Download Cat9kv-prd-17.12.01prd9.qcow2

The prd designation indicates this image has passed Cisco’s full regression testing. Version 17.12.1 is a long-lived recommended release, making it suitable for long-term lab use or proof-of-concept work.

Accessing this file requires a valid Cisco Smart Account with entitlement for the Catalyst 9000v (often under the “Cisco Modeling Labs” or “VIRL” product family). Do not search for unauthorized third-party copies – they may contain malware or violate licensing.

Official download path:

Note: The file is large (2–3 GB). Use a download manager or CLI tools like wget -c for resumability.

The .qcow2 extension dictates the virtualization platform. download cat9kv-prd-17.12.01prd9.qcow2

After the download completes, verify the SHA-512 checksum to ensure file integrity. Cisco provides the checksum on the download page.

If the hash does not match, do not use the file – redownload it. The prd designation indicates this image has passed

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The .qcow2 format is native to KVM/QEMU, but you can convert it for other hypervisors (VMware, Hyper-V) using qemu-img. Here is a minimal KVM deployment: