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Cisco 8000 Series Routers, IOS XR Release 26.2.1
Cisco 8000 Series Routers, IOS XR Release 26.2.1
For more details on the Cisco IOS XR release model and associated support, see Software Lifecycle Support Statement - IOS XR.
Table 1. New software features for Cisco 8000 Series Routers, Release 26.2.1
| Product impact |
|
|
| IP Addresses and Services |
||
| Software Reliability |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100],8010 [ASIC: A100]); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC: Q200]); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q200, P100])
This feature enhances hardware efficiency by programming Egress Object-Group ACL (OG-ACL) prefixes only on the active slices where an ACL is applied, rather than replicating them across all slices. Previously, prefixes were duplicated on every slice, leading to higher TCAM and HCAM usage and reduced performance. The software now automatically identifies and programs prefixes only for relevant slices, dynamically replicating them when new interfaces or bundle members are added. This optimization increases scalability for other hardware-based applications, supports both IPv4 and IPv6 OG-ACLs, and requires no additional configuration. |
|
| Software Reliability
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100]), 8010 [ASIC: A100]; Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: P100, P200]) You can now improve network policy granularity and control by supporting 24-bit bincode sizes for egress object-group ACLs. This enhancement improves the efficiency of handling extended network object-groups and supports the inclusion of larger, more detailed prefix lists. |
|
| Software Reliability
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200, 8700); Centralized Systems (8600); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q100, Q200, P100]) Configurable trap policers give you precise control over control-plane traffic by allowing per-trap rate limiting and average packet size tuning. This flexibility helps prevent unnecessary packet drops, improves traffic handling, and enables efficient scaling across diverse deployment scenarios. |
|
| Software Reliability
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200, 8700, 8010)(select variants only*), Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: P100])(select variants only*) *This feature is now supported on: Line cards: · 88-LC1-36EH · 88-LC1-12TH24FH-E · 88-LC1-52Y8H-EM Fixed systems: · 8212-48FH-M · 8011-4G24Y4H-I · 8011-32Y8L2H2FH · 8011-24Y8L2FH-I · 8011-24X · 8011-12G12X4Y · 8711-32FH-M · 8711-48Z-M · 8712-MOD-M |
|
| Ease of setup |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8010 [ASIC: A100])(select variants only*) You can now apply ACLs on Bridged Virtual Interfaces (BVIs) on A100-based ASICs. This feature allows the router to block malicious traffic that targets the router. You can apply ACLs in both ingress and egress directions on a BVI. This feature support is now extended to:
o 8011-32Y8L2H2FH o 8011-12G12X4Y-A/D o 8011-4G24Y4H-A |
|
| Interface and Hardware Component |
||
| Software Reliability
|
Network Virtualization Generic Routing Encapsulation (NVGRE) hash field selections |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200]; Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC: Q200]; Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q200, Q100]) You can now improve load balancing for Network Virtualization using Generic Routing Encapsulation (NVGRE) traffic by excluding the NVGRE payload from the hash calculation. This feature optimizes traffic distribution across multiple paths, preventing uneven load caused by hashing on the NVGRE payload. |
| Software Reliability
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100]); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC:Q200]); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: K100] You can achieve reliable network performance and a stable system state by isolating unstable interfaces that flap excessively, preventing routing protocol disruptions and ensuring effective workload failover. With this feature, the system monitors link transitions and automatically moves physical, breakout, or bundle member interfaces into an error-disabled state if a defined flap-count threshold is breached within a specific time window. This automated mechanism guarantees traffic redirection to stable paths while providing the flexibility of manual restoration or a timer-based automatic recovery once the link stabilizes. |
|
| Hardware Reliability
|
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8010 ASIC: A100) The QDD Optical Line System (OLS) pluggable optical amplifier is now supported on QSFP28 ports. *This feature is supported on: · Cisco 8011-4G24Y4H-I |
| Software Reliability
|
Support for DP04QSDD-ULH-A1 optical module
|
Introduced in this release on: Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q200]) This release introduces support for the Cisco 400G QSFP-DD Ultra Long-Haul (ULH) coherent optical module on these line cards: · 88-LC0-36FH · 88-LC0-36FH-M The 400G QSFP-DD ULH optics are supported on even-numbered ports only. The supported port numbers are: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34. |
| Hardware Reliability
|
DWDM-SFP10G-E-I tunable optics for Cisco 8711-48Z-M-M router
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700 [ASIC: K100]
|
| Software Reliability
|
Extend support for BVI and IRB infrastructure to A100-based ASICs
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8010 [ASIC: A100]) ● 8011-4G24Y4H-I ● 8011-32Y8L2H2FH ● 8011-12G12X4Y-D ● 8011-12G12X4Y-A |
| Ease of Use
|
Generic UDP Encapsulation for IPv6 Traffic
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems(8200 [ASIC: Q200 ]);Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC:Q200]);Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q200])
|
| Software Reliability
|
Support for DP04QSDD-ULH-A1 optical module |
This release introduces support for the Cisco 400G QSFP-DD Ultra Long-Haul (ULH) C-band coherent optical module on these line cards and routers: ● 88-LC1-36EH ● 88-LC1-52Y8H-EM ● 88-LC1-12TH24FH-E ● Cisco 8212-48FH-M ● Cisco 8202-32FH-M ● Cisco 8201-24H8FH ● Cisco 8201-32FH |
| Software Reliability
|
Support for DP04QSDD-LLH-A1 optical module |
This release introduces support for the Cisco 400G QSFP-DD Ultra Long-Haul (ULH) L-band coherent optical module on these line cards and routers: ● 88-LC1-36EH ● 88-LC1-52Y8H-EM ● 88-LC1-12TH24FH-E ● Cisco 8212-48FH-M ● Cisco 8202-32FH-M ● Cisco 8608-SYS ● Cisco 8201-24H8FH ● Cisco 8201-32FH |
| L3VPN |
||
| Ease of Setup |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8010 [ASIC: A100]) This feature support is supported on: · 8011-32Y8L2H2FH · 8011-12G12X4Y-A/D · 8011-4G24Y4H-I |
|
| Multicast |
||
| Ease of Use
