Network Convergence System 5500 Series Routers


Note


This software release has reached end-of-life status. For more information, see the End-of-Life and End-of-Sale Notices.



Note


Explore the Content Hub, the all new portal that offers an enhanced product documentation experience.

  • Use faceted search to locate content that is most relevant to you.

  • Create customized PDFs for ready reference.

  • Benefit from context-based recommendations.

Get started with the Content Hub at content.cisco.com to craft a personalized documentation experience.

Do provide feedback about your experience with the Content Hub.



Note


Cisco IOS XR Release 7.3.2 is an Extended Maintenance Release of Cisco IOS XR Release 7.3.1 for Cisco NCS 5500 Series routers. For more details on the Cisco IOS XR release model and associated support, see Guidelines for Cisco IOS XR Software.

What's New in Cisco IOS XR Release 7.3.2

Cisco is continuously enhancing the product with every release and this section covers a brief description of key features and enhancements. It also includes links to detailed documentation, where available.

Software Features Introduced and Enhanced

To learn about features introduced in other Cisco IOS XR releases, select the release from the What’s new page.

Unless specified the following features are not supported on the Cisco 5700 series fixed port routers and the Cisco NCS 5500 series routers that have the Cisco NC57 line cards installed and operating in the native or compatibility mode.

To enable the native mode on Cisco NCS 5500 series routers having Cisco NC57 line cards, use the hw-module profile npu native-mode-enable command in the configuration mode. Ensure that you reload the router after configuring the native mode.

Feature Description

System Error Messages

System Error Messages

An intuitive interface to view, search, compare, and download Cisco IOS XR Error Messages.

Programmability

Contextual Script Infrastructure

When you create and run Python scripts on the router, this feature enables a contextual interaction between the scripts, the IOS XR software, and the external servers. This context, programmed in the script, uses Cisco IOS XR Python packages, modules, and libraries to:

  • obtain operational data from the router

  • set configurations and conditions

  • detect events in the network and trigger an appropriate action

Enhancements to openconfig-platform YANG Data Model

The openconfig-platform YANG data model provides a structure for querying hardware and software router components via the NETCONF protocol. This release delivers an enhanced openconfig-platform YANG data model to provide information about:

  • software version

  • golden ISO (GISO) label

  • committed IOS XR packages

You can access this data model from the Github repository.

Manage Automation Scripts Using YANG RPCs

This feature enables you to use remote procedure calls (RPCs) on YANG data models to perform the same automated operations as CLIs, such as edit configurations or retrieve router information.

Model-driven CLI to Display Running Configuration in XML and JSON Formats

This feature enables you to display the configuration data for Cisco IOS XR platforms in both JSON and XML formats.

This feature introduces the show run | [xml | json] command.

Model-driven CLI to Show YANG Operational Data

This feature enables you to use a traditional CLI command to display YANG data model structures on the router console and also obtain operational data from the router in JSON or XML formats. The functionality helps you transition smoothly between CLI and YANG models, easing data retrieval from your router and network.

This feature introduces the show yang operational command.

Operational Simplicity Using Automation Scripts

This feature lets you host and execute your automation scripts directly on a router running IOS XR software, instead of managing them on external controllers. The scripts available on-box can now leverage Python libraries, access the underlying router information to execute CLI commands, and monitor router configurations continuously. This results in setting up a seamless automation workflow by improving connectivity, access to resources, and speed of script execution.

The following categories of on-box scripts are used to achieve operational simplicity:

YANG Data Models for MPLS OAM RPCs

This feature introduces the Cisco-IOS-XR-mpls-ping-act and Cisco-IOS-XR-mpls-traceroute-act YANG data models to accommodate operations, administration and maintenance (OAM) RPCs for MPLS and SR-MPLS.

You can access these Cisco IOS XR native data models from the Github repository.

Telemetry

Stream Telemetry Data about PBR Decapsulation Statistics

This feature streams telemetry data about header decapsulation statistics for traffic that uses the Policy-Based Routing (PBR) functionality to bypass a routing table lookup for egress. You use the Cisco-IOS-XR-infra-policymgr-opr.yang data model to capture the decapsulation data for Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) and Generic UDP Encapsulation (GUE) tunneling protocols. These statistics give you an insight into the decapsulation status of transmitted packets and usage of classmap to define the data stream.

System Setup and Software Installation

Secure Zero Touch Provisioning with Removable Storage Device

This feature allows you to securely sign onboarding data in a removable storage device so that you can use the device for secure ZTP operations. This support gives you the plug-and-play flexibility for ZTP without any additional infrastructure requirements.

