This week I had to upgrade software on an ASR1001. After downloading the 200+mb file from Cisco.com, I figured out that TFTP was not going to work due to the 64mb limit. I didn’t have access to an FTP server. I noticed the USB port on the front of the ASR 1001 so I copied the file to my USB memory stick. I plugged it in and after a few seconds the ASR found the USB drive and mounted the drive. I was then able to copy the large file over to the internal memory with ease.

• Cisco 1001 Asr

Cisco 1001 Asr

Cisco ASR 1001-X Router Power Up and Initial Configuration 5-1 Checking Conditions Prior to System Startup 5-1 Powering Up the Cisco ASR 1001-X Router 5-2 Performing the Initial Configuration on the Router 5-4 Using the Cisco setup Command Facility 5-4 Completing the Configuration 5-7 Using the Cisco IOS-XE CLI—Manual Configuration 5-7. Cisco ASR 1000 Series: Cisco ASR 1001-X: ESP support: Cisco ASR 1000 Series 2.5-Gbps ESP (default) Upgradable through a software-activated feature license to 5, 10, or 20 Gbps: ESP bandwidth: 2.5 to 20 Gbps: ESP memory: Share the same control memory on route processor: SIPs and Ethernet line cards: Integrated in chassis; not upgradable. The Cisco ASR 1001 Router offers a default system bandwidth of 2.5 Gbps upgradable to 5 Gbps with a software-activated upgrade license. It houses one shared port adapter (SPA) slot that supports single-height SPAs. It includes four built-in Gb Ethernet ports. The first IOS XE software release supporting ASR 1001 is Cisco IOS XE 3.2.0S.

I am very pleased with Cisco that they added the USB port and made it work on the ASR.

I then proceeded to upgrade the IOS on a Cisco ASA 5540, so I tried the USB port. That failed, the USB didn’t mount and there was no ability to copy a file from it. I then upgraded the ASA via TFTP from 8.2 to a version of 8.3, after the upgrade it still didn’t work. I don’t understand why they added the USB port when it’s not able to be used. Maybe it will work when Cisco releases version 9.

The USB drive also works on the Brocade MLXe platform.

What other devices have you been able to use the USB port on?