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100]); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC:Q200], 8400 [ASIC: K100]); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q100, Q200, P100]) Global Table Multicast (GTM) simplifies multicast deployments by allowing Next-Generation Multicast VPN (NG-mVPN) profiles to operate directly within the global routing table with the default VRF on PE routers. Service providers can now transport multicast traffic in a global context without creating dedicated VRFs, while still using NG-mVPN for signaling and transport. |
|
| Netflow |
||
| Software Reliability
|
sFlow support for policy-based routing (PBR) IP-in-IP tunnel traffic |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100]); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC: Q200]); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: K100] sFlow now supports policy-based routing (PBR) IP-in-IP tunnel traffic, providing enhanced visibility into tunneled and decapsulated flows. The feature enables sampling, export, and reporting of both inner and outer packet headers while preserving platform and forwarding context, allowing more accurate flow records and improved traffic monitoring and load-balancing decisions. |
| Software Reliability
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC:Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100]);Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC:Q200]) ; Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: K100] You can now significantly reduce analytics and collector load by setting much higher NetFlow or sFlow sampling intervals by up to 8 million packets. Just configure your desired interval, and we automatically combine hardware sampling and software filtering to achieve this rate, ensuring accurate exports and minimal resource usage while keeping setup simple. |
|
| Upgrade |
Flow monitoring on egress interface |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700 [ASIC: K100])(select variants only*)
|
| Programmability |
||
| Software Reliability
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100]); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC: Q200]); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: K100] You can now monitor forwarding state convergence with the AFT state-synced flag in OpenConfig, which provides per-VRF visibility into when FIB entries have fully synchronized with INSIGHT. The flag is set to TRUE once synchronization completes for a VRF and remains TRUE until a new synchronization event occurs or the VRF is removed, enabling automated monitoring and validation through OpenConfig telemetry or CLI. |
|
| Routing |
||
| Ease of Use
|
Asynchronous PBR programming via SL-API
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100]; Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC: Q200]; Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q200, P100]) You can now enable non-blocking programming of PBR policies via the Service-layer API. The enhancement allows PBR policies to be programmed in the background without blocking the controller. It also ensures reliable end-to-end confirmation once the configuration is fully realized in hardware. |
| Ease of Use
|
Fast Reroute recirculation avoidance
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200]); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC: Q200]); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q200]) You can now eliminate packet recirculation during Fast Reroute (FRR) events in PE routers. The feature ensures that traffic switches to backup paths without requiring recycle operations during both first and subsequent FRR events. |
| Software Reliability
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC:Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100]);Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC:Q200]) ; Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: K100] |
|
| Ease of setup
|
Extend support for bidirectional forwarding detection on BVI to A100-based ASICs |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8010 [ASIC: A100]) |
| Upgrade |
BFD over pseudowire headend |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700 [ASIC: K100])(select variants only*)
|
| IP Addresses and Services |
||
| Ease of setup |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8010 [ASIC: A100])(select variants only*) You can now apply ACLs on Bridged Virtual Interfaces (BVIs) on A100-based ASICs. This feature allows the router to block malicious traffic that targets the router. You can apply ACLs in both ingress and egress directions on a BVI. This feature support is now extended to: · 8011-32Y8L2H2FH · 8011-12G12X4Y-A/D · 8011-4G24Y4H-A |
|
| Segment Routing |
||
| Ease of Use
|
SRv6 Flow Label entropy via source address
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100]); Centralized Systems (8400 [ASIC: K100]); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: P100]) You can now improve SRv6 load balancing by encoding entropy from the IPv6 Flow Label into the IPv6 source address during SRv6 encapsulation. The ingress node generates a flow-aware source address. This allows downstream devices to use standard IP-based hashing for consistent ECMP load balancing. |
| Software Reliability
|
One-Way IP measurement with 3L monitoring and hardware offload |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100]); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC: Q200]); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q100, Q200, P100]) |
| Setup and Upgrade |
||
| Software Reliability
|
Introduced in this release on: Centralized Systems (8400 [ASIC: K100]) |
|
| Upgrade
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100])(select variants only*); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC:Q200]) ; Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q100, Q200, P100]) In this release, Telnet is added to the optional RPM, Telnet.rpm, and FTP, TFTP, and RCP are added to the optional RPM, IP-Insecure-Apps.rpm. We recommend you to migrate to secure alternatives such as SSH, SCP, SFTP as Telnet, FTP, TFTP, and RCP protocols will not be supported anymore starting from an upcoming Cisco IOS XR release. |
|
| Upgrade |
Traffic mirroring on PWHE |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700 [ASIC: K100])(select variants only*)
|
| MPLS |
||
| Software Reliability
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100])(select variants only*); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC:Q200]) ; Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q100, Q200, P100]) |
|
| QoS |
||
| Upgrade |
Bridged Virtual Interface two-pass QoS |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100]; Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: P100]) You can now apply ingress policing and egress QoS policies on BVI interfaces. The feature extends QoS processing beyond ingress classification and marking and preserves QoS metadata across BVI recycle operations for consistent traffic treatment throughout the forwarding pipeline. |
