Question

Difference between Cisco IOS's: IOS XE, XR, and IOS

Asked by: mosca714

I wanted to know the differences between these cisco IOS:  IOS XE, XR, and IOS

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Asked On
2009-09-25 at 10:43:54ID24762513
Tags

Difference between Cisco IOS's: IOS XE

,

XR

,

and IOS

Topics

Networking Hardware

,

Network Routers

,

Network Switches & Hubs

Participating Experts
3
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: mikebernhardtPosted on 2009-09-25 at 10:52:08ID: 25425370

As near as I can tell:
IOS XE is for the ASR1000 aggregation services routers
IOS XR is for the CRS-1 and 10000 series routers
IOS is for everything else.

I suspect the reason is simply that the hardware is too different and it was easier to support it in a unique verion of IOS than to try to build it on the same software platform.

 

by: that1guy15Posted on 2009-09-25 at 10:58:11ID: 25425450

Let me see if I can take a shot at this.

IOS is the base cisco software that runs on the majority of routers and switches. Some older switches run on CatOS which provided the same functionality.

IOS XE is primarly for the ASR router. Which is the top of the line cisco router designed for carrier class services. XE is modulated so different proccesses are ran from different modules. So if one module fails it does not effect the whole router unlike traditional IOS which everything runs from the single IOS software.
http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/37762

IOS XR (very simaler to XE) is for carrier class routers and is designed for high bandwidth, throughput and long reliable uptimes. From what very little I have seen of XR commands are similar but it does have its differences. XR is also modulated as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_XR

Hope this helps.


 

by: jodylemoinePosted on 2009-09-25 at 11:00:50ID: 25425479

IOS XR is a realtime Internetwork Operating System designed for Cisco's high-end carrier routing platforms such as the CNS-1 and the 12000.  IOS XE, on the other hand, is a modular IOS architecture designed for the Cisco ASR platform.  IOS, Cisco's mainstay, is the old traditional monolithic Internetwork Operating System that we have come to know and love on Cisco's mainstream routing/switching platforms.  Yet another OS, NX-OS, has been also been developed for Cisco's storage-optimized Nexus switch platform.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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