qemu-img convert -f qcow2 -O vmdk nxosv9k-7.0.3.i7.4.qcow2 nxosv9k.vmdk Assume you have a Ubuntu 22.04 host with libvirt installed. Step 1: Download the Image Obtain nxosv9k-7.0.3.i7.4.qcow2 from Cisco’s Software Download portal (requires valid SmartNet or CCO login). Path: Products → Switches → Data Center Switches → Nexus 9000 → NX-OS Software → 7.0(3)I7(4) Step 2: Create a Virtual Network (Optional) virsh net-define /etc/libvirt/qemu/networks/lab_net.xml virsh net-start lab_net Step 3: Install libguestfs Tools (for password injection) Nexus 9Kv requires an initial admin password injected via serial console .
grub> serial --unit=0 --speed=9600 grub> terminal_input serial grub> terminal_output serial Then boot normally. Or pre-set in EVE-NG: set serial console baud to 9600. This is often due to memory starvation . Increase VM RAM to at least 12 GB. Also disable KSM (Kernel Same-page Merging) if hypervisor is busy. Part 7: Performance Expectations & Realities Unlike physical Nexus 9000 (which uses the Cloud Scale ASIC), the virtual version is a pure software switch.
feature nxapi nxapi http port 80 Then from Linux:
Use for config parity and protocol behavior – not for throughput benchmarking. Part 8: Automation & Management Enable NX-API for RESTCONF automation:
In the rapidly evolving landscape of data center networking, the ability to test, validate, and learn complex configurations without physical hardware is invaluable. For network engineers and DevOps professionals working with Cisco’s Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) and classic NX-OS environments, one filename stands out as a critical asset: nxosv9k-7.0.3.i7.4.qcow2 .
| Resource | Minimum | Recommended for lab | |----------|---------|---------------------| | vCPU | 4 | 4-6 | | RAM | 8 GB | 12-16 GB | | Disk (thin provisioned) | ~4 GB | 8 GB (for logs & crashes) | | Hypervisors | KVM, Proxmox, VMware (with qemu-img conversion), EVE-NG, GNS3 | The image does not run on VirtualBox or VMware Workstation without heavy tweaking (requires hardware virtualization nesting and often fails due to timer interrupts). Use KVM-based solutions. Converting to VMDK (for ESXi) If you need VMware ESXi compatibility:
curl -k -u "admin:password" http://<vm-ip>/ins -d '"ins_api": "version":"1.0","type":"cli_show","cmd":"show version"' For Netmiko (Python):
Nxosv9k-7.0.3.i7.4.qcow2 Page
qemu-img convert -f qcow2 -O vmdk nxosv9k-7.0.3.i7.4.qcow2 nxosv9k.vmdk Assume you have a Ubuntu 22.04 host with libvirt installed. Step 1: Download the Image Obtain nxosv9k-7.0.3.i7.4.qcow2 from Cisco’s Software Download portal (requires valid SmartNet or CCO login). Path: Products → Switches → Data Center Switches → Nexus 9000 → NX-OS Software → 7.0(3)I7(4) Step 2: Create a Virtual Network (Optional) virsh net-define /etc/libvirt/qemu/networks/lab_net.xml virsh net-start lab_net Step 3: Install libguestfs Tools (for password injection) Nexus 9Kv requires an initial admin password injected via serial console .
grub> serial --unit=0 --speed=9600 grub> terminal_input serial grub> terminal_output serial Then boot normally. Or pre-set in EVE-NG: set serial console baud to 9600. This is often due to memory starvation . Increase VM RAM to at least 12 GB. Also disable KSM (Kernel Same-page Merging) if hypervisor is busy. Part 7: Performance Expectations & Realities Unlike physical Nexus 9000 (which uses the Cloud Scale ASIC), the virtual version is a pure software switch. nxosv9k-7.0.3.i7.4.qcow2
feature nxapi nxapi http port 80 Then from Linux: qemu-img convert -f qcow2 -O vmdk nxosv9k-7
Use for config parity and protocol behavior – not for throughput benchmarking. Part 8: Automation & Management Enable NX-API for RESTCONF automation: Increase VM RAM to at least 12 GB
In the rapidly evolving landscape of data center networking, the ability to test, validate, and learn complex configurations without physical hardware is invaluable. For network engineers and DevOps professionals working with Cisco’s Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) and classic NX-OS environments, one filename stands out as a critical asset: nxosv9k-7.0.3.i7.4.qcow2 .
| Resource | Minimum | Recommended for lab | |----------|---------|---------------------| | vCPU | 4 | 4-6 | | RAM | 8 GB | 12-16 GB | | Disk (thin provisioned) | ~4 GB | 8 GB (for logs & crashes) | | Hypervisors | KVM, Proxmox, VMware (with qemu-img conversion), EVE-NG, GNS3 | The image does not run on VirtualBox or VMware Workstation without heavy tweaking (requires hardware virtualization nesting and often fails due to timer interrupts). Use KVM-based solutions. Converting to VMDK (for ESXi) If you need VMware ESXi compatibility:
curl -k -u "admin:password" http://<vm-ip>/ins -d '"ins_api": "version":"1.0","type":"cli_show","cmd":"show version"' For Netmiko (Python):