| Upgrade
|
Configurable burst values for QoS policers
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: P100, A100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100]); Centralized Systems (8400 [ASIC: K100]); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: P100])
|
| Upgrade
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700 [ASIC: K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100]); Centralized Systems (8400 [ASIC: K100])(select variants only*) You can now apply egress queuing policies on Layer 2 subinterfaces to allocate dedicated VOQs for subinterface traffic. This enhancement enables independent traffic management for Layer 2 and Layer 3 services that share the same physical or bundle interface. |
|
| Upgrade
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100]); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC:Q200], 8400 [ASIC: K100]); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q200, P100]) |
|
| Ease of Use
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100]; Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: P100]) |
|
| Upgrade
|
Egress feature capability
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700 [ASIC: K100])(select variants only*) · hw-module profile edge-mode · show hw-module profile edge-mode *This feature is now supported on: · 8711-48Z-M · 8712-MOD-M |
| Upgrade |
Multicast traffic scheduling on egress queues |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700 [ASIC: K100])(select variants only*) · hw-module profile edge-mode · show hw-module profile edge-mode
· 8711-48Z-M · 8712-MOD-M |
| Upgrade |
QoS on PWHE |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700 [ASIC: K100])(select variants only*) · hw-module profile edge-mode · show hw-module profile edge-mode
· 8711-48Z-M · 8712-MOD-M |
| System Security |
||
| Ease of Use
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700[ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100])(select variants only*); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC:Q200]) ; Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q100, Q200, P100]) FIDO2 support for SSH enables secure and passwordless logins on Cisco IOS XR platforms. It uses hardware security keys to store private keys and requires physical user presence to authenticate sessions. This feature protects against phishing by verifying a signature from the security device during the login process. |
|
| Software Reliability
|
Post-Quantum Cryptography key exchange support for Cisco SSH |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100])(select variants only*); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC:Q200]) ; Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q100, Q200, P100])(select variants only*) |
| Ease of Use
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200,P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100]); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC:Q200]) ; Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC:Q100, Q200, P100]) MACsec State Reflection on line protocol synchronizes the interface line protocol state with the MACsec session state. When the session is not secured and the security policy is set to must-secure, the interface is brought Down to prevent traffic blackholing. When the session is secured, the interface is restored to Up. This enables faster failure detection and traffic rerouting by upper-layer protocols such as LACP and BGP. |
|
| Software Reliability
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200]) Modular Systems (8000 [ASIC: Q200]) (select variants only*) · Cisco 8202-32FH-M · 88-LC0-36FH · 88-LC0-36FH-M |
|
| Ease of Use
|
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200 ],(select variants only*) ECC256 enablement enhances device security by migrating identity and attestation workflows to ECCp256-based SUDI via the Trust Anchor Module (TAM). This transition enables the adoption ofTLS 1.3 for critical services such as BootZ, secure Zero-Touch Provisioning (sZTP), and EMSD. Operational continuity is ensured through a resilient fallback to legacy RSA-based keys if needed.ECC p256 is automatically enabled when certificates are present; no additional configuration steps are required.
· 8202-32FH-M · 8202-32FH-MO |
|
| Upgrade |
Lawful intercept |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700 [ASIC: K100])(select variants only*) · hw-module profile edge-mode · show hw-module profile edge-mode
· 8711-48Z-M · 8712-MOD-M |
| BGP |
|
|
| Software Reliability
|
You can now enhance internal routing security by validating iBGP-learned routes against RPKI origin-AS data. The feature accepts only routes with valid or not-found ROA status and drops invalid ones, preventing propagation of unauthorized prefixes within your network. |
|
| Software Reliability
|
You can now prevent the propagation of unauthorized routes, reduce manual filtering errors, and strengthen routing security by validating prefix origin-AS against the local RPKI ROA database before advertising routes to external BGP peers. You apply a route-policy with the drop-post-policy-if-RPKI-invalid keyword to automatically drop prefixes with invalid ROA status. |
|
| System Monitoring |
|
|
| Software Reliability |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8200 [ASIC: Q200, P100], 8700 [ASIC: P100, K100], 8010 [ASIC: A100]); Centralized Systems (8600 [ASIC:Q200]); Modular Systems (8800 [LC ASIC: Q100, Q200, P100])
Effective Cisco IOS XR Software Release 26.2.1, the legacy uni-dimensional infrastructure health check metrics are deprecated, and hence the support for the show healthcheck metric command syntax is removed and will no longer be supported in future releases. This change simplifies command-line operations and eliminates redundant workflows. We recommend you to use YANG models available from resmon, wdmon and shell-utils which provide the same data. This approach provides more granular, scalable, and standardized access to metrics data, aligning with modern network automation and telemetry practices. |
|
| L2VPN |
||
| Upgrade |
Enhance network efficiency and scalability with GIL pruning for PWHE interfaces |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700 [ASIC: K100])(select variants only*) · hw-module profile edge-mode · show hw-module profile edge-mode
· 8711-48Z-M · 8712-MOD-M |
| Upgrade |
Pseudowire Headend |
Introduced in this release on: Fixed Systems (8700 [ASIC: K100])(select variants only*) · hw-module profile edge-mode · show hw-module profile edge-mode
· 8711-48Z-M · 8712-MOD-M |
Table 2. New hardware for Cisco 8000 Series Routers, Release 26.2.1
| Hardware |
Description |
| Optics |
This release introduces the following new optic on selective hardware within the product portfolio. For details, refer to the Transceiver Module Group (TMG) Compatibility Matrix.
