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