I spent 3 years working at a NOC supporting very large enterprise networks. We would always get a kick out of seeing a Cisco device (router or switch) that had an uptime in the years. Every now and then we'd come across a device that just hummed along and never crashed, experienced a power outage, or was IOS upgraded.
One of the customer networks I worked on had four routers that terminated all the DLSW in their network. Those four routers kept their manufacturing floors operating. Those routers were not allowed to crash or get upgraded. When I left they were running an 11.2 IOS code. Fortunately, they were also in the DC so power was not an issue. Those devices had uptime close to 4 years. They may still be running today which would put them near 7 years.
I have to give Cisco credit. A mainline-IOS, particularly GD-code, can run for years. That's a testament to its robustness. You would expect a memory leak or software bug triggered by network traffic to crash a router (which is just a computer) sometime inside of a year...or two...or three.
A couple weeks ago a co-worker of mine came across our longest running Cisco device:
WS-C6509 Software, Version NmpSW: 7.6(1)
Copyright (c) 1995-2003 by Cisco Systems
NMP S/W compiled on Apr 16 2003, 18:15:28
Uptime is 1166 days, 10 hours, 9 min
It hurt him to do it, but he power-cycled it as part of a change control. :-(
How about a simple contest? What's your longest running Cisco device? Just reply to this blog with your entry. Sorry, no prizes other than your name in print. And no cheating.... :-)
Michael Morris is a communications engineering manager at a $3-billion high-tech company. His background is in enterprise WANs working with telcos and developing large-scale routing designs. He has worked on networks at government and corporate organizations, including networks at two Fortune 10 companies. In his current role, he leads a team of 10 engineers responsible for large-scale IT networking projects and architectural standards for data networks, storage area networks, IP telephony, contact centers, and security. Michael is CCIE #11733 and recently became one of the first three Cisco Certified Design Experts (CCDE) ever (#20080002). He has 11 years experience in networking and communications, including four years as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army. He has a bachelor's degree in MIS from the University at Buffalo and is working on his MBA from NC State University. In 2008, he was awarded the Network Professional Association (NPA) Professional Excellence and Innovation Award for his work on network architecture, templates and enterprise MPLS design.
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>1225 Days for a pair of PIX 520's
We had a pair of redundant PIX 520's that as of Februrary 2006 had been up 3 years and 157 days (about 1225 days). That was the last time I checked before they were de-commisioned several months later, so their total uptime was likely over 4 years by the time they were powered off. Here's part of the "show ver" output:
>firewall01# sho ver
>
>Cisco PIX Firewall Version 6.2(2)
>
>Compiled on Fri 07-Jun-02 17:49 by morlee
>
>firewall01 up 3 years 157 days
>
>Hardware: SE440BX2, 128 MB RAM, CPU Pentium II 350 MHz
>Flash i28F640J5 @ 0x300, 16MB
>BIOS Flash AT29C257 @ 0xfffd8000, 32KB
Here's a 2900XL switch on a
Here's a 2900XL switch on a small closed network:
SWITCH_A uptime is 4 years, 37 weeks, 3 days, 17 hours, 23 minutes
Cisco Internetwork Operating
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) 4500 Software (C4500-J-M), Version 11.0(16), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Copyright (c) 1986-1997 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Tue 24-Jun-97 12:22 by jaturner
Image text-base: 0x600087E0, data-base: 0x60644000
ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 5.3(16) [richardd 16], RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
ROM: 4500 Software (C4500-BOOT-M), Version 11.2(14)P, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
CsrSarOf01 uptime is 378 weeks, 1 day, 18 hours, 58 minutes
System restarted by reload at 17:44:06 PDT Wed May 31 2000
System image file is "flash:c4500-j-mz.110-16.bin", booted via flash
cisco 4500 (R4K) processor (revision E) with 16384K/8192K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID 08737193
R4600 processor, Implementation 33, Revision 1.0
G.703/E1 software, Version 1.0.
Bridging software.
SuperLAT software copyright 1990 by Meridian Technology Corp).
X.25 software, Version 2.0, NET2, BFE and GOSIP compliant.
TN3270 Emulation software (copyright 1994 by TGV Inc).
2 Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interfaces.