Cisco 400G QSFP-DD Ultra Long Haul Coherent Optics |
| 8804-FAN-V2, 8808-FAN-V2, and 8818-FAN-V2 fan trays |
To maintain optimal cooling, the 8804-FAN-V2, 8808-FAN-V2, and 8818-FAN-V2 high-performance fan trays must be installed if the router is configured with: · P200-based line cards · P100-based line cards using ZRP optical modules |
● Removal of Model-driven CLI Commands:
Starting from Cisco IOS-XR software release 26.2.1, the Model-driven CLI specifically the show YANG operational data commands have been removed.
● SNMP Traps Dropped in the Buffer Queue:
Starting with IOS-XR software release 24.1.2, SNMP traps will be dropped from the trap queue during the first five minutes after configuring a new NMS server or after a device reload.
o This issue is observed on all current releases of the Cisco IOS XR routers running IOS XR Release 24.1.2.
o The defect applies only to NMS servers that are located behind a firewall or within a security network where ICMP packets are blocked.
● Updated Command Syntax and Usage Guidelines
As an enhancement to the show cef commands, the internal, brief, and hardware keywords have been removed from these commands:
o show cef unresolved
o show cef ipv6 linklocal unresolved
The internal and brief keywords have been removed from these commands:
o show cef mpls unresolved
o show cef mpls local-label
Exceptions
This command retains support for the internal and brief keywords when a specific prefix is provided: show cef unresolved <prefix>
Usage Constraints for show cef mpls: When executing any command beginning with show cef mpls, you may use only one of these keywords at a time: brief, detail, or internal
Note: The exception mentioned above applies: if the command includes unresolved or local-label, the internal and brief keywords are explicitly blocked.
● Change in forwarding information base manager identifier reporting:
Previously, all forwarding information base manager (fib_mgr) instances across different locations—such as the Route Processor (RP) and Line Cards (LCs)—shared the same identifier, fib_mgr. Consequently, the show command output displayed only a single entry for application fib_mgr.
With this update, each fib_mgr instance is assigned a unique identifier corresponding to its specific location. As a result, the show route afi-all summary command now lists all instances individually. For example, the output will display fib_mgr for the RP and FIB node0_3_CPU0 for the LC located at node0_3_CPU0.
● Manual Remediation of Forward-Referenced SRLG Interfaces:
The existing Shared Risk Link Groups (SRLG) feature allows configuring SRLG values on interfaces that do not yet exist (forward-reference interfaces). These configurations appear in the output of the show srlg command. To avoid inconsistencies, manually remove all SRLG configurations related to non-existent or forward-referenced interfaces. This manual cleanup is essential to maintain system consistency and prevent misleading information in the SRLG display.
● Enhanced MPLS interface activation for IS-IS address-family lifecycle events:
Starting with Cisco IOS XR Release 26.2.1, IS-IS enables or disables MPLS on an interface when the first or last MPLS-enabled address family is created or deleted, instead of waiting for operational UP or DOWN state transitions. Previously, MPLS state changes occurred only during interface shutdown or link-down events. With this enhancement, MPLS state updates now also occur when the interface configuration is removed at the root level or when the last IPv4 or IPv6 address associated with an MPLS-enabled address family is removed from the interface.
● MPLS-TE tunnel event history for insufficient bandwidth events:
Starting with Cisco IOS XR Release 26.2.1, MPLS-TE tunnel events for insufficient bandwidth conditions are recorded in the tunnel event history. Previously, when a tunnel failed to reoptimize because the requested bandwidth was unavailable, the router generated syslog messages, but the event was not shown in the show mpls traffic-eng event-history tunnels output. This update adds a tunnel event for insufficient bandwidth so that you can review historical bandwidth-demand failures for debugging and capacity planning.
● Mandatory LDAP TLS Validation:
LDAP server certificate validation for TLS connections is now enabled by default. Unlike previous versions that skipped validation when no trustpoint was defined, the current implementation mandates the use of a configured ldaps trustpoint to establish a secure connection. If this trustpoint is absent, the connection is automatically rejected, ensuring that all LDAP traffic is strictly authenticated and verified.
