The name has three parts, separated by dashes: e.g. xxxx-yyyy-ww:
xxxx = Platform
yyyy = Features
ww = Format - Where it executes from if compressed.
Software Naming Conventions for IOS - Platform as5200 5200
ca1003 Cisco Advantage 1003
ca1005 Cisco Advantage 1005
cpa1003 CiscoPro 1003,4
cpa1005 CiscoPro 1005
cpa25 CiscoPro 2500
cpa3620 CiscoPro 3620
cpa3640 CiscoPro 3640
cpa45 CiscoPro 4500
*cs Communication Server
cs500 cs500
c1000 1003,4
c1005 1005
c1600 1600
c2500 25xx,3xxx,5100, AO (11.2 and later only)
c25fx Fixed Frad
c2600 2600 Quake
c2800 Catalyst 2800
c2900 2910, 2950
c29atm 2900 ATM
c3620 3620
c3640 3640
c3800 3800
c4000 4000 (11.2 and later only)
c4500 4500, 4700
c5rsfc
c5rsm Catalyst 5k RSP
c5atm Catalyst ATM
c6400s 6400 NSP
c6400r 6400 NRP
c6msm Catalyst
c7000 7000,7010 (11.2 and later only)
c7200 7200
igs IGS, 25xx,3xxx,5100, AP
gs3 gateway server (AGS, AGS+)
gs7 gateway server(7000,7010)
gsr Gigabit Switch Router (12000)
ls1010 Lightstream 1010
mc3810 Ardent Multiservice Cisco 3810
p Partners' platform n
*pt prootocol translator
rpm MGX 8850
rsp 75xx
ubr7200 Universal Broadband Router 7200
ubr900 Universal Broadband Router 900
ubr920 Universal Broadband Router 920
vcw Voice Card Ware
xx 4000
igsetx 2500 (media specific image that supports only ethernet, token ring, and x.25)
Software Naming Conventions for IOS - Format
Where the image runs in the router
f flash m ram r rom l relocatable
Compression Types
z zip compressed (note lower case) x mzip compressed w "STAC" compressed
Extensions
.tar A utility and file format used for packaging files together. These files are compressed using gzip or some other form of compression .html The file is used with a Web browser application.
Software Naming Conventions for IOS - Features
ALL 0-9 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ALL
a a APPN a2 ATM a3 APPN replacement
b b Appletalk boot boot image
c c Comm-server/Remote Access Server (RAS) subset (SNMP, IP, Bridging,IPX, Atalk, Decnet, FR, HDLC, PPP, X,25, ARAP, tn3270, PT, XRemote, LAT) (non-CiscoPro) c CommServer lite (CiscoPro) c2 Comm-server/Remote Access Server (RAS) subset (SNMP, IP, Bridging,IPX, Atalk, Decnet, FR, HDLC, PPP, X,25, ARAP, tn3270, PT, XRemote, LAT) (CiscoPro) c3 clustering
e e IPeXchange (no longer used in 11.3 and later) - StarPipes DB2 Access - Enables Cisco IOS to act as a "Gateway" to all IBM DB2 products for downstream clients/servers in 11.3T eboot ethernet boot image for mc3810 platform
f f FRAD subset (SNMP, FR, PPP, SDLLC, STUN) f2 modified FRAD subset, EIGRP, Pcbus, Lan Mgr removed, OSPF added
g g ISDN subset (SNMP, IP, Bridging, ISDN, PPP, IPX, Atalk) g2 gatekeeper proxy, voice and video g3 ISDN subset for c800 (IP, ISDN, FR)
h h For Malibu(2910), 8021D, switch functions, IP Host hdiag Diagnostics image for Malibu(2910)
i (used for image names of platforms c2500 and larger) i IP subset (SNMP, IP, Bridging, WAN, Remote Node, Terminal Services) i2 subset similar to IP subset for system controller image (3600) i3 reduced IP subset with BGP/MIB, EGP/MIB, NHRP, DIRRESP removed. i4 subset of IP (5200) ipss7 IP subset with SS7 (2600)
j j enterprise subset (formerly bpx, includes protocol translation) *** not used until 10.3 ***
k k kitchen sink (enterprise for high-end) (same as bx) (Not used after 10.3) k1 Baseline Privacy key encryption (On 11.3 and up) k2 high-end enterprise w/CIP2 ucode (Not used after 10.3) k2 Triple DES (On 11.3 and up) k3 56bit SSH encryption k4 168bit SSH encryption k5 Reserved for future encryption capabilities (On 11.3 and up) k6 Reserved for future encryption capabilities (On 11.3 and up) k7 Reserved for future encryption capabilities (On 11.3 and up) k8 Reserved for future encryption capabilities (On 11.3 and up) k9 Reserved for future encryption capabilities (On 11.3 and up)
l l IPeXchange IPX, static routing, gateway
m m RMON (11.1 only) m Catalyst 2820-kernel, parser, ATM signaling, Lane Client, bridging
n n IPX
o o Firewall (formerly IPeXchange Net Management) o2 Firewall (3xx0) o3 Firewall with ssh (36x0 26x0)
p p Service Provider (IP RIP/IGRP/EIGRP/OSPF/BGP, CLNS ISIS/IGRP) p2 Service Provider w/CIP2 ucode p3 as5200 service provider p4 5800 (Nitro) service provider p5 Service Provider (6400 NRP) p7 Service Provider with PT/TARP (2600, 3640)
q q Async q2 IPeXchange Async
r r IBM base option (SRB, SDLLC, STUN, DLSW, QLLC) - used with i, in, d (See note below.) r2 IBM variant for 1600 images r3 IBM variant for Ardent images (3810) r4 reduced IBM subset with BSC/MIB, BSTUN/MIB, ASPP/MIB, RSRB/MIB removed.
s s source route switch (SNMP, IP, Bridging, SRB) (10.2 to 11.1) s Additions by Platform via PLUS packs
c1000 (OSPF, PIM, SMRP, NLSP, ATIP, ATAURP, FRSVC, RSVP, NAT) c1005 (X.25, full WAN, OSPF, PIM, NLSP, SMRP, ATIP, ATAURP, FRSVC, RSVP, NAT) c1600 (OSPF, IPMULTICAST, NHRP, NTP, NAT, RSVP, FRAME_RELAY_SVC) AT "s" images also have