IP Addresses and Services

Monitor LPTS host path drops via YANG data model

This feature allows you to use the Cisco-IOS-XR-lpts-pre-ifib-oper.yang data model to monitor the policer action for Local Packet Transport Services (LPTS) flow type for all IOS XR platforms.

To access this data model, see the Github repository.

Modular QoS

Monitoring and Logging Packet Drops on Lossless PFC-Enabled Queues

In case of packet drops on lossless PFC-enabled queues that also have the PFC Watchdog feature enabled, this functionality generates syslogs in 10-minute intervals.

Such timely alerts help you troubleshoot quickly, isolate issues, and reroute traffic if necessary, with minimal impact on end-user services.

Priority Flow Control

Previously available in Release 6.6.3, this feature is a link-level flow control mechanism that enables you to selectively pause traffic based on its class of service (CoS).

System Security

Public Key-Pair Generation in XR Config Mode

This feature allows you to generate public-key pairs in the XR Config mode, which in turn lets you save configurations. You can then load these saved configurations across different routers to quickly deploy the key-pair configurations.

You could generate public-key pairs in earlier releases only in the XR EXEC mode, which does not save configurations. So manually executing the key-pair generation commands on every router was time-consuming.

The following commands are available in XR Config mode, in addition to XR EXEC mode:

SSH Port Forwarding

With this feature enabled, the SSH client on a local host forwards the traffic coming on a given port to the specified host and port on a remote server, through an encrypted SSH channel. Legacy applications that do not otherwise support data encryption can leverage this functionality to ensure network security and confidentiality to the traffic that is sent to remote application servers.

This feature introduces the ssh server port-forwarding local command.

Segment Routing

Autoroute Include

This feature allows you to steer specific IGP (IS-IS, OSPF) prefixes, or all prefixes, over non-shortest paths and to divert the traffic for those prefixes on to an SR-TE policy.

BGP-LU Inter-AS Option-C Interworking with LDP and IGP SR-MPLS using Proxy BGP-SR

This feature extends the current Proxy BGP-SR functionality by allowing the BGP-LU ASBR router with Proxy BGP-SR configured to also interconnect attached LDP domains.

The Proxy BGP-SR feature allows interconnection of IGP SR-MPLS domains and legacy domains via BGP-LU Inter-AS option-C. It provides a prefix-to-SID mapping for BGP-LU prefixes that are learned without a Prefix-SID.

Dual-Stack L3VPN Services (IPv4, IPv6) (SRv6 Base)

This feature introduces support for Dual-stack (VPNv4/VPNv6) VRFs.

VPNv4/VPNv6 Dual-stack supports both IPv4 (End.DT4) and IPv6 (End.DT6) based SRv6 L3VPN service on the same interface, sub-interface, or VRF.

Dual-Stack L3VPN Services (IPv4, IPv6) (SRv6 Micro-SID)

This feature introduces support for Dual-stack (VPNv4/VPNv6) VRFs.

VPNv4/VPNv6 Dual-stack supports both IPv4 (uDT4) and IPv6 (uDT6) based SRv6 L3VPN service on the same interface, sub-interface, or VRF.

IP Endpoint Delay Measurement and Liveness Monitoring

This feature measures the end-to-end delay and monitors liveness of a specified IP endpoint node.

This feature is supported on IPv4, IPv6, and MPLS data planes.

L3VPN BGP PIC over SR-TE

This feature provides BGP PIC support for L3VPN over SR policies. BGP PIC provides fast convergence when traffic switches from a primary path to a backup path.

BGP PIC over SR-TE is supported when both primary and backup paths each resolve into the BSID of an SR policy.

OSPF: Microloop Avoidance for Flexible Algorithm

This feature extends the current OSPF Flexible Algorithm functionality to support Microloop Avoidance.

SR-PCE: North-Bound API for SRv6 and Flexible Algorithm in Cisco Optimization Engine (COE) v3.0 release

The SR-PCE provides a north-bound HTTP-based API to allow communication between SR-PCE and external clients and applications. The Cisco Crosswork Optimization Engine is an application that leverages the SR-PCE.

This release adds support for the following:

  • Reporting of Flexible Algorithm participation and definitions

  • SRv6 topology information (nodes, links, Node uSIDs and Adj uSIDs)

  • SRv6 uSID list and uB6 SIDs allocated for a policy

For more information, refer to the Cisco Crosswork Optimization Engine User Guides.

SR-TE BGP Soft Next-Hop Validation For ODN Policies

This feature addresses BGP Next-Hop reachability issues through BGP Next-Hop soft validation, and also enhances BGP best path selection.