These behaviors apply based on the configuration of the ldaps trustpoint:
o No trustpoint configured: The TLS connection to the LDAP server is rejected by the router.
o CA certificate only: The router uses the configured CA certificate to validate the LDAP server's certificate; the connection is established only upon successful validation.
o CA and client certificate configured: The router uses the CA certificate to validate the server's certificate while presenting the client certificate to satisfy mTLS requirements; the connection is established only if both validation checks pass.
● MACsec Licensing Tier Update:
Effective with Cisco IOS XR Software Release 26.2.1, MACsec on Cisco IOS XR routers utilizing the FCM 2.0 Access licensing model now requires the Advantage tier instead of the Premier tier. When MACsec is enabled on a physical interface, the interface bandwidth triggers Right-to-Use (RTU) consumption for the Access Advantage tier, calculated in 10G increments. This license consumption is reclaimed once the MACsec configuration is removed or the interface is shut down.
● Deprecated Security Algorithms:
Starting Cisco IOS XR Release 26.2.1, the 3DES-CBC cipher and Diffie-Hellman Group 1 SHA1 key exchange are insecure and deprecated. You will see syslog warning messages for deprecated commands.
● Change in show media CLI output:
The directory path previously shown as /var/lib/docker now appears as apphost in the show media CLI output. This change enhances clarity for users managing third-party applications and Docker containers. It also accurately reflects the directory’s role within the Cisco IOS XR application hosting architecture.
● A deprecation notice is shown when you run the show tech-support netconf command.
● Starting Cisco IOS XR Release 26.2.1, you can set the ipv6 nd ns-interval value to less than 60 seconds on these virtual interfaces:
o Bundle Ethernet interfaces
o BVI interfaces
o Pseudowire Ethernet interfaces
● NACM show command visibility improvements:
Starting from Release 26.2.1, you get better visibility of NACM rules and groups in show nacm command outputs when dynamic NACM is used. This enhancement improves how information is displayed without changing existing functionality, ensuring NACM rules continue to operate as before.
● Enhanced syslog reporting for discard-extra-paths limits:
Starting in Release 26.2.1, syslog notifications for the discard-extra-paths limit have been enhanced to provide per-neighbor and per-address-family reporting. This replaces the previous global notification behavior, which applied a 5-minute rate limit across the entire BGP process. The updated notifications are rate-limited to 30 seconds and reset automatically if the neighbor session flaps.
● LOS Alarm Based on Total Power Support: Starting with IOS-XR software release 26.1.1, a new Loss of Signal (LOS) alarm based on total received power has been introduced.
Alarm Behavior
o The existing payload-based LOS alarm has been renamed to LOS-P to accurately reflect its function.
o Automation scripts and operational procedures that previously relied on the old LOS alarm may misinterpret alarms if not updated.
● Enhancing BGP Routing Security:
You improve BGP routing security by enabling RPKI origin validation for both outbound advertisements and iBGP peer routes. This feature ensures only prefixes with valid or not-found ROA status are sent, while invalid prefixes are filtered, maintaining consistent and compliant routing across your network.
● Restriction for 800G ZR Modules on Cisco 88-LC1-36EH:
To ensure optimal thermal and electrical performance, support for 800G ZR modules on the Cisco 88-LC1-36EH line card is now restricted to the top row of the port configuration.
Open issues
Table 3. Open issues for Cisco 8000 Series Routers, Release 26.2.1
| Bug ID |
Description |
| k100 pwhe: Ping does not work with 4K L3 sub-interface with triggers. |
|
| The new local SID is not updated to PD L2FIB for the down PW after removing/rolling back the SRv6 configuration. |
|
| The process restart of ifmgr results in route flapping and traffic loss. |
|
| cfmd abnormal process restart |
|
| bfd_agent mem leak at sysdb_edm_finddata_datalist_create sysdb_lib_edm_list.c:443 |
There are no known issues in this release.
Compatibility
Compatibility Matrix for EPNM and Crosswork with Cisco IOS XR Software
The compatibility matrix lists the version of EPNM and Crosswork that are supported with Cisco IOS XR software in this release.
Table 4. Compatibility matrix for Cisco 8000 Series Routers, Release 26.2.1
| Cisco IOS XR |
Crosswork |
EPNM |
| Release 26.2.1 |
Upgrade and downgrade paths
To view all supported Cisco IOS XR Software upgrades from the current version according to the support data installed on the running system, enter the show install upgrade-matrix running command:
Router# show install upgrade-matrix running all
Matrix: XR version: 26.2.1, File version: 1.0, Version: N/A
The upgrade matrix indicates that the following system upgrades and downgrades are supported from the current XR version:
From To Restrictions
---------- ---------- ----------------------------------------------------
26.2.1 24.1.2 Target fixes; Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.2.2 Target fixes; Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.2.20 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.2.200 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.2.204 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.2.206 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.2.21 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.2.210 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.2.215 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.3.2 Target fixes; Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.3.20 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.3.30 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.4.1 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 24.4.2 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.1.1 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.1.2 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.1.30 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.2.1 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.2.15 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.2.16 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.2.17 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.2.18 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.2.2 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.2.21 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.3.1 Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.4.1 Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.4.15 Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 25.4.2 Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 26.1.1 Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 26.1.2 Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 26.2.300 Replace performed via reimage
26.2.1 7.11.21 Target fixes; Caveats; Replace performed via reimage
Add the from and to versions to the end of the CLI command, for data on versions with additional restrictions
For example, to display restrictions for the 26.2.1->24.1.2 upgrade, use
'show install upgrade-matrix running 26.2.1 24.1.2'
Software version
Log in to the router and enter the show version command:
RP/0/RP0/CPU0#show version
Cisco IOS XR Software, Version 26.2.1 LNT
Copyright (c) 2013-2026 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Build Information:
Built By: cisco
Built On: Sun Jun 07 13:01:37 UTC 2026
Build Host: iox-lnx-014
Workspace: /auto/srcarchive13/prod/26.2.1/8000-aarch64/ws/
Version: 26.2.1
Label: 26.2.1
cisco 8000 (CN9130H board)
cisco 8011-4G24Y4H-I (CN9130H board) processor with 16GB of memory
8000-AARCH64 uptime is 1 hour, 1 minute
Cisco 8011 Series Fixed 1RU Router 4x100G, 24x1/10/25G, 4xCu
Table of supported hardware components and the minimum required software versions.
