Make Cisco IOS Upgrades Easier

Cisco IOS software is designed for use on a wide range of hardware devices including switches and networking routers. It uses a simple command-line interface to govern a series of tools, called “trains,” that deliver Cisco software to specified platforms. The Cisco IOS operating system is a versatile resource for a variety of types of networking, thus making it the world’s leading network infrastructure solution. 

Cisco incorporates an easy syntax, so you don’t have to be an experienced network admin to run commands. For example, Cisco IOS includes commands like “debug,” “show,” “copy,” and more—which make it easier for users to manage their operating systems. The software also uses a simple question mark (“?”) to let users access help features quickly and easily. 

Since it was first developed in the 1980s, the Cisco IOS network operating system has undergone continuous development and improvement. From adapting to new network protocols to increasing hardware capabilities, these upgrades have been integral to creating the product that exists today. 

Cisco firmware upgrades are important because they help improve both the performance and security of your operating systems. 

Firmware is the name for the software embedded in a hardware device. It consists of sets of commands that control the behavior of your network devices. When vendors develop new versions of the operating system for devices, it’s called a firmware upgrade or update. Firmware updates—both in general and Cisco firmware updates specifically—offer instant improvements to the functionality of the devices they apply to. These firmware updates improve and enhance the user experience and help protect you from vulnerabilities and fix existing bugs.

Unfortunately, important Cisco firmware updates often go ignored. We may know we should always perform Cisco IOS updates, but when the time comes to do it, the risk of network downtime that could accompany the update or be caused by introducing changes into a network infrastructure that appears to be running smoothly can make us more hesitant to roll out upgrades. If systems are running smoothly, network metrics are showing positive results, auditors aren’t causing any kind of stir, and nothing is failing, it can be hard to convince yourself you have anything to look into at all. This is particularly true when it seems like there are far more pressing security risks that should be addressed first. 

This kind of thinking can lead to serious vulnerabilities and security risks in addition to inferior performance of the network operating systems. Routine Cisco firmware upgrades should be part of any security and risk mitigation plan. Regular Cisco IOS updates are critical for any organization and can help improve operating system performance while protecting you from vulnerabilities and fixing bugs.

Cisco IOS upgrade tools work by automating the Cisco IOS upgrade process to reduce the time and effort that goes into the process. By using Cisco IOS upgrade automation tools, there’s no reason to skip Cisco firmware updates, meaning stronger security and better performance. 

The more devices you have, the more difficult it can be to manually perform Cisco firmware upgrades. With a Cisco IOS upgrade tool that can automatically perform upgrades quickly and effectively, worrying about the potentially negative impact and time needed to update tens or even hundreds of devices whenever a new version of Cisco IOS comes out can become a thing of the past.

Before you can perform a Cisco IOS update, there are several factors you need to consider and check to ensure the upgrade can be performed successfully. First, you need to ensure the devices have enough memory to store and run the upgraded Cisco IOS. You also need to make sure the new Cisco IOS will support all the modules and interfaces on your devices. Finally, you need to make sure the new Cisco IOS supports all the features you used in the old IOS. A Cisco IOS upgrade tool can help with checking all of these before beginning the upgrade. 

In addition to all these checks, manual firmware upgrades often require you to take many specific actions for each device. An automated tool can make this easier by helping you create a “job” you can run across your target devices to perform these actions, rather than dealing with each individually. 

With Cisco IOS update tools like SolarWinds Network Configuration Monitor, the process is easy. The tool can search for vulnerabilities on its own and makes it easier to set up automated updates if you discover a vulnerability.

Cisco IOS upgrade automation is designed to be easy using SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager. Instead of the 50+ clicks often required for each device you want to upgrade, NCM is built to automatically run updates across your target devices using these simplified steps:

1. Go to the Configs tab and select Firmware Upgrades. From there, the built-in Firmware Wizard will take you through the upgrade process.
2. Select the firmware image you want from the repository. 
3. Select exactly which nodes you want to be upgraded. With a tool, you have complete control of what you upgrade.
4. Once nodes are selected, the tool will begin collecting data on each of them to determine whether the upgrade can be performed on each device. Once the tool completes the “data collect” command, you’ll be presented with all the information you need to review the operation and give approval for running the upgrade.
5. The automatic upgrade can then either be performed immediately or can be scheduled for a specific time.

Since NCM is built to automate the Cisco IOS upgrade process, the tool can eliminate the biggest problems people generally face when dealing with updates. Namely, NCM helps solve for never having enough time to perform all the upgrades you need, knowing which devices you need to upgrade, and can help you better avoid accidentally bricking a device. 

Network Configuration Manager is also built to automatically identify vulnerabilities present in firmware through automated vulnerability assessments. The tool helps track firmware versions and automatically correlate them with the CVEs published in the National Vulnerability Database. Once a vulnerability or vulnerabilities are discovered, NCM then guides you through the process of upgrading now-obsolete Cisco IOS images in just a few minutes instead of hours or even days.