4 Serial network interfaces.
128K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) C2600 Software (C2600-IS-M), Version 12.1(5)T9, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
TAC Support: http://www.cisco.com/tac
Copyright (c) 1986-2001 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Sun 24-Jun-01 03:16 by cmong
Image text-base: 0x80008088, data-base: 0x8101A744
ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 11.3(2)XA4, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
CsRTioCs uptime is 5 years, 37 weeks, 4 days, 34 minutes
System returned to ROM by power-on
System restarted at 04:33:06 PST Sat Dec 15 2001
System image file is "flash:c2600-is-mz.121-5.T9"
cisco 2611 (MPC860) processor (revision 0x203) with 61440K/4096K bytes of memory
.
Processor board ID JAD05280DM4 (2889221110)
M860 processor: part number 0, mask 49
Bridging software.
X.25 software, Version 3.0.0.
2 Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
2 Serial(sync/async) network interface(s)
32K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
16384K bytes of processor board System flash (Read/Write)
Configuration register is 0x2102
CsRTioCs#
Here is a one of the
Here is a one of the original switches that was installed when we built our server farm.
SWITCH uptime is 6 years, 42 weeks, 1 day, 22 hours, 46 minutes
System returned to ROM by power-on
System restarted at 12:15:57 est Mon Nov 13 2000
hows about a catalyst 3524
hows about a catalyst 3524 that has been up fer 7 years, 12 weeks, 3 days, 21 hours, 49 minutes and counting!!
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) C3500XL Software (C3500XL-C3H2S-M), Version 12.0(5.1)XP, MAINTENANCE IN
TERIM SOFTWARE
Copyright (c) 1986-1999 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Fri 10-Dec-99 11:16 by cchang
Image text-base: 0x00003000, data-base: 0x002D84CC
ROM: Bootstrap program is C3500XL boot loader
gg1924 uptime is 7 years, 12 weeks, 3 days, 21 hours, 49 minutes
System returned to ROM by power-on
System restarted at 15:45:31 UTC Thu Jun 22 2000
System image file is "flash:c3500XL-c3h2s-mz-120.5.1-XP.bin"
cisco WS-C3524-XL (PowerPC403) processor (revision 0x01) with 8192K/1024K bytes
of memory.
Processor board ID 0x12, with hardware revision 0x00
Last reset from power-on
Processor is running Enterprise Edition Software
Cluster command switch capable
Cluster member switch capable
24 FastEthernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
--More--
Asgard2> (enable) sho
Asgard2> (enable) sho ver
WS-C6509 Software, Version NmpSW: 5.5(7)
Copyright (c) 1995-2001 by Cisco Systems
NMP S/W compiled on Apr 2 2001, 15:45:31
System Bootstrap Version: 5.3(1)
Hardware Version: 2.0 Model: WS-C6509 Serial #: SCA0550007D
Mod Port Model Serial # Versions
--- ---- ------------------- ----------- --------------------------------------
1 2 WS-X6K-SUP1A-2GE SAL0550FB02 Hw : 7.1
Fw : 5.3(1)
Fw1: 5.4(2)
Sw : 5.5(7)
Sw1: 5.5(7)
WS-F6020A SAL0550FAFC Hw : 2.0
2 2 WS-X6K-SUP1A-2GE SAD05070G1Y Hw : 7.0
Fw : 5.3(1)
Fw1: 5.4(2)
Sw : 5.5(7)
Sw1: 5.5(7)
WS-F6020A SAD050409TE Hw : 2.0
3 48 WS-X6348-RJ-45 SAL0544DW35 Hw : 5.0
Fw : 5.4(2)
Sw : 5.5(7)
4 48 WS-X6348-RJ-45 SAL0544DTFK Hw : 5.0
Fw : 5.4(2)
Sw : 5.5(7)
5 48 WS-X6348-RJ-45 SAL0544DUQL Hw : 5.0
Fw : 5.4(2)
Sw : 5.5(7)
7 48 WS-X6348-RJ-45 SAL0544DTFF Hw : 5.0
Fw : 5.4(2)
Sw : 5.5(7)
8 48 WS-X6348-RJ-45 SAL0543DS40 Hw : 5.0
Fw : 5.4(2)
Sw : 5.5(7)
DRAM FLASH NVRAM
Module Total Used Free Total Used Free Total Used Free
------ ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ----- ----- -----
1 65408K 30798K 34610K 16384K 12165K 4219K 512K 321K 191K
Uptime is 1495 days, 0 hour, 3 minutes
Longest Cisco Device
Here at a school district in PA we have a Cisco 3350 series switch at the high school whose current uptime is: 3 years, 43 weeks, 6 days, 19 hours, and 45 minutes. So close to 4 years!