Table 5. Supported hardware for Cisco 8010 Series Routers
| Part Number |
Description |
Support Initially Provided in IOS XR Release |
| Cisco 8010 Series Routers - Chassis |
||
| 8011-12G12X4Y-A |
Cisco 8010 12x1G, 12x1/10G, 4X1/10/25G |
Release 25.4.1 |
| 8011-12G12X4Y-D |
Cisco 8010 12x1G, 12x1/10G, 4X1/10/25G |
Release 25.4.1 |
| 8011-32Y8L2H2FH |
Cisco 8010 32X25G SFP28, 8x50G, 2x100GQSFP28, 2x400G QSFP-DD |
Release 25.4.1 |
| 8011-4G24Y4H-I |
Cisco 8010 1 RU Fixed System - 4 QSFP28 100GbE, 24 SFP28 25GbE, and 4 RJ-45 100MbE |
Release 25.1.1 |
| Cisco 8010 Series Routers – Power Supply Unit (PSU) |
||
| PWR-650-AC-R |
Cisco 650W AC Power Module |
Release 25.4.1 |
| PWR-930-DC-R |
Cisco 930W DC Power Module |
Release 25.4.1 |
| PWR-400-AC |
Cisco 400W AC Power Module |
Release 25.1.1 |
| PWR-400-DC |
Cisco 400W DC Power Module |
Release 25.1.1 |
Table 6. Supported hardware for Cisco 8200 Series Routers
| Part Number |
Description |
Support Initially Provided in IOS XR Release |
| Cisco 8200 Series Routers - Chassis |
||
| 8201-32FH |
Cisco 8200 1 RU Fixed System - 32 QSFP56-DD 400GbE |
Release 7.3.15 |
| 8201-24H8FH |
Cisco 8200 1 RU Fixed System - 8 QSFP56-DD 400GbE and 24 QSFP28 100GbE |
Release 7.7.1 |
| 8202-32FH-M |
Cisco 8200 2 RU Fixed System - 32 QSFP56-DD 400GbE with MACsec |
Release 7.5.2 |
| 8212-48FH-M |
Cisco 8200 2 RU Fixed System - 24 QSFP-DD 800G or 48 QSFP56-DD 400GbE with MACsec |
Release 24.3.1 |
| Cisco 8200 Series Routers – Power Supply Unit (PSU) |
||
| PSU1.4KW-ACPI |
Cisco 1.4KW AC Power Module with Port-side Air Intake |
Release 7.0.12 |
| PSU1.4KW-ACPE |
Cisco 1.4KW AC Power Module with Port-side Air Exhaust |
Release 7.0.12 |
| PSU2KW-ACPI |
Cisco 2KW AC Power Module with Port-side Air Intake |
Release 7.3.1 |
| PSU2KW-ACPE |
Cisco 2KW AC Power Module with Port-side Air Exhaust |
Release 7.3.1 |
| PSU3KW-HVPI |
Cisco 3KW HV AC/DC Power Supply Unit |
Release 7.5.3 |
Table 7. Supported hardware for Cisco 8400 Series Routers
| Part Number |
Description |
Support Initially Provided in IOS XR Release |
| Cisco 8400 Series Routers - Chassis |
||
| 8404-SYS-D |
Cisco 8404 – 4-Slot Centralized Chassis |
Release 26.2.1 |
| Cisco 8400 Series Routers - Modular Port Adapters (MPA) |
||
| 84-MPA-2H12Z-M |
Cisco 8404 MPA with 2x100G QSFP28 + 12x1/10/25/50G SFP56 |
Release 26.2.1 |
| 84-MPA-2FH/6H-M |
Cisco 8404 MPA with 2x400G / 6x100G QSFP56-DD |
Release 26.2.1 |
| Cisco 8400 Series Routers - Power Entry Module (PEM) |
||
| 8404-DC-PEM |
Cisco 8404 DC Power Entry Module |
Release 26.2.1 |
Table 8. Supported hardware for Cisco 8600 Series Routers
| Part Number |
Description |
Support Initially Provided in IOS XR Release |
| Cisco 8600 Series Routers - Chassis |
||
| 8608 |
Cisco 8600 7 RU Centralized System |
Release 7.10.1 |
| Cisco 8600 Series Routers - Modular Port Adapters (MPA) |
||
| 86-MPA-14H2FH-M |
Cisco 8608 MPA - 2 QSFP-DD 400GbE and 14 QSFP / 16 QSFP 100GbE |
Release 7.10.1 |
| 86-MPA-24Z-M |
Cisco 8608 MPA - 24 SFP56 10/25/50 GbE |
Release 7.10.1 |
| 86-MPA-4FH-M |
Cisco 8608 MPA - 4 QSFP-DD 400GbE |
Release 7.10.1 |
| Cisco 8600 Series Routers – Power Supply Unit (PSU) |
||
| PSU3.2KW-ACPI |
Cisco 3.2-kW AC Power Supply Unit |
Release 7.10.1 |
| PSU3.2KW-DCPI |
Cisco 3.2-kW DC Power Supply Unit |
Release 7.10.1 |
| PSU4.3KW-HVPI |
Cisco 4.3KW HV AC/DC Power Supply Unit |
Release 7.10.1 |
Table 9. Supported hardware for Cisco 8700 Series Routers
| Part Number |
Description |
Support Initially Provided in IOS XR Release |
| Cisco 8700 Series Routers - Chassis |
||
| 8711-48Z-M |
Cisco 8700 1 RU Fixed System - 6 QSFP-DD, 4 QSFP56, and 48 SFP56 ports |
Release 25.4.1 |
| 8711-32FH-M |
Cisco 8700 1 RU Fixed System - 16 QSFP-DD800 and 16 QSFP56-DD |
Release 24.3.1 |
| 8712-MOD-M |
Cisco 8700 2 RU Fixed System |
