6 Second-Generation Channel Interface Processor (CIP2) Installation and Configuration
CIP2 Installation Prerequisites
The show version and show hardware commands display the current hardware configuration of the
router, including the system software version that is currently loaded and running. The
show microcode command lists the bundled microcode (target hardware) version for each processor
type. The CIP (and now CIP2) microcode is no longer bundled in Cisco IOS 11.1 and later, so the
show microcode command lists the default microcode which should be used with this Cisco IOS
version. The show controller cbus command shows the microcode version you are running. (For
additional descriptions of configuration commands, refer to the publications listed in the section “If
You Need More Information” on page 2.)
You can determine the current version of software or microcode stored in Flash memory either by
removing the processor module and checking the Flash device label or by using the show controller
cbus command and checking the EPROM version number in the output. (Refer to the section “CIP2
Microcode Guidelines,” on page 42, for basic configuration information, and to the appropriate
software documentation for complete configuration instructions and examples, listed in the section
“If You Need More Information” on page 2.)
If the displays indicate that the required system software and microcode is not available in your
system, refer to the section “Cisco Connection Online,” on page 51, or contact a service
representative for upgrade information.
CIP2 Microcode Overview
Microcode, also known as firmware, is a set of processor-specific software instructions that enables
and manages the features and functions of a specific processor type. At system startup or reload, the
system loads the microcode for each processor type present in the system.
The CIP2 microcode boot image resides in a Flash memory device on the CIP2 motherboard. The
entire CIP2 microcode image is delivered on a Flash memory card, on floppy diskettes, or is
available via download from CCO.
New microcode is released to enable new features, improve performance, or fix bugs in earlier
versions. The Cisco 7000 series and Cisco 7500 series routers feature downloadable software and
microcode for most upgrades. These features enable you to download new (upgraded) images
remotely, store the images in router memory, and load the new images at system startup without
having to physically access the router. You can store multiple versions for a specific processor type
in Flash memory, and use configuration commands to specify which version the system should load
at startup. All interfaces of the same type (for example, all CIP2s) use the same microcode image.
Caution To ensure proper operation of the CIP2, and to preclude system problems, you should use
only the CIP2 microcode image that is recommended for the version of Cisco IOS you are running.
(See Table 2 on page 5.)
By default, the CIP2 microcode is loaded from either onboard Flash memory (if you have a Cisco
7000 or Cisco 7010 with an RP) or the Flash memory card in slot0 for the Cisco 7500 series routers.
The default CIP2 microcode version can be found by entering the show microcode command.