Longest running router
I just started a new job and in the process of reviewing the network I came upon this old frame-relay router:
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) 1600 Software (C1600-Y-L), Version 11.3(3)T, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Copyright (c) 1986-1998 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Mon 20-Apr-98 19:48 by ccai
Image text-base: 0x08022C58, data-base: 0x02005000
ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 11.1(10)AA, EARLY DEPLOYMENT RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
ROM: 1600 Software (C1600-BOOT-R), Version 11.1(10)AA, EARLY DEPLOYMENT RELEASE
SOFTWARE (fc1)
cs1601MSPCP uptime is 6 years, 50 weeks, 12 hours, 16 minutes
System restarted by power-on
System image file is "flash:c1600-y-l_113-3_t.bin", booted via flash
cisco 1601 (68360) processor (revision C) with 1536K/512K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID 07852463, with hardware revision 00000000
Bridging software.
X.25 software, Version 3.0.0.
1 Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
1 Serial network interface(s)
1 serial(sync/async) network interface(s)
WIC T1-DSU
System/IO memory with parity disabled
2048K bytes of DRAM onboard
System running from FLASH
8K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
4096K bytes of processor board PCMCIA flash (Read ONLY)
I had to look at it twice before I believed the number. Not sure what shocked me more, the uptime or the fact that has only 2Mb of RAM.
The best part is that the only thing this router is doing is acting as a default gateway for the local ethernet segement and then static routing all traffic to the newer VPN firewall. It will be retired from service at the soonest opportunity.
5505 uptime: 8 Years +
WS-C5505 Software, Version McpSW: 4.5(2) NmpSW: 4.5(2)
Copyright (c) 1995-1999 by Cisco Systems
NMP S/W compiled on Jun 26 1999, 09:36:42
MCP S/W compiled on Jun 26 1999, 09:34:41
System Bootstrap Version: 5.1(2)
Hardware Version: 1.0 Model: WS-C5505 Serial #: XXXXXXX
Mod Port Model Serial # Versions
--- ---- ---------- --------- ----------------------------------------
1 2 WS-X5530 xxxxxxxxx Hw : 3.3
Fw : 5.1(2)
Fw1: 4.4(1)
Sw : 4.5(2)
2 24 WS-X5225R xxxxxxxxx Hw : 3.3
Fw : 4.3(1)
Sw : 4.5(2)
3 24 WS-X5234 xxxxxxxxx Hw : 2.0
Fw : 4.5(2)
Sw : 4.5(2)
4 24 WS-X5234 xxxxxxxxx Hw : 2.0
Fw : 4.5(2)
Sw : 4.5(2)
DRAM FLASH NVRAM
Module Total Used Free Total Used Free Total Used Free
------ ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ----- ----- -----
1 32640K 14107K 18533K 8192K 7475K 717K 512K 141K 371K
Uptime is 3185 days, 17 hours, 3 minutes
Uptime
How about 5 weeks shy of 7 years for a 2610
HKR1#sh ver
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) C2600 Software (C2600-I-M), Version 12.0(4), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Copyright (c) 1986-1999 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Wed 14-Apr-99 21:15 by ccai
Image text-base: 0x80008088, data-base: 0x805E2768
ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 11.3(2)XA4, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
HKR1 uptime is 6 years, 47 weeks, 1 day, 11 minutes
System restarted by reload at 14:03:35 EDST Tue Jul 3 2001
System image file is "flash:c2600-i-mz.120-4"
cisco 2610 (MPC860) processor (revision 0x202) with 18432K/6144K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID JAB031806NT (546819096)
M860 processor: part number 0, mask 49
Bridging software.
X.25 software, Version 3.0.0.
Basic Rate ISDN software, Version 1.1.
1 Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
1 Serial network interface(s)
1 ISDN Basic Rate interface(s)
32K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
8192K bytes of processor board System flash (Read/Write)
Configuration register is 0x2102