Release 24.4.1 |
| Cisco 8700 Series Routers - Modular Port Adapters (MPA) |
||
| 8K-MPA-4D |
Cisco 8712 MPA - 4 QSFP-DD 400GbE |
Release 24.4.1 |
| 8K-MPA-16H |
Cisco 8712 MPA - 16 QSFP-28 100GbE |
Release 24.4.1 |
| 8K-MPA-16Z2D |
Cisco 8712 MPA - 2 QSFP-DD 400GbE, 2 QSFP-DD 200GbE, and 16 SFP 50GbE |
Release 24.4.1 |
| 8K-MPA-18Z1D |
Cisco 8712 MPA - 1 QSFP-DD 400 GbE and 18 zSFP56+ 50GbE |
Release 25.1.1 |
| Cisco 8700 Series Routers – Power Supply Unit (PSU) |
||
| PSU2KW-ACPI |
Cisco 8711-32FH-M PSU – 2KW AC Power Module with Port-side Air Intake |
Release 24.3.1 |
| PSU2KW-ACPE |
Cisco 8711-32FH-M PSU – 2KW AC Power Module with Port-side Air Exhaust |
Release 24.3.1 |
| PSU2KW-DCPI |
Cisco 8711-32FH-M PSU – 2KW DC Power Module with Port-side Air Intake |
Release 24.3.1 |
| PSU2KW-DCPE |
Cisco 8711-32FH-M PSU – 2KW DC Power Module with Port-side Air Exhaust |
Release 24.3.1 |
| PSU2KW-DCPI |
Cisco 8712-MOD-M PSU – 2KW 48V DC Power Module with Port-side Air Intake |
Release 24.4.1 |
| PSU2KW-DCPE |
Cisco 8712-MOD-M PSU – 2KW 48V DC Power Module with Port-side Exhaust |
Release 24.4.1 |
| PSU2KW-ACPI |
Cisco 8712-MOD-M PSU – 2KW AC Power Module with Port-side Air Intake |
Release 24.4.1 |
| PSU2KW-ACPE |
Cisco 8712-MOD-M PSU – 2KW AC Power Module with Port-side Exhaust |
Release 24.4.1 |
Table 10. Supported hardware for Cisco 8800 Series Routers
| Part Number |
Description |
Support Initially Provided in IOS XR Release |
| Cisco 8800 Series Routers - Chassis |
||
| 8804-SYS |
Cisco 8800 Modular System - 10 RU with 4 Line Card Slots |
Release 7.3.2 |
| 8808-SYS |
Cisco 8800 Modular System - 16 RU with 8 Line Card Slots |
Release 7.0.12 |
| 8812-SYS |
Cisco 8800 Modular System - 21 RU with 12 Line Card Slots |
Release 7.0.12 |
| 8818-SYS |
Cisco 8800 Modular System - 33 RU with 18 Line Card Slots |
Release 7.0.14 |
| Cisco 8800 Series Routers - Route Processors |
||
| 8800-RP |
Cisco 8800 Route Processor - 4 Core |
Release 7.0.12 |
| 8800-RP2 |
Cisco 8800 Route Processor - 8 Core |
Release 7.11.1 |
| Cisco 8800 Series Routers - Fabric Modules |
||
| 8808-FC |
Cisco 8808 System Fabric Module - Q100-based fabric modules with 14.4T per LC slot |
Release 7.0.12 |
| 8812-FC |
Cisco 8812 System Fabric Module - Q100-based fabric modules with 14.4T per LC slot |
Release 7.0.12 |
| 8818-FC |
Cisco 8818 System Fabric Module - Q100-based fabric modules with 14.4T per LC slot |
Release 7.0.14 |
| 8808-FC0 |
Cisco 8808 System Fabric Module - Q200-based fabric modules with 14.4T per LC slot |
Release 7.3.15 |
| 8818-FC0 |
Cisco 8818 System Fabric Module - Q200-based fabric modules with 14.4T per LC slot |
Release 7.3.16 |
| 8804-FC0 |
Cisco 8804 System Fabric Module - Q200-based fabric modules with 14.4T per LC slot |
Release 7.3.16 |
| 8808-FC1 |
Cisco 8808 System Fabric Module - F100-based fabric modules with 28.8T per LC slot |
Release 24.2.1 |
| 8804-FC1 |
Cisco 8804 System Fabric Module - F100-based fabric modules with 28.8T per LC slot |
Release 25.1.1 |
| 8818-FC1 |
Cisco 8818 System Fabric Module - F100-based fabric modules with 76T per LC slot |
Release 26.1.1 |
| Cisco 8800 Series Routers - Line Cards |
||
| 8800-LC-48H |
Cisco 8800 Line Card with MACsec - Q100 ASIC based 4.8 Tbps line card |
Release 7.0.12 |
| 8800-LC-36FH |
Cisco 8800 Line Card - Q100 ASIC based 14.4 Tbps line card |
Release 7.0.12 |
| 88-LC0-36FH |
Cisco 8800 Line Card - Q200 ASIC based 14.4 Tbps line card |
Release 7.3.15 |
| 88-LC0-36FH-M |
Cisco 8800 Line Card with MACsec- Q200 ASIC based 14.4 Tbps line card |
Release 7.3.15 |
| 88-LC0-34H14FH |
Cisco 8800 Line Card - Q200 ASIC based 9 Tbps line card |
Release 7.3.3 |
| 88-LC1-36EH |
Cisco 8800 Line Card - P100 ASIC based 28.8 Tbps line card |
Release 24.2.11 |
| 88-LC1-12TH24FH-E |
