Update10/20/2023

New network essential features

Catalyst IE3300 Rugged Series
Cisco

Update from:
johannes-devicebase (expert)

New Features

MRP: 30ms Profile Support

Support for the 30 ms MRP profile is added in this release.
The default maximum recovery time on the Cisco IE switch is 200 ms for a ring composed of up to 50 nodes.
You can configure the switch to use the 30 ms or the 500 ms recovery time profile. The 10 ms recovery time profile is not supported.

10G Industrial SFP Support

REP Segment-ID Auto-Discovery

REP configuration is enhanced to support an auto-discovery feature, which allows a REP node to learn the REP Segment-ID on the wire.
The auto-discovery option is added to the rep segment command. This allows for continued static configuration as well as auto-configuration. The REP segment must be started with a static REP Segment-ID configuration from the edge, but the rest of the REP ring can then benefit from the auto-discovery, making deployment and automation easier.
Port pairing is done for uplinks. For example, Gi1/1 and Gi1/2 are the port pairs. If you configure rep segment auto on one of the uplinks, the same configuration will be reflected on the other uplink.

Smart Licensing Using Policy—RUM Report Throttling

For all topologies where the product instance initiates communication, the minimum reporting frequency is throttled to one day. This means the product instance does not send more than one RUM report a day.
The affected topologies are: Connected Directly to CSSM, Connected to CSSM Through CSLU (product instance-initiated communication), CSLU Disconnected from CSSM (product instance-initiated communication), and SSM On-Prem Deployment (product instance-initiated communication).
This resolves the problem of too many RUM reports being generated and sent for certain licenses. It also resolves the memory-related issues and system slow-down that was caused by an excessive generation of RUM reports.
You can override the reporting frequency throttling, by entering the license smart sync command in privileged EXEC mode. This triggers an on-demand synchronization with CSSM or CSLU, or SSM On-Prem, to send and receive any pending data.
RUM report throttling also applies to the Cisco IOS XE Amsterdam 17.3.6 and later releases of the 17.3.x train, and Cisco IOS XE Bengaluru 17.6.4 and later releases of the 17.6.x train. From Cisco IOS XE Cupertino 17.9.1, RUM report throttling is applicable to all subsequent releases

TLS 1.3 Support

Important Notes

SMU Installation: Boot in Install Mode

Software Maintainance Upgrade (SMU) installation has been supported in both bundle boot and install mode. However, beginning in Cisco IOS XE 17.9.1, the switch must be booted up in install mode to support SMU installation.
SMU installation stops if the device is booted up in bundle mode. If the device is booted up in install mode, SMU installation continues to work as before.

IE3400: Hardware Changes may Require Action

Some hardware components on the Cisco Catalyst IE3400 Rugged Series and Cisco Catalyst IE3400 Heavy Duty Series switches have changed. The changes, which are automatically handled by the IOS-XE software, do not affect switch functionality or the ordering process. New units shipped after May 31, 2022 have the hardware change.
However, you may need to upgrade the software, depending on which base switch and expansions module you have, as shown in the following.

If you have...

Older versions (shipped before May 31, 2022) of the base switch and expansion module
Newer versions (shipped after May 31, 2022) of the base switch and expansion module
Newer version of the base switch with an older version of the expansion module
Older version of the base switch with a newer version of the expansion module

Then...

No action is required.
2./3./4. Deploy one of the supported releases of IOS-XE. Refer to Field Notice Title on Cisco.com for details that are appropriate to your deployment.