Download Cat9kv-prd-17.12.01prd9.qcow2 Exclusive Jun 2026
The authorized and most stable way to obtain this image is through , Cisco's official network simulation platform.
virt-install \ --name cat9kv-test \ --ram 8192 \ --vcpus 4 \ --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/cat9kv-prd-17.12.01prd9.qcow2,format=qcow2 \ --import \ --network network=default,model=virtio \ --graphics none \ --console pty,target_type=serial
# Inspect the image qemu-img info cat9kv-prd-17.12.01prd9.qcow2
Because the Catalyst 9000v is a proprietary image, it is not freely available for download directly from public repositories. 1. Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) - Official Method
: VirtIO (highly recommended for KVM), E1000, or VMXNET3 4. Deploying the QCOW2 Image in Network Simulators Option A: EVE-NG Integration download cat9kv-prd-17.12.01prd9.qcow2
For network engineers and IT professionals, gaining hands-on experience with production-grade switching platforms is crucial. The virtual switch bridges this gap, offering a software-defined emulation of Cisco's enterprise switching portfolio. At the heart of this powerful tool is a specific file: cat9kv-prd-17.12.01prd9.qcow2 . This article serves as your definitive guide to understanding, acquiring, and deploying this file in your lab environment.
If you are running a raw Ubuntu/CentOS KVM hypervisor, you can spin up the instance using virt-install . Here is a baseline deployment script:
conf t license boot level network-advantage addon dna-advantage end write memory reload ``` Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard
2 vCPUs minimum (4 vCPUs recommended for SD-WAN or heavy traffic throughput) The authorized and most stable way to obtain
| Resource | Requirement | |----------|-------------| | vCPUs | 4 cores | | vRAM | 12–18 GB | | Disk | 8 GB (or more as needed) | | NIC | e1000 or virtio |
Note: Accessing this download typically requires a valid service contract (such as Cisco Smart Net Total Care) associated with your CCO account. 2. Cisco Modeling Labs (CML)
To boot the 17.12.01 IOS XE image without performance degradation or kernel panics, allocate the following baseline virtual resources per node:
The most popular platform for using these images. GNS3: Utilizing the QEMU appliance. KVM/QEMU on Linux: Direct usage via virt-manager. System Requirements: RAM: 8GB RAM per Catalyst 9000v node. CPU: 2-4 vCPUs per node. Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) - Official Method :
(Cat9Kv) switch, specifically running IOS-XE version . It is primarily designed for network simulation and lab environments like Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) , GNS3 , and EVE-NG . How to Access the Image
17.12.1prd9 (Part of the IOS-XE 17.12.1 release cycle).
The required folder name differs for each use-case (e.g., cat9kv-17.12.01-prd9 , cat9kvq200-17.12.01-prd9 , and cat9kvuadp-17.12.01-prd9 ), telling the hypervisor which boot method to use.
virt-install \ --name cat9kv-17.12 \ --memory 8192 \ --vcpus 2 \ --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/cat9kv-prd-17.12.01prd9.qcow2,bus=virtio,format=qcow2 \ --network network=default,model=virtio \ --os-variant=rhel8.0 \ --import \ --noautoconsole Use code with caution. Initial Boot and Configuration
For a standard 9‑port configuration (Regular UDAP):