Cisco Meraki Firmware EOL Policy FAQ

Cisco Meraki Support and Policies

What is changing and why?

As of August 12, 2024, our Product End-of-Life (EOL) Policy has been updated to include firmware. This update helps provide our customers with greater transparency to our firmware lifecycle management practices and empowers them to make more informed decisions with respect to product end of life transitions.

What is Vintage Firmware?

Vintage Firmware is an older version of firmware that is made generally available before the latest Stable Release version. A Stable Release is the most recent Cisco Meraki recommended firmware version that has been made generally available in the Cisco Meraki dashboard.

What type of support is available for Vintage Firmware?

Cisco Meraki Technical Support will assist with issues for customers with active licensing, but an update to the latest firmware may be required (at Cisco Meraki Technical Support discretion) for comprehensive troubleshooting. Engineering level support—such as patches, hotfixes, and maintenance releases—will no longer be provided for Vintage Firmware except for critical security vulnerabilities.

What qualifies as a critical security vulnerability?

Cisco Meraki assesses vulnerabilities using the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) which includes a standard for defining critical security vulnerabilities.

What does engineering level support include? 

Engineering level support includes the development and release of new firmware versions, inclusive of patches, hotfixes, and maintenance releases.

Managing Firmware in the Dashboard

How should I plan for firmware lifecycle milestones?

To ensure continued support and access to the latest features and security updates, we recommend regularly updating your devices to the latest Stable Release. Keep track of the Stable Release dates in the Meraki dashboard, and plan firmware updates accordingly.

How can I find more information about my current firmware version, release notes, and the lifecycle status?

The latest firmware updates and release notes are available in the Cisco Meraki Dashboard. Navigate to Organization > Monitor > Firmware upgrades to find the Latest firmware versions and release notes. The dashboard provides insights into the Stable Release date and firmware status for each firmware version. You can review these updates to understand the improvements, bug fixes, and new features included in each firmware release.

Which status indicates I am on Vintage Firmware?

Firmware versions at the Warning (Yellow) or Critical (Red) status indicate that your network is running Vintage Firmware. You can find more information about status indicators in the Firmware Version Status section of our documentation. 

What happens if I don't update my firmware before the End of Firmware Maintenance (EFM) Date?

If you don't update your firmware before the EFM date, your devices will be running Vintage Firmware. This means engineering level support (patches, hotfixes, and maintenance releases) will no longer be provided. You may need to update your firmware for troubleshooting purposes and to receive a more comprehensive support experience from Cisco Meraki Technical Support. Patches will not be provided unless you update to the latest Stable Release.

What happens if my device is not eligible to upgrade to the latest Stable Release from Vintage Firmware?

Some end of sale hardware may have a maximum supported firmware version. Your node will continue to run the indicated maximum allowed version. These devices cannot run newer firmware versions beyond this limit. Until the hardware reaches its End-of-Support (EOST) date, engineering support, if available, will only be provided for critical security vulnerabilities when reported to Cisco Meraki Technical Support. Such support will be provided in the form of a patch to the Vintage Firmware.

Who can I contact for more information or assistance? 

For more information or assistance, please contact Cisco Meraki Technical Support through the Cisco Meraki dashboard or visit our Support page on the Cisco Meraki website.