New commands:

  • nexthop validation color-extcomm disable

  • nexthop validation color-extcomm sr-policy

  • bgp bestpath igp-metric sr-policy

SR-TE PCE Groups

This feature allows an SR policy to be delegated to a set of PCE servers configured under a PCE group. Multiple PCE groups can be configured to allow SR policies on the same head-end to be delegated to different sets of PCEs.

With this functionality, an operator can designate sets of PCEs for various purposes, such as PCE-per-service-type or PCE-per-wholesale-customers.

SRv6 Services: EVPN VPWS — All-Active Multi-Homing (SRv6 Micro SID)

This feature provides an ELINE (P2P) service with all-active multihoming capability over an SRv6 network.

All-Active Multi-Homing enables an operator to connect a customer edge (CE) device to two or more provider edge (PE) devices to provide load balancing and redundant connectivity. With All-Active Multi-Homing, all the PEs can forward traffic to and from the multi-homed device.

SRv6 Traffic Engineering

This feature introduces Segment Routing over IPv6 (SRv6) Traffic Engineering.

This release supports the following features:

  • SRv6-TE with SRv6 micro-SIDs (uSIDs)

  • SRv6 policies

  • Manual SRv6 policies

  • On-Demand SRv6 policies - SR On-Demand Next-Hop (SR-ODN)

  • Automated steering for Layer 3-based BGP services (IPv4 L3VPN, IPv6 L3VPN, IPv4 BGP global, IPv6 BGP global)

  • SRv6-aware Path Computation Element (PCE)

  • PCEPv6

  • Path computation optimization objectives (TE, IGP, latency)

  • Path computation constraints (affinity, disjointness)

SRv6/MPLS Dual-Connected PE (SRv6 Full-Length SID)

This feature allows a PE router to support IPv4 L3VPN services for a given VRF with both MPLS and SRv6. This is MPLS and SRv6 L3VPNv4 co-existence scenario and is sometimes referred to as dual-connected PE.

SRv6/MPLS Dual-Connected PE (SRv6 Micro SID)

This feature allows a PE router to support IPv4 L3VPN services for a given VRF with both MPLS and SRv6. This is MPLS and SRv6 L3VPNv4 co-existence scenario and is sometimes referred to as dual-connected PE.

SRv6/MPLS L3 Service Interworking Gateway (SRv6 Full-Length SID)

This feature enables you to extend L3 services between MPLS and SRv6 domains by providing service continuity on the control plane and data plane.

This feature allows for SRv6 L3VPN domains to interwork with existing MPLS L3VPN domains. The feature also allows a way to migrate from MPLS L3VPN to SRv6 L3VPN.

SRv6/MPLS L3 Service Interworking Gateway (SRv6 Micro-SID)

This feature enables you to extend L3 services between MPLS and SRv6 domains by providing service continuity on the control plane and data plane.

This feature allows for SRv6 L3VPN domains to interwork with existing MPLS L3VPN domains. The feature also allows a way to migrate from MPLS L3VPN to SRv6 L3VPN.

Segment Routing Treetrace Enhancements

The OAM Treetrace operation provides enhanced traceroute functionality to validate ECMP paths between two endpoints.

This feature augments the Treetrace operation to support SR policies, SR NIL FEC, SR Flex Algo, or a custom list of labels.

Interface and Hardware Component

FPD Upgrades Enabled for QDD-400G-ZR-S and QDD-400G-ZRP-S Optical Modules

This feature allows you to perform Field Programmable Device (FPD) upgrades on the QDD-400G-ZR-S and QDD-400G-ZRP-S optical modules to ensure they have the latest fixes and features. For more information about the optic module portfolio, see the Cisco 400G Digital Coherent Optics QSFP-DD Optical Modules Data Sheet.

System Management

Auto FPD Upgrade

This functionality enables automatic upgrade and reload for field-programmable devices (FPDs) whenever the Cisco IOS XR image has a newer FPD version. This functionality upgrades all route processor and interface module FPDs simultaneously while displaying upgrade triggers on the console.

PTP and SyncE support on NC57-36H6D-S

With this release, timing support for PTP and SyncE is available on NC57-36H6D-S in compatible mode.

Hardware Introduced

Cisco IOS XR Release 7.3.2 introduces the following hardware support:

Hardware Feature

Description

QDD-400G-ZR-S and QDD-400G-ZRP-S

The QDD-400G-ZR-S and QDD-400G-ZRP-S pluggable Digital Coherent Optic (DCO) transceivers combined with routers optimized for 400G port bandwidth, offer customers significantly higher router scales and capacities at lower cost.

