yegs2000
asked on
Cisco Catalyst 5509 Software/Firmware Update
Hi,
I recently purchased a Cisco Catalyst 5509 series switch, and was wondering where the heck to get firmware updates or software updates. I'm trying to update it to the latest versions of firmware/software as possible so i can use it as efficiently as possible. Also I heard it can be used as a security device. Can someone validate this. As well can someone please tell me how i can possibly update the firmware / software on the 5509 w/o having a service contract from cisco. (I'm a student trying to gain all cisco knowledge as possible and really am interested in all things cisco but i dont have a lot of $$$)
Thanks!!
-yegs
I recently purchased a Cisco Catalyst 5509 series switch, and was wondering where the heck to get firmware updates or software updates. I'm trying to update it to the latest versions of firmware/software as possible so i can use it as efficiently as possible. Also I heard it can be used as a security device. Can someone validate this. As well can someone please tell me how i can possibly update the firmware / software on the 5509 w/o having a service contract from cisco. (I'm a student trying to gain all cisco knowledge as possible and really am interested in all things cisco but i dont have a lot of $$$)
Thanks!!
-yegs
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Do you have a SmartNet agreement?
ASKER
I dont know what i have i just have a registered guest account i think... i dont know how to get anything else. It let me login though.
I just checked the link. The two links at the top of the page are for 5000 series code only. The 5500 code in the table below the two links you mentioned.
ASKER
I'm a student at high school, I'm trying to work with a start up company to help them out IT wise as an internship kind of thing and I've been trying to get in contact with cisco for some time now and they finally responded by saying "contact one of our premier resllers" and i contacted about 5 of those and no luck. All im looking at doing is obtaining then newest version of catos. I never imagined it would be this difficult. Is there a way one of you guys could email me with this??? I know thats probably not the best way to do it but... i dont know...
I see. Without a SmartNet agreement you will not be able to download any code.
ASKER
Well how do i get one of those, do i have to pay $$$ ???
ASKER
No way any one can help me out with that????
You would have to go through Cisco (or one of their resellers). And yes, it would cost money. :-(
ASKER
figures.... I dont know. For a hs student seems not worth it. I Tried forever to contact cisco only to be re-routed to one of their partners. ANd then they had no idea how to help me...
ASKER
donjohnson there is no way you can get that for me ? :)
Sorry, that would be illegal.
If you tell Cisco (of one of their partners) that you want a SmartNet contract for a Catalyst 5509, they should be able help you. But I have a feeling it's going to be rather expensive.
If you tell Cisco (of one of their partners) that you want a SmartNet contract for a Catalyst 5509, they should be able help you. But I have a feeling it's going to be rather expensive.
ASKER
hmm..
ASKER
o well, guess it's back to the drawing board and phone calls to cisco partners to see who can help me... hopefully i'll find something somewhere sometime. :P
With all due respect, there's a price to life. If you want to "learn Cisco", there are lots of ways to do it; some with hardware, some without. With hardware, these things cost money.
If you go to the local computer parts shop and buy a case, motherboard, hard drive, monitor, etc., does Microsoft give you Windows for free? No. If you buy a used computer with Win95, does Microsoft give you WinXP for free? No. Plan your purchases carefully so that you can achieve the goals you have laid out.
If you go to the local computer parts shop and buy a case, motherboard, hard drive, monitor, etc., does Microsoft give you Windows for free? No. If you buy a used computer with Win95, does Microsoft give you WinXP for free? No. Plan your purchases carefully so that you can achieve the goals you have laid out.
ASKER
Well,
I just thought that I would get some help from cisco because I'm a student trying to do what I can with what I got.
I don't know. I know and see your point. Just don't have the money that most people have that do this kind of stuff and was hoping for another way.
I just thought that I would get some help from cisco because I'm a student trying to do what I can with what I got.
I don't know. I know and see your point. Just don't have the money that most people have that do this kind of stuff and was hoping for another way.
In case you're interested...
http://www.alliancedatacom.com/SmartNet/index.asp
I have no idea what they would charge for a used EOS (End Of Sale) platform, but it doesn't cost anything to ask.
http://www.alliancedatacom.com/SmartNet/index.asp
I have no idea what they would charge for a used EOS (End Of Sale) platform, but it doesn't cost anything to ask.
Most of us chasing knowledge and/or certifications (including me, having failed the CCIE lab five times) are trying to do what we can with what we've got. "It's never enough", but like anything "good" in life you'll have to earn it.
I for one had to set my CCIE ambitions aside, as I had maxed out my resources through the lab attempts and a boot camp. It's just a fact of life; I made the mistake of not developing my home study lab to mimic the real exam close enough, and didn't practice a wide enough variety of topics. Oh well, I'll go after the CCIE in a year or two.
I for one had to set my CCIE ambitions aside, as I had maxed out my resources through the lab attempts and a boot camp. It's just a fact of life; I made the mistake of not developing my home study lab to mimic the real exam close enough, and didn't practice a wide enough variety of topics. Oh well, I'll go after the CCIE in a year or two.
I'm not sure you can even buy Smartnet for the 5500s anymore. But another option is to look on eBay for 5500 supervisor cards, and verify with the seller what version is in it. Buying a new supervisor is probably cheaper than any software option you could get through Cisco or other official channels.
ASKER
any other answers? =\
Don't think so. I think you're down to two options: use what you've got, or spend money to upgrade. End of story.
ASKER
well perhaps someone will come along within the next week and tell me something i don't know... We'll see what happens. In the mean time thanks for your help ... gonna wait it out from here.
Trust me, you're not going to find an easy (cheap) fix to this issue. You have an older platform that is no longer being sold. It's a good platform, I still run across them. Unlike PC's, as long as switches can move the frames at the rates required, they don't become obsolete.
And understanding the command structure of the O/S on your 5500 will be useful if you ever have to configure a 6500 running CatOS.
And understanding the command structure of the O/S on your 5500 will be useful if you ever have to configure a 6500 running CatOS.
And features in newer CatOS will likely pertain mostly to scaling issues in larger networks, which you won't be able to practice until you add several more switches. Your existing software should suffice.
I was reading through old, unclosed topics, and ran across this one (no surprise). I read through it from top to bottom, and something jumped out that I didn't see before: "I'm trying to work with a start up company to help them out IT wise". The startup company should be ready and willing to pay for their upgrades; hiring a student (for free) to connive software (for free) isn't legitimate. They should have factored the cost of IT into their business plan before they started their business; if they underestimated the cost of IT, that's their fault, and if they chose to ignore the cost of IT, IMHO they deserve to struggle. If you didn't get to know their way of business before taking the internship, that's your fault for not interviewing them well enough.
ASKER
Don that link you had get me there to the download page with my username and password but then it says
NOTE:
There are currently no files for this type.
Download Catalyst 5500/5000 CatOS Cryptographic Software
Download Catalyst 5500/5000 CatOS Archive Software
And both the Download links above ^ either direct me to nothing (first link) or take me to a page that only has another link saying
NOTE:
There are currently no files for this type.
Cisco highly recommends that you read the following very important information before proceeding with any Catalyst 5000 software download!!
!Catalyst2900/5000 Product Documentation and Release Notes
... I'm running a very old version of catos i belive so i am definetly looking to upgrade!
thanks
-yegs