Hayden

If you’re a network administrator, you’ve probably been in this situation before: a critical piece of network equipment suddenly fails, and you can’t get replacement parts or technical support anywhere. This is exactly what happens when you miss those crucial EOS (End of Sale) and EOL (End of Life) deadlines.

If you’re running CISCO equipment, knowing which products are approaching end-of-support in 2025 and when you need to plan replacements is absolutely essential. Today, I’m going to walk you through a comprehensive overview of CISCO’s major network equipment EOS/EOL status to help you avoid getting caught off guard.

CISCO EOS

 

1. Understanding CISCO’s EOS/EOL Policy

First, let’s get familiar with CISCO’s product lifecycle policy. According to CISCO’s official EOS/EOL policy, all products go through the following stages:

Key Milestones and Definitions

StageDescriptionSupport Duration
EOS (End of Sale)Product sales discontinuation6 months advance notice
Last Customer Ship DateFinal shipment date3 months after EOS
EOS DateTechnical support terminationHardware: 5 years after EOS
LDOS (Last Day of Support)Final support end dateSoftware: 2 years after EOS

Understanding this policy helps you plan equipment replacements at the right time and avoid unexpected service disruptions.

 

 

2. Switch EOS/EOL Status

2-1. Catalyst Series Switches

Many models in CISCO’s flagship Catalyst switch family have already reached or are approaching their EOS/EOL dates.

Major Models Already at EOS/EOL

Product FamilyKey ModelsEOS DateLDOS DateNotes
Catalyst 6500 Series6513-E, 6509-E, 6506-E2022-20252027-2030Data center core switches
Catalyst 4500 Series4510R, 4507R+E, 4500-X2020-20232025-2028Enterprise distribution switches
Catalyst 3850 SeriesAll models2021-20242026-2029Access layer switches
Catalyst 3750-X SeriesAll models2019-20222024-2027SMB backbone
Catalyst 2960-X SeriesAll models2020-20232025-2028Entry-level switches

Currently Supported Models

  • Catalyst 9000 Series: CISCO’s current flagship switch lineup
  • Catalyst 1000 Series: Latest models for smaller environments
  • Catalyst Digital Building Series: Specialized for IoT environments

2-2. Nexus Series Data Center Switches

Product FamilyEOS StatusRecommended Replacement
Nexus 5000 SeriesMostly EOS completeNexus 9000 Series
Nexus 6000 SeriesEOS completeNexus 9000 Series
Nexus 7000 SeriesSome models EOSNexus 9000 Series
Nexus 3000 SeriesLegacy models EOSNew Nexus 3000 Series

 

 

3. Router EOS/EOL Status

3-1. ISR (Integrated Services Router) Series

CISCO’s integrated service routers are also going through active generational changes.

Major EOS/EOL Completed Models

Product FamilyKey ModelsEOS DateCurrent Status
ISR 800 Series860VAE, 890G2020-2022Support ending soon
ISR 1800 Series1841, 18102017-2019Support ended
ISR 2800 Series2811, 2821, 28512016-2018Support ended
ISR 3800 SeriesLegacy models2019-2021Support ended

Currently Supported Routers

  • ISR 1000 Series: Active models for small branch offices
  • ISR 4000 Series: Main enterprise branch router family
  • ASR 1000/9000 Series: Service provider grade

3-2. ASR (Aggregation Services Router) Series

ModelEOS DateExpected LDOSRecommended Replacement
ASR 9000 v1 Legacy2020-20222025-2027ASR 9000 v2
ASR 1000 Legacy2019-20212024-2026New ASR 1000

 

 

4. Firewall and Security Equipment EOS/EOL Status

4-1. ASA (Adaptive Security Appliance) Series

The firewall product family is experiencing the biggest changes right now. As of 2025, most of the ASA 5500-X series have reached EOS.

Critical EOS/EOL Timeline

ProductEOS DateLDOS DateStatus
ASA 5505Aug 2017Aug 2022Support ended
ASA 5512-X, 5515-XApr 2019Apr 2024Support ended
ASA 5508-X, 5516-XAug 2021Aug 2026Support ending soon
ASA 5525-X, 5545-X, 5555-XMar 2022Mar 2027Currently supported
ASA 5585-XDec 2017Dec 2022Support ended

⚠️ Important Notice: If you’re still running ASA 5500-X series, you absolutely must have replacement plans in place by 2026-2027.

4-2. Recommended Migration Paths

CISCO provides the following migration paths for ASA 5500-X series users:

Legacy ModelRecommended ReplacementFeatures
ASA 5508-XFPR-1010Same ASA image support
ASA 5516-XFPR-1120/1140Enhanced performance, FTD support
ASA 5525-XFPR-2110Next-gen threat defense capabilities
ASA 5545-XFPR-2130/2140High-performance processing
ASA 5555-XFPR-4110/4120Enterprise-grade performance

4-3. Firepower Series Status

Product FamilyCurrent StatusNotes
FPR 1000 SeriesActive modelASA/FTD dual support
FPR 2100 SeriesEOS Mar 2025Replacement needed
FPR 4100 SeriesActive modelEnterprise-grade
FPR 9300 SeriesActive modelData center grade

 

 

5. VPN and Wireless Equipment EOS/EOL

5-1. VPN-Related Equipment

ProductEOS DateCurrent StatusReplacement Recommended
ASA 5500 SSL VPN Licenses2022Support endedAnyConnect migration
ISR G2 VPN Modules2020-2022Support endedISR 4000 Series

5-2. Wireless Equipment

  • Catalyst 9800 Series: Current flagship wireless controllers
  • Legacy WLC 5500/8500 Series: Mostly EOS complete

 

 

6. Replacement Planning Guide for IT Professionals

6-1. Priority by Urgency

🔴 Immediate Replacement Required (Within 2025)

  • ASA 5505, 5512-X, 5515-X (already end of support)
  • Some Catalyst 2960-X models
  • ISR 800/1800/2800 Series

🟡 Plan Replacement by 2026

  • ASA 5508-X, 5516-X
  • Catalyst 3850 Series
  • Legacy Nexus 5000/6000 Series

🟢 Review After 2027

  • ASA 5525-X, 5545-X, 5555-X
  • Some Catalyst 6500 Series

 

Managing network equipment EOS/EOL isn’t just about replacing hardware. It’s directly connected to real operational risks like discontinued security patches, ended technical support, and stopped parts supply. Especially in 2025, with CISCO ASA 5500-X series and many Catalyst switches approaching end-of-support, not preparing in advance could mean unexpected costs and downtime. I hope this guide helps keep your network infrastructure running smoothly and reliably. 🙂

 

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