Connectrix: MDS Series: The Firmware of Loader in Output of Show Version Displays NA

Summary: The firmware of Loader in output of show version displays N/A.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Symptoms

All fabric switches (irrespective of NX-OS) are displaying the loader version (S, T, and V) as N/A. From version 6.x to 9.x its showing N/A only: 
Software
  BIOS:      version 2.1.19
  loader:    version N/A        <<<<<<<<< loader version displayed as N/A
  kickstart: version 9.4(2a)
  system:    version 9.4(2a)
  BIOS compile time:       05/15/23
  kickstart image file is: bootflash:///m9100-s5ek9-kickstart-mz.9.4.2a.bin     <<<<<< 9148S
  kickstart compile time:  7/15/2024 12:00:00 [07/22/2024 16:53:33]
  system image file is:    bootflash:///m9100-s5ek9-mz.9.4.2a.bin
  system compile time:     7/15/2024 12:00:00 [07/22/2024 18:31:20]

Software
  BIOS:      version 1.47.0
  loader:    version N/A      <<<<<<<<< loader version displayed as N/A
  kickstart: version 9.4(1a)
  system:    version 9.4(1a)
  BIOS compile time:       03/14/2024
  kickstart image file is: bootflash:///m9100-s6ek9-kickstart-mz.9.4.1a.bin      <<<<< 9132T
  kickstart compile time:  12/25/2023 12:00:00 [01/12/2024 09:04:07]
  system image file is:    bootflash:///m9100-s6ek9-mz.9.4.1a.bin
  system compile time:     12/25/2023 12:00:00 [01/12/2024 10:45:51]

Software
  BIOS:      version 1.07.0
  loader:    version N/A       <<<<<<<<< loader version displayed as N/A
  kickstart: version 9.4(2)
  system:    version 9.4(2)
  BIOS compile time:       12/18/2023
  kickstart image file is: bootflash:///m9124v-s8ek9-kickstart-mz.9.4.2.bin   <<<<<< 9124V
  kickstart compile time:  4/25/2024 12:00:00 [05/09/2024 20:44:44]
  system image file is:    bootflash:///m9124v-s8ek9-mz.9.4.2.bin
  system compile time:     4/25/2024 12:00:00 [05/09/2024 22:26:03]

Director switches (irrespective of sup-1, sup-4 or any NX-OS version) are NOT displaying the loader version in output of show version. 
Software               <<<<<<<<< no loader version displayed
  BIOS:      version 3.8.0
  kickstart: version 8.4(2f)
  system:    version 8.4(2f)
  BIOS compile time:       04/23/2021
  kickstart image file is: bootflash:///m9700-sf3ek9-kickstart-mz.8.4.2f.bin   <<<<< sup-4
  kickstart compile time:  3/15/2023 12:00:00 [03/25/2023 00:47:55]
  system image file is:    bootflash:///m9700-sf3ek9-mz.8.4.2f.bin
  system compile time:     3/15/2023 12:00:00 [03/25/2023 02:37:14]

Software               <<<<<<<<< no loader version displayed
  BIOS:      version 4.10.0
  kickstart: version 9.4(2a)
  system:    version 9.4(2a)
  BIOS compile time:       03/14/2024
  kickstart image file is: bootflash:///m9700-sf4ek9-kickstart-mz.9.4.2a.bin    <<<<< sup-4
  kickstart compile time:  7/15/2024 12:00:00 [06/12/2024 14:13:36]
  system image file is:    bootflash:///m9700-sf4ek9-mz.9.4.2a.bin
  system compile time:     7/15/2024 12:00:00 [06/12/2024 16:03:45]

Cause

It is designed in such a way that it does not show the loader version.

It seems that is why Cisco has removed that option in the director switches.

Resolution

The loader version displays N/A is as per the design. It does not have any impact on the switch.

Additional Information

The command reference guide for 8.x and 9.x versions output does list out the loader version details.
Here the 'show version' is from switch 9216i which is EOL/EOS since 2013. Hence, we can disregard it.

show version 

Affected Products

Connectrix MDS-Series

Products

Connectrix MDS 9132T
Article Properties
Article Number: 000228380
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 28 May 2025
Version:  2
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