Cisco 8800 Line Card - P100 ASIC based 12 Tbps line card |
Release 24.3.1 |
| 88-LC1-52Y8H-EM |
Cisco 8800 Line Card - P100 ASIC based 3.7 Tbps line card |
Release 24.3.1 |
| Cisco 8800 Series Routers – Power Supply Unit (PSU) |
||
| PSU4.8KW-DC100 |
4.8KW 48V 100A DC Power Supply |
Release 7.3.2 |
| PSU6.3KW-HV |
6.3KW AC/HVAC/HVDC Power Supply |
Release 7.0.12 |
| PSU6.3KW-20A-HV |
6.3KW AC/HVAC/HVDC Power Supply-20A |
Release 7.0.12 |
Overview of Cisco IOS XR software
The Cisco IOS XR software is composed of a base image (ISO) that provides the XR infrastructure. The ISO image is made up of a set of packages (also called RPMs). These packages are of three types:
● A mandatory package that is included in the ISO
● An optional package that is included in the ISO
● An optional package that is not included in the ISO
Visit the Cisco Software Download page to download the Cisco IOS XR software images.
View installed software packages
To determine the Cisco IOS XR Software packages installed on your router, log in to the router and enter the show install active command. To view the optional and bug fix RPM packages, first install the package and use the show install active summary command.
To know about all the RPMs installed including XR, OS and other components use the show install active all command.
Flexible software modularity
The software modularity approach provides a flexible model that allows you to install a subset of IOS XR packages on devices based on your individual requirements. All critical components are modularized as packages so that you can select the features that you want to run on your router.
Determine firmware support
To determine firmware support on your router, log in to the router and enter show fpd package command.
Table 11. Related resources
| Resource |
Description |
| Provides access to Cisco product documentation for checking product support details. Start by selecting the product family, then use Ask AI About This Product tab for further information. |
|
| Allows selecting the MIB of your choice from a drop-down to explore an extensive repository of MIB information. |
|
| Provides CDC documentation for Cisco 8000 series routers. |
|
| Allows searching by release number, error strings, or comparing release numbers to view a detailed repository of error messages and descriptions. |
|
| Outlines the features currently supported by each operating system.
|
|
| Provides a list of insecure features and protocols that are scheduled for systematic deprecation and eventual removal from specified Cisco products. |
|
| Feature removal and suggested alternatives |
Details the reasons why certain features or protocols are deemed insecure and offers secure alternatives when available. |
| Provides information about Smart Licensing Using Policy solutions and their deployment on IOS XR routers. |
|
| Allows searching by product family, product ID, data rate, reach, cable type, or form factor to determine the transceivers that Cisco hardware device supports. |
|
| Provides yang data models introduced and enhanced in every IOS XR release. |
|
| Provides a general guide in case of upgrading IOS XR routers or new deployments that involve IOS XR routers. |
Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to this URL: www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1110R)
Any Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and phone numbers used in this document are not intended to be actual addresses and phone numbers. Any examples, command display output, network topology diagrams, and other figures included in the document are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any use of actual IP addresses or phone numbers in illustrative content is unintentional and coincidental.
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