For configuration details, see Configuring 400G Digital Coherent Optics. For command details, see the Coherent Optics Commands.

For more information about the optic module portfolio, see the Cisco 400G Digital Coherent Optics QSFP-DD Optical Modules Data Sheet.

NC57-36H6D-S Line Card

This line card is a 100G optimized NCS 5700 combo line card with 4.8 Tbps throughput. It provides a mix of 100GE, 200GE and 400GE ports with MACSec support. The line card provides flexible port configurations. The line card can be operated in native (all NCS 5700 line cards in the chassis) and compatible mode (mix of Cisco NCS 5700 line cards and previous generation Cisco NCS 5500 series line cards). See Cisco Network Convergence System 5700 Series: 400GE and 100GE Line Cards Data Sheet

Supported Optical Modules on NCS-57B1-6D24H-S and NCS-57B1-5D24H-SE Routers and NC57-36H6D-S Line Card

The NCS-57B1-6D24H-S and NCS-57B1-5D24H-SE routers and NC57-36H6D-S line card now support the following optical modules designed to deliver Remote PHY (R-PHY) capability in field or headend environments. They enable plug-and-play configuration of 10-Gbps Ethernet signals for the simple configuration of R-PHY devices or shelves. See the Data Sheet for more information on these optical modules.

The NCS-57B1-6D24H-S and NCS-57B1-5D24H-SE routers and NC57-36H6D-S line card also support the following optical modules that provide 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity options for data center, enterprise wiring closet, and service provider transport applications. See the Data Sheet for more information on these optical modules.

Cisco IOS XR Caveats

These caveats are applicable for Cisco IOS XR Software:

Bug ID

Headline

CSCvy13197

Telemetry Syslog events are not received by telemetry client

Release Package

This table lists the Cisco IOS XR Software feature set matrix (packages) with associated filenames.

Visit the Cisco Software Download page to download the Cisco IOS XR software images.

Determine Software Version

To verify the software version running on the router, use show version command in the EXEC mode.
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:router# show version

Cisco IOS XR Software, Version 7.3.2
Copyright (c) 2013-2021 by Cisco Systems, Inc.

Build Information:
 Built By     : ingunawa
 Built On     : Wed Oct 13 21:15:13 PDT 2021
 Built Host   : iox-ucs-023
 Workspace    : /auto/srcarchive17/prod/7.3.2/ncs5500/ws
 Version      : 7.3.2
 Location     : /opt/cisco/XR/packages/
 Label        : 7.3.2

cisco NCS-5500 () processor
System uptime is 3 hours 17 minutes

Determine Firmware Support

Use the show hw-module fpd command in EXEC and Admin mode to view the hardware components with their current FPD version and status. The status of the hardware must be CURRENT; Running and Programed version must be the same.


Note


You can also use the show fpd package command in Admin mode to check the fpd versions.


This sample output is for show hw-module fpd command from the Admin mode:

sysadmin-vm:0_RP0# show hw-module fpd
                                                                     FPD Versions
                                                                    ==============
Location  Card type         HWver FPD device       ATR Status      Run     Programd
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0/0       NC55-24H12F-SE    1.0   Bootloader           CURRENT     1.14      1.14    
0/0       NC55-24H12F-SE    1.0   IOFPGA               CURRENT     0.09      0.09    
0/0       NC55-24H12F-SE    1.0   SATA-M600-MCT        CURRENT     5.00      5.00    
0/1       NC55-18H18F       0.4   Bootloader           CURRENT     1.14      1.14    
0/1       NC55-18H18F       0.4   IOFPGA               CURRENT     0.22      0.22    
0/2       NC55-6X200-DWDM-S 0.502 Bootloader           CURRENT     1.14      1.14    
0/2       NC55-6X200-DWDM-S 0.502 IOFPGA               CURRENT     0.14      0.14    
0/2       NC55-6X200-DWDM-S 0.502 SATA-M600-MCT        CURRENT     5.00      5.00    
0/3       NC55-6X200-DWDM-S 0.502 Bootloader           CURRENT     1.14      1.14    
0/3       NC55-6X200-DWDM-S 0.502 IOFPGA               CURRENT     0.14      0.14    
0/3       NC55-6X200-DWDM-S 0.502 SATA-M600-MCT        CURRENT     5.00      5.00    
0/RP0     NC55-RP           1.0   Bootloader           CURRENT     9.31      9.31    
0/RP0     NC55-RP           1.0   IOFPGA               CURRENT     0.09      0.09    
0/RP0     NC55-RP           1.0   SATA-M600-MU         CURRENT     6.00      6.00    
0/RP1     NC55-RP           1.0   Bootloader           CURRENT     9.31      9.31    
0/RP1     NC55-RP           1.0   IOFPGA               CURRENT     0.09      0.09    
0/RP1     NC55-RP           1.0   SATA-M600-MU         CURRENT     6.00      6.00    
0/FC1     NC55-5504-FC      0.3   Bootloader           CURRENT     1.75      1.75    
0/FC1     NC55-5504-FC      0.3   IOFPGA               CURRENT     0.09      0.09    
0/FC3     NC55-5504-FC      0.3   Bootloader           CURRENT     1.75      1.75    
0/FC3     NC55-5504-FC      0.3   IOFPGA               CURRENT     0.09      0.09    
0/FC5     NC55-5504-FC      0.3   Bootloader           CURRENT     1.75      1.75    
0/FC5     NC55-5504-FC      0.3   IOFPGA               CURRENT     0.09      0.09    
0/SC0     NC55-SC           1.6   Bootloader           CURRENT     1.74      1.74    
0/SC0     NC55-SC           1.6   IOFPGA               CURRENT     0.10      0.10    
0/SC1     NC55-SC           1.6   Bootloader           CURRENT     1.74      1.74    
0/SC1     NC55-SC           1.6   IOFPGA               CURRENT     0.10      0.10

