Verify the image is correctly recognized by running dir bootflash: from the switch console to see the system image files.
The 9.3(9) release is particularly powerful for complex data center technologies. A common lab scenario involves using multiple Nexus 9300v switches as leaf and spine switches in a VXLAN EVPN topology. For instance, you can set up a spine switch as a BGP route reflector and configure OSPF for the underlay network, then use MP-BGP EVPN to manage the overlay. This allows you to simulate a modern, scalable data center fabric entirely in software.
Certain advanced features require specific line-card behaviors. Check the platform slicing documentation or use show feature to confirm whether a feature can be simulated on the virtual 9300 slice.
AAA, TACACS+, RADIUS, SSHv2, SNMPv3, and telemetry streaming. Deployment and Installation Steps nexus9300v.9.3.9.qcow2
What are you trying to test (e.g., standard L3 routing, vPC, VXLAN EVPN fabrics)?
Test traffic engineering and simplified control planes using Segment Routing over MPLS or IPv6.
Upon successful boot, you will be prompted with the standard Cisco setup dialog: Verify the image is correctly recognized by running
Cisco’s official premier network simulation platform.
mv nexus9300v.9.3.9.qcow2 sataa.qcow2
Configuration of Virtual Port Channels (vPC) to validate link aggregation topologies. For instance, you can set up a spine
Enter the file: .
For developers who prefer to manage infrastructure as code, Vagrant is an excellent option. The netlab project, for example, can use the qcow2 file to build a Vagrant Libvirt box. The process is as simple as creating an empty directory, placing the qcow2 file inside, and running a command to build the box. However, you should be aware of a known caveat where multiple Nexus 9300v devices created from the same Vagrant box may have duplicate serial numbers, potentially causing DHCP conflicts. The workaround is to set the libvirt batch_size to 1, starting the devices sequentially.
The Nexus 9300v is resource-intensive compared to standard IOS or IOS-XE virtual images. Running multiple instances requires a robust hypervisor or bare-metal server. Resource Property Minimum Requirement (Per Node) Recommended (Per Node) RAM 10 GB to 12 GB RAM Disk Space 8 GB allocated thin provisioning Network Interfaces 1 Management + 6 Data Ports Up to 64 Data Ports CPU Microarchitecture Intel VT-x or AMD-V enabled Intel Haswell or newer with AVX2
During the boot sequence, connect via Telnet/SSH or VNC console using your lab software client. You will see GRUB boot menus, followed by Linux kernel initialization text, and eventually the standard Cisco Nexus setup dialog: