Software Lifecycle Support Statement
Release & support timeline and support guidelines for Cisco NSO software.
Overview
This software lifecycle support statement describes the release and support timeline and support guidelines for Cisco NSO Software.
Cisco NSO software is a time-based release model that delivers two to three releases each year. This approach enables Cisco to introduce stable and feature-rich software releases in a reliable and predictable cadence.
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NSO Software Release Delivery
Cisco has introduced an updated software release delivery model and specific End-of-Life (EoL) guidelines with the NSO v5.X software release. These updated EoL guidelines will apply specifically to the primary NSO server licenses, which will no longer be released for each new minor version. Additional EoL announcements may be released for other NSO components, such as Network Element Drivers (NEDs), Core Function Packs (CFPs), and/or device right-to-manage licenses.
The Cisco NSO Software Release Train model provides a distinct release vehicle, combining to regularly deliver new features two to three times each year with regular maintenance releases for fixes. The schedule specifies two to three individual software releases within a 12-month cycle. This cadence is repeated every year.
End-of-Life Guideline Definition
The Cisco NSO 5.X release is the first release that will adhere to the guidelines presented here.
The minor NSO versions 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, ... will continue to be released two to three times per year.
The EoL timeline, per the guidelines in Table 2, for minor NSO releases will begin at the First Customer Shipment (FCS) of each subsequent minor release. For example, upon FCS of NSO 6.2, the EoL timeline will begin for NSO 6.1. Upon FCS of NSO 6.3, the EoL timeline will begin for NSO 6.2.
There will no longer be separate EoL announcements for these minor versions.
Cisco NSO Software releases (NSO 5.X, 6.X, etc.) will be active and available for download (minor versions also) until the EoL announcement is published as per the guidelines in Table 2.
EoL announcement will only be published for major Cisco NSO Software releases (NSO 5.X, 6.X, etc.)
Customers are encouraged to migrate to Cisco NSO’s most recent release when the release becomes available. NSO customers with an active Cisco NSO support contract are eligible to download the latest releases from Cisco Software Download.
Cisco NSO Software Support
Beginning with NSO 5.7, NSO software will have two different support lifecycles:
Long-Lived Releases (LLR) will be supported 42 months after the EoL announcement date and will reach the End-of-Software-Maintenance (EoSM) milestone 30 months after the EoL announcement date.
Long Lived releases have a maintenance release cadence of approximately monthly for the period from Release until EoL Announcement plus 12 months (approximately 18 months after Release). Then, from EoL Announcement plus 12 months until EoSM, the maintenance release cadence is approximately every three months and during this period only Severity 1, Severity 2, and PSIRT issues will be addressed. LDoS is 12 months after EoSM and during this period only PSIRT issues will be addressed.
Short-Lived Releases (SLR) will be supported 12 months after the EoL announcement and will reach EoSM at the same date.
Every third release will be a Long-Lived Release, and the two releases after a Long-Lived Release will be Short-Lived.
The life cycle version of the release will be shown in the table that summarizes the EoL announcement date, EoSM, and Last Date of Support (LDoS) milestones below.
Example of Long-Lived and Short-Lived Release Cadence: NSO 5.7 Long-Lived, 5.8 Short-Lived, 6.0 Short-Lived, 6.1 Long-Lived.
Milestone Definitions
Table 1. Milestone Definitions for Cisco NSO Software
End-of-Life (EoL) Announcement Date
The date the document that announces the end of life of a product to the general public.
End-of-Software-Maintenance (EoSM) Release Date
The last date that Cisco Engineering may release any final software maintenance releases or bug fixes. After this date, Cisco Engineering will no longer develop, repair, maintain, or test the product software.
Last Date of Support (LDoS)
The last date to receive service and support for the product. After this date, all support services for the product are unavailable, and the product becomes obsolete.
Milestone Timings
Table 2 summarizes the EoL milestones for the Cisco NSO software release (NSO 5.7, 6.x,...).
Table 2. Milestone Timing for Cisco NSO Software by Short-Lived and Long-Lived Releases
End-of-Life (EoL) Announcement Date
Will begin at FCS of each subsequent minor release.
Will begin at FCS of each subsequent minor release.
End-of-Software-Maintenance (EoSM) Release Date
Thirty (30) months after the EoL announcement date.
Twelve (12) months after the EoL announcement date.
Last Date of Support (LDoS)
Forty-two (42) months after the EoL announcement date.
Eighteen (18) months after the EoL announcement date.
Release Support Timelines
Table 3 lists the release support timelines for NSO releases 5.7 and later.
Table 3. Release Support Timeline for Short-Lived and Long-Lived Releases from NSO 5.7
NSO 5.7 LLR
Aug 31, 2022
Apr 23, 2025
Apr 30, 2026
NSO 6.1 LLR
Nov 27, 2023
May 27, 2026
May 30, 2027
NSO 6.2 SLR
Apr 27, 2024
Apr 27, 2025
Oct 31, 2025
NSO 6.3 SLR
Feb 01, 2025
Feb 01, 2026
Aug 31, 2026
NSO 6.4 LLR
May 08, 2025
Nov 08, 2027
Nov 30, 2028
NSO 6.5 SLR
Oct 24, 2025
Oct 24, 2026
April 30, 2027
Upgrade Paths
Customers are encouraged to migrate to Cisco NSO’s most recent release when the release becomes available.
NSO customers with an active Cisco NSO Support contract are eligible to download the latest releases from Cisco Software Download, located at https://software.cisco.com/download/home.
Cisco Services
Cisco offers a wide range of services programs to accelerate customer success. These innovative service programs are delivered through a unique combination of resources, processes, tools, and partners, resulting in high levels of customer satisfaction. Cisco Services help you protect your network investment, optimize network operations, and prepare your network for new applications to extend network intelligence and the power of your business. For more information about Cisco Services, refer to https://www.cisco.com/go/services.
For More Information
For more information about the Cisco NSO product line, visit the following page:
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/cloud-systems-management/network-services-orchestrator/index.html or contact your local Cisco account manager.
For information about Cisco service and support programs and benefits, visit: https://www.cisco.com/c/m/en_us/customer-experience/support/software-support-service-swss.html.
Glossary of Terms
Below is a list of terms used in this release statement.
EoL
End of Life
EoSM
End of Software Maintenance
FCS
First Customer Shipment
LDoS
Last Date of Support
LLR
Long-Lived Release
SLR
Short-Lived Release
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