Appendix A. Cisco IOS Software Release and Filename Conventions

Appendix A. Cisco IOS Software Release and Filename Conventions

Although the entire Cisco IOS Software comes in a nice single-file package, it can be confusing to figure out exactly which release you should install. Likewise, you might have a router that is already running an image of Cisco IOS Software. From the image filename, can you easily determine what feature set or software release you have?

This appendix provides key information about the Cisco IOS Software release process, explaining each release level. There are suggestions about how to choose the correct release level and feature set, depending on your requirements and available equipment. There is also information about the Cisco IOS Software image filenaming convention so that you can look at the image file that is installed on a router and tell exactly what you have.