Cisco NX-OS

Cisco NX-OS
Developer	Cisco Systems
OS family	Unix-like
Working state	Current
Source model	Closed source
Latest release	10.5(2)F / January 8, 2025;2 months ago
Official website	Cisco NX-OS

Last updated March 22, 2025

NX-OS is a network operating system for the Nexus-series Ethernet switches and MDS-series Fibre Channel storage area network switches made by Cisco Systems.^[1] It evolved from the Cisco operating system SAN-OS, originally developed for its MDS switches. Cisco is responsible for its development and maintenance.^[1]

Development

Cisco is responsible for development and maintenance of NX-OS.^[1]

Core features

System Manager (sysmgr)
Persistent Storage Service (PSS)
Message & Transaction Services (MTS)

Additional features

Fibre Channel and FICON
FCIP
FCoE (Nexus 5000/7000 linecards)
iSCSI
IPsec
Scheduling
NPIV NX Port ID Virtualization
Inter–VSAN Routing
VSAN
Zoning (Hard zoning)
Callhome
Cisco Fabric Services (distributed configuration)
SSH and Telnet
Storage Media Encryption
Port Channels
Cisco Data Mobility Manager
Fibre Channel Write Acceleration

Switches running NX-OS

Nexus B22 (HP, Dell, Fujitsu)
Nexus 9000 series^[2]
Nexus 7700 series
Nexus 7000 series
Nexus 6000 series
Nexus 5000 series
Nexus 4000 (for IBM BladeCenter)
Nexus 2000 series
Nexus 3000
Nexus 1000V
MDS 9700 FC Directors
MDS 9500 FC Directors^[3]
MDS 9250i FC Switch
MDS 9222i FC Switch
MDS 9100 FC Switches

Differences between IOS and NX-OS

NX-OS does not support the login command to switch users.
NX-OS does not distinguish between standard or extended access lists, all lists are named and "extended" in functionality.^[4]
NX-OS did not support scp server prior to 5.1(1) release.
In NX-OS, there is no "write" command to save the configuration like on IOS (one uses the "copy" command, instead). Instead, command aliases can be created to provide the "write" command.^[5]
When accessing NX-OS, users authenticate directly to their assigned privilege level.
SSH server is enabled while Telnet server is disabled by default in NX-OS.^[6]

Releases

4.1, 4.2, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 7.0, 9.2, 9.3, 10.1

References

1 2 3 Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (March 1, 2024). "Cisco Releases Security Advisories for Cisco NX-OS Software". cisa.gov.
↑ "Introduction to Cisco Nexus Switches – Nexus Product Family. Differences Between Nexus NX-OS & Catalyst IOS. Comparing High-End Nexus & Catalyst Switches". Firewall.cx. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
↑ Cisco Product Brocuhure Cisco MDS 9500 Series of Multilayer Directors, visited 18 May 2012
↑ "Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Security Configuration Guide, Release 4.1".
↑ "Write Command On Nexus Switches". community.cisco.com. 2012-08-01. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
↑ "Cisco NX-OS/IOS Configuration Fundamentals Comparison" . Retrieved June 3, 2017.

External links

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[cisa-1] 1 2 3 Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (March 1, 2024). "Cisco Releases Security Advisories for Cisco NX-OS Software". cisa.gov.

[cx-intro-2] "Introduction to Cisco Nexus Switches – Nexus Product Family. Differences Between Nexus NX-OS & Catalyst IOS. Comparing High-End Nexus & Catalyst Switches". Firewall.cx. Retrieved 18 February 2025.

[3] Cisco Product Brocuhure Cisco MDS 9500 Series of Multilayer Directors, visited 18 May 2012

[4] "Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Security Configuration Guide, Release 4.1".

[5] "Write Command On Nexus Switches". community.cisco.com. 2012-08-01. Retrieved 2024-10-05.

[6] "Cisco NX-OS/IOS Configuration Fundamentals Comparison" . Retrieved June 3, 2017.

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