Hardware, software and feature compatibility and memory requirements

TCC_2 · ‎06-22-2009

Core Issue

Whenever you install a new card, module or Cisco IOS Software image, it is important to verify that the router has enough memory and that the hardware and software are compatible with the features you want to use.

Resolution

To check for hardware and software compatibility and memory requirements, perform these steps:

To choose software for your network device, refer to Software Advisor.
Choose from one of these options:
- To verify whether the modules and cards installed on the router are supported by the desired Cisco IOS Software version, refer to the Find software compatible with my hardware section of Software Advisor.
- To determine the Cisco IOS Software image needed by choosing the types of features you want to implement, refer to the Find software with the features I need section of Software Advisor.
To check the minimum amount of memory (RAM and Flash) required by the Cisco IOS Software and download the Cisco IOS Software image, refer to the Cisco IOS Upgrade Planner.
To determine the amount of memory (RAM and Flash) installed on your router, refer to the Memory Requirements section of How to Choose a Cisco IOS Software Release.
Choose from one of these options:
- If you want to keep the same features as the version currently running on your router, but do not know which feature set you are using, issue the show version command and paste it in the Output Interpreter tool.
- To display potential issues and fixes, refer to the Output Interpreter tool. You must have JavaScript enabled to use Output Interpreter. It is important to check for feature support, especially if you plan to use recent software features.
- If you need to upgrade the Cisco IOS Software image to a new version or feature set, refer to How to Choose a Cisco IOS Software Release.
If you determine that a software upgrade is required, refer to these documents: