

  • M6 servers

  • HX Edge

  • All-NVMe

  • HX Acceleration Engine

  • Stretched Cluster

  • Self-Encrypting Drives

  • iSCSI support

  • UEFI Secure Boot Mode

  • HX-CSI support

  • vCenter Re-Registration

  • HyperCheck

  • Scheduled Snapshots on HxConnect

  • VIC 1457

Note
Microsoft Hyper-V is only supported on M5 hardware.

Note
6400 FI connected to 1455/1457 using SFP-H25G-CU3M or SFP-H25G-CU5M modules require UCS Release 4.0(4k) and later, or 4.1(2a) and later.

For more information on HW, SW compatibility, and for multi-cluster deployments under the same FI which requires compatibility with the latest HX release, see the following:

HyperFlex Releases

This section describes available HyperFlex releases, support timelines, upgrade guidelines, and information on unsupported releases.

Available Releases

Type of Release

Release

Current long-lived release train

5.5(2x)

5.0(2x)

Feature Release

5.5(1a)

6.0(1x)

Note

If you are using a feature release, we recommend that you always use the latest available patch release for the feature release.

For information on the Cisco HyperFlex release policy and support timelines, see https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/hyperconverged_systems/HyperFlex_HX_DataPlatformSoftware/release-guidelines-and-support-timeline/b-release-bulletin-hyperflex.html

For a detailed list of dependencies, security fixes and resolved caveats, refer to the release notes for the specific release,

see https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/hyperconverged-systems/hyperflex-hx-data-platform-software/products-release-notes-list.html

For Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform end-of-sale and end-of-life announcements,

see https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/hyperconverged-infrastructure/hyperflex-hx-series/bulletin-listing.html

Release Support Timeline for HXDP

The following support timelines are provided to identify the key milestones (Release Date, End of SW Maintenance (EOSM), End-of-Download (EOD), End of Security and Vulnerability Fixes (EoVS) (PSIRT fixes), Last Date of Support), definitions and relevant dates for all HXDP release families. For more information on support timelines for HX releases that are now End of Life (EOL), see Cisco HyperFlex HX-Series Bulletins.

Release Support Timeline for HXDP Release: 6.0(x)

Table 5. Release Support Timeline for HXDP Release 6.0(1x)

Milestone

Definition

Date

Release Date

The date that this software version was first available for download.

July 15, 2024

End of SW Maintenance (EOSM) Release Date

The last date that Cisco Engineering may release any final software maintenance releases or bug fixes. After this date, Cisco Engineering may no longer develop, repair, maintain, or test the product software and only critical security updates will be provided on this release train.

December 31, 2024

End-of-Download (EOD) Date

The last date to download the software through Cisco download page. The software is no longer available for download after this date.

December 31, 2024

End of Security and Vulnerability Support (EoVS) (PSIRT fixes)

The last date that Cisco may provide support for security vulnerabilities.

December 31, 2024

Last Date of Support

The last date to receive service and support for the software. After this date, all support services for the software are unavailable, and the software becomes obsolete.

March 31, 2025
Table 6. Release Support Timeline for HXDP Release 6.0(2x)

Milestone

Definition

Date

Release Date

The date that this software version was first available for download.

July 24, 2025

End of SW Maintenance (EOSM) Release Date

The last date that Cisco Engineering may release any final software maintenance releases or bug fixes. After this date, Cisco Engineering may no longer develop, repair, maintain, or test the product software and only critical security updates will be provided on this release train.

September 11, 2025

End of Security and Vulnerability Support (EoVS) (PSIRT fixes)

The last date that Cisco may provide support for security vulnerabilities.

September 11, 2026

Last Date of Support

The last date to receive service and support for the software. After this date, all support services for the software are unavailable, and the software becomes obsolete.

February 28, 2029

Release Support Timeline for HXDP Release: 5.5(x)

Table 7. Release Support Timeline for 5.5(1x)

Milestone

Definition

Date

Release Date

The date that this software version was first available for download.

August 14, 2023

End of SW Maintenance (EOSM) Release Date

The last date that Cisco Engineering may release any final software maintenance releases or bug fixes. After this date, Cisco Engineering may no longer develop, repair, maintain, or test the product software and only critical security updates will be provided on this release train.

December, 31, 2024

End-of-Download (EOD) Date

The last date to download the software through Cisco download page. The software is no longer available for download after this date.

December, 31, 2024

End of Security and Vulnerability Support (EoVS) (PSIRT fixes)

The last date that Cisco may provide support for security vulnerabilities.

March 31, 2025

Last Date of Support

The last date to receive service and support for the software. After this date, all support services for the software are unavailable, and the software becomes obsolete.

June 30, 2025
Table 8. Release Support Timeline for 5.5(2x)

Milestone

Definition

Date

Release Date

The date that this software version was first available for download.

November 20, 2024

End of SW Maintenance (EOSM) Release Date

The last date that Cisco Engineering may release any final software maintenance releases or bug fixes. After this date, Cisco Engineering may no longer develop, repair, maintain, or test the product software and only critical security updates will be provided on this release train.

