Cisco IOS XE

<h2 id="releases">Releases</h2>
<p>IOS XE is released separately for ASR 1000<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> and Catalyst 3850.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="differences-between-ios-and-ios-xe">Differences between IOS and IOS XE</h2>
<p><a href="/facts/Cisco_IOS/jwcRuzX8">Cisco IOS</a> is a monolithic operating system running directly on the hardware while IOS XE is a combination of a <a href="/facts/Linux_kernel/dlkduHuA">Linux kernel</a> and a monolithic application (IOSd) that runs on top of this kernel. On the other hand, IOS XR is based on <a href="/facts/QNX/gBsfJvcB">QNX</a> (since version 5.0 it's also based on Linux), where the IOSd application has been separated into many different applications. While IOS XE (IOSd) and IOS share a lot of the same code, IOS XR is a completely different code base.
</p><p>Since IOS XE has IOSd running as an application on top of Linux, it becomes possible to also run different applications on the hardware, a good example of this is running Wireshark on a switch.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> Another example is the Cisco IOS XE Open Service Containers.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Cisco_NX-OS/PU2fVKXt">Cisco NX-OS</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://content.cisco.com/welcome.html">Cisco Content Hub</a></li>
<li><a href="https://cfnng.cisco.com">Cisco Feature Navigator</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/ios-nx-os-software/ios-xe/index.html">Official website</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>David Newman (2009-01-12). "Cisco's ASR 1000 router built for 10-year tenure". Network World, Inc. Retrieved 2016-01-05. <a href="https://www.networkworld.com/article/795850/lan-wan-cisco-s-asr-1000-router-built-for-10-year-tenure.html" target="_blank">https://www.networkworld.com/article/795850/lan-wan-cisco-s-asr-1000-router-built-for-10-year-tenure.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>"Logging into a Linux shell from a Cisco ASR1000 Series Router". 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2016-01-05. <a href="https://packetzone.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/logging-into-a-linux-shell-from-a-cisco-asr1000-series-router/" target="_blank">https://packetzone.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/logging-into-a-linux-shell-from-a-cisco-asr1000-series-router/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"Cisco IOS XE Software for Cisco ASR 1000 Series Routers". Cisco Systems. 2012. Retrieved 2016-01-05. <a href="http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/routers/asr-1000-series-aggregation-services-routers/product_bulletin_c25-448387.html" target="_blank">http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/routers/asr-1000-series-aggregation-services-routers/product_bulletin_c25-448387.html</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>Michael Morris (2009-01-26). "Now a Look at Cisco IOS XE for the ASRs". Network World, Inc. Retrieved 2016-01-05. <a href="https://www.networkworld.com/article/761605/cisco-subnet-now-a-look-at-cisco-ios-xe-for-the-asrs.html" target="_blank">https://www.networkworld.com/article/761605/cisco-subnet-now-a-look-at-cisco-ios-xe-for-the-asrs.html</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>"Cisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers Software Configuration Guide". Cisco Systems. Retrieved 2016-01-05. <a href="http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/asr1000/configuration/guide/chassis/asrswcfg/Software_Packaging_Architecture.html" target="_blank">http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/asr1000/configuration/guide/chassis/asrswcfg/Software_Packaging_Architecture.html</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>Tom Hollingsworth (2013-04-18). "IOS X-Treme!". Retrieved 2016-01-05. <a href="http://networkingnerd.net/2013/04/18/ios-x-treme/" target="_blank">http://networkingnerd.net/2013/04/18/ios-x-treme/</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>ASR 1000 release notes <a href="http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/routers/asr-1000-series-aggregation-services-routers/products-release-notes-list.html" target="_blank">http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/routers/asr-1000-series-aggregation-services-routers/products-release-notes-list.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>Catalyst 3850 release notes <a href="http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/switches/catalyst-3850-series-switches/products-release-notes-list.html" target="_blank">http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/switches/catalyst-3850-series-switches/products-release-notes-list.html</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:9"><p>"Catalyst 4500 Series Switch Software Configuration Guide". cisco.com. Cisco Systems. Retrieved 3 August 2017. <a href="http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/15-1/XE_330SG/configuration/guide/config/wireshrk.html" target="_blank">http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/15-1/XE_330SG/configuration/guide/config/wireshrk.html</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:10"><p>"Cisco IOS XE Open Service Containers" (PDF). cisco.com. Cisco Systems. Retrieved 3 August 2017. <a href="https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/routers/asr-1000-series-aggregation-services-routers/q-and-a-c67-737653.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/routers/asr-1000-series-aggregation-services-routers/q-and-a-c67-737653.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Cisco IOS XE open-in-new

Cisco IOS XE