Other Important Information

  • The total number of bridge-domains (2*BDs) and GRE tunnels put together should not exceed 1518.

    Here the number 1518 represents the multi-dimensional scale value.

  • The offline diagnostics functionality is not supported in NCS 5500 platform. Therefore, the hw-module service offline location command will not work. However, you can use the (sysadmin)# hw-module shutdown location command to bring down the LC.

Supported Modular Port Adapters

For the compatibility details of Modular Port Adapters (MPAs) on the line cards, see the datasheet of that specific line card.

Upgrading Cisco IOS XR Software

Cisco IOS XR Software is installed and activated from modular packages, allowing specific features or software patches to be installed, upgraded, or downgraded without affecting unrelated processes. Software packages can be upgraded or downgraded on all supported card types, or on a single card (node).

Before starting the software upgrade, use the show install health command in the admin mode. This command validates if the statuses of all relevant parameters of the system are ready for the software upgrade without interrupting the system.


Note


  • If you use a TAR package to upgrade from a Cisco IOS XR release prior to 7.x, the output of the show install health command in admin mode displays the following error messages:

sysadmin-vm:0_RSP0# show install health
. . .
ERROR /install_repo/gl/xr -rw-r--r--. 1 8413 floppy 3230320 Mar 14 05:45 <platform>-isis-2.2.0.0-r702.x86_64
ERROR /install_repo/gl/xr -rwxr-x---. 1 8413 165 1485781 Mar 14 06:02 <platform>-k9sec-3.1.0.0-r702.x86_64
ERROR /install_repo/gl/xr -rw-r--r--. 1 8413 floppy 345144 Mar 14 05:45 <platform>-li-1.0.0.0-r702.x86_64

You can ignore these messages and proceed with the installation operation.


Production Software Maintenance Updates (SMUs)

A production SMU is a SMU that is formally requested, developed, tested, and released. Production SMUs are intended for use in a live network environment and are formally supported by the Cisco TAC and the relevant development teams. Software bugs identified through software recommendations or Bug Search Tools are not a basis for production SMU requests.

For information on production SMU types, refer the Production SMU Types section of the IOS XR Software Maintenance Updates (SMUs) guide.

Cisco IOS XR Error messages

To view, search, compare, and download Cisco IOS XR Error Messages, refer to the Cisco IOS XR Error messages tool.

Cisco IOS XR MIBs

To determine the MIBs supported by platform and release, refer to the Cisco IOS XR MIBs tool.

Use user-class Option 'xr-config' Instead Of 'exr-config' To Provision ZTP

In Cisco IOS XR Release 7.3.1 and earlier, the system accepts the device sending user-class = "exr-config"; however starting Cisco IOS XR Release 7.3.2 and later, you must use only user-class = "xr-config".

In Cisco IOS XR Release 7.3.2 and later, use:

host cisco-rp0 {
   hardware ethernet e4:c7:22:be:10:ba;
   fixed-address 172.30.12.54;
   if exists user-class and option user-class = "iPXE" {
      filename = "http://172.30.0.22/boot.ipxe";
   } elsif exists user-class and option user-class = "xr-config" {
      filename = "http://172.30.0.22/scripts/cisco-rp0_ztp.sh";
   }
}