September 11, 2025

End of Security and Vulnerability Support (EoVS) (PSIRT fixes)

The last date that Cisco may provide support for security vulnerabilities.

September 11, 2026

Last Date of Support

The last date to receive service and support for the software. After this date, all support services for the software are unavailable, and the software becomes obsolete.

February 28, 2029

Release Support Timeline for HXDP Release: 5.0(x)

Release Support Timeline for HXDP 5.0(2x)

Milestone

Definition

Date

Release Date

The date that this software version was first available for download.

August 23, 2022

End of SW Maintenance (EOSM) Release Date

The last date that Cisco Engineering may release any final software maintenance releases or bug fixes. After this date, Cisco Engineering may no longer develop, repair, maintain, or test the product software and only critical security updates will be provided on this release train.

December, 31, 2024

End-of-Download (EOD) Date

The last date to download the software through Cisco download page. The software is no longer available for download after this date.

December, 31, 2024

End of Security and Vulnerability Support (EoVS) (PSIRT fixes)

The last date that Cisco may provide support for security vulnerabilities.

March 31, 2025

Last Date of Support

The last date to receive service and support for the software. After this date, all support services for the software are unavailable, and the software becomes obsolete.

June 30, 2025

Upgrading Cisco HyperFlex

This section provides information useful to manage upgrade events with the intent of minimizing lengthy upgrades and inopportune reboots.

Reasons to Upgrade Cisco HyperFlex

This section describes primary reasons to update to specific HyperFlex releases.

Reasons to Upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 6.0(x)

These are the primary reasons to upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 6.0(1x):

  • Support for VMware ESXi 8.0 U2

  • Upgrading the HX CVM kernel version to Debian 12 linux from Ubuntu 16.04

Reasons to Upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 5.5(x)

These are the primary reasons to upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 5.5(1x):

  • Support for VMware ESXi 8.0 U1

  • Stretched cluster Intersight arbitrator. Eliminates the need for a third site to host the witness and management overhead

  • Stretched cluster preferred site support

  • UCS FI 6536 support

These are the primary reasons to upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 5.5(2x):

  • Support for VMware ESXi version 8.0U3

  • Fix for P5500 drive failures. For more information, see CSCwo20489

  • Samsung 893A and Solidigm drive support included in UCS server Firmware 4.2(3o)

Reasons to Upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 5.0(2x)

These are the primary reasons to upgrade to Cisco HyperFlex DP Release 5.0(2x):

  • Cisco HyperFlex HX245C/225C M6 All Flash/Hybrid Server Data Center Nodes support

  • 15TB NVMe support

  • "Diag" User in HX Shell

  • Software Encryption Support for Stretched Cluster

  • Support for editing the MTU of the DR Replication Network

  • Support for ESXi 7.0 U3

  • HX CSI Release 1.2(3a)

  • Intel® Optane™ DC Persistent Memory (DCPMM) support

Existing Deployments That Use Software Earlier Than One of the Recommended Releases

To the extent possible, Cisco recommends upgrading to one of the Cisco HyperFlex releases listed previously. If that is not possible, Cisco recommends that you review the Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform Release Notes for the earlier release and the Bug Search Tool to determine the impact of any open caveats.

Unsupported Cisco HyperFlex Releases

Release

Initial Release Date

Last Day of Support

HXDP 5.0(1x)

November 10, 2021

February 28, 2023

HXDP 4.5(2x)

June 30, 2021

December 31, 2023

HXDP 4.5(1x)

January 6, 2021

January 31, 2022

HXDP 4.0(2x)

February 11, 2020

February 28, 2023

HXDP 4.0(1x)

April 29, 2019

September 29, 2020

HXDP 3.5(2x)

January 8, 2019

October 31, 2021

HXDP 3.5(1x)

October 16, 2018

May 15, 2020

HXDP 3.0(1x)

April 13, 2018

May 15, 2020

HXDP 2.6(1a), 2.6(1b), 2.6(1e)1

September 1, 2017

November 15, 2017

August 6, 2019

June 15, 2019

HXDP 2.0, 2.1, 2.5

March 13, 2017, April 28, 2017, July 22, 2017

2019

HXDP 1.7, 1.8

November 26, 2016

2019
1 HX 2.6(1e) is only supported as an intermediate destination for HX 1.8(1a-1e) upgrades. It is not for general use.

Supported Upgrade Paths to the Recommended Release

When deciding to upgrade your Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform software to a later release, select a release based on the requirements of your deployment. Please also review the latest HyperFlex software release delivery model to determine if best to upgrade to either a Long-lived release or Feature release. For more information, see the Cisco HyperFlex Software Release Model and Release Support Timeline.

For general recommendations for new and existing deployments, see the sections describing recommended versions for Cisco HyperFlex ESXi and Hyper-V.

To upgrade your environment from a Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform software release that is past the last date of support, or to the latest suggested release on the Cisco Software Download site, see Cisco HyperFlex Systems Upgrade Guide for Unsupported Cisco HX Releases.