Release Notes for UCC 5G PCF, Release 2025.03.0
Introduction
This Release Notes identifies changes and issues related to the release of Ultra Cloud Core Policy Control Function (PCF).
Key Highlights
- Enhanced security and reliability: Introduced MongoDB authentication for database security. Ensures robust end-to-end security for MongoDB databases used in PCF.
- Improved analytics and diagnostics: Enhanced the API router and unified API KPI counters for accurate issue identification and diagnostic capabilities.
- Scalability and performance: Support for multiple arbiters in SCDB MongoDB replica sets within Kubernetes clusters improves the flexibility and scalability.
- Enhanced operational efficiency: Introduced support for sharing Admin Database (DB) replica sets across PCF clusters, ensuring seamless functionality of distributed tasks such as CRD import/export.
For more information on the PCF, see the Related resources section.
Release Lifecycle Milestones
This table provides EoL milestones for Cisco UCC PCF software:
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| First Customer Ship (FCS) | 14-Aug-2025 |
| End of Life (EoL) | 14-Aug-2025 |
| End of Software Maintenance (EoSM) | 12-Feb-2027 |
| End of Vulnerability and Security Support (EoVSS) | 12-Feb-2027 |
| Last Date of Support (LDoS) | 29-Feb-2028 |
These milestones and the intervals between them are defined in the Cisco Ultra Cloud Core (UCC) Software Release Lifecycle Product Bulletin available on cisco.com.
New Software Features
This section provides a brief description of the new software features introduced in this release.
| Product Impact | Feature | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Software reliability | MongoDB authentication for database security | The MongoDB authentication feature ensures robust end-to-end authentication and security for the MongoDB database used by the PCF. The authentication is qualified through CLI. MongoDB serves as an administrative database supporting critical functionalities such as Custom Reference Data (CRD) and Policy tracing, and also for inbuilt Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR) and Balance databases, enhancing operational efficiency. Command introduced: db global-settings db-user-name <MongoDB-username> password <password>: Enables database authentication.Default setting: Disabled - Configuration Required to Enable |
| API Experience | Enhancement to API router and unified API KPI counters | In PCF, the KPI counters are enhanced for various operations of UnifiedApi and ApiRouter calls. These operations include:
Default Setting: Enabled - Always on |
| Software reliability | Support for multiple arbiters in SCDB | This feature allows the deployment of multiple arbiters within the SCDB (Subscriber and Policy Database) MongoDB replica set on a Kubernetes cluster namespace. Previously, the SCDB replica set only supported a single arbiter. This update allows for more flexible MongoDB replica set configurations, including support for setups with and without database authentication. Default Setting: Disabled - Configuration Required to Enable |
| Software reliability | Shared admin DB support for PCF clusters | This feature supports the validation of the PCF with Admin Database (DB) replica sets that are created in the PCF namespace and configured for sharing across clusters. This allows the Admin DB to be effectively shared and accessed from different clusters, ensuring that functionalities like CRD import/export work correctly in this distributed setup. Default Setting: Disabled - Configuration Required to Enable |
Changes in Behavior
There is no behavior changes introduced in this release.
Resolved Issues
There are no resolved bugs in this specific software release.
Open Issues
There are no open bugs in this specific software release.
Compatibility
This section lists compatibility information of the Cisco UCC software products that are verified to work with this version of the UCC PCF software.
| Product | Supported Release |
|---|---|
| Ultra Cloud Core SMI | 2025.03.1.10 |
| Ultra Cloud CDL | 1.12.2 |
Supported Software Packages
This section provides information about the release packages associated with UCC PCF software.
| Software package | Description | Release |
|---|---|---|
| pcf-2025.03.0.SPA.tgz | The PCF offline release signature package. This package contains the PCF deployment software, NED package, as well as the release signature, certificate, and verification information. | 2025.03.0 |
| ncs-6.4.5-cisco-pcf-nc-1.1.tar.gz | The NETCONF NED package. This package includes all the yang files that are used for NF configuration. | 6.4.5 |
| ncs-6.1.14-cisco-pcf-nc-1.1.tar.gz | The NETCONF NED package. This package includes all the yang files that are used for NF configuration | 6.1.14 |
Cloud Native Product Versioning System
The show helm list command displays detailed information about the version of the cloud native product currently deployed.
Figure 1. Cloud Native Product Versioning Format and Description
Versioning: Format & Field Description
Format: YYYY.RN.MN[.TTN] [.dN] [.MR][.IBN]
Where:
- YYYY: 4 Digit year. Mandatory Field. Starts with 2020. Incremented after the last planned release of year.
- RN: Major Release Number. Mandatory Field. Starts with 1. Support preceding 0. Reset to 1 after the last planned release of a year(YYYY).
- MN: Maintenance Number. Mandatory Field. Starts with 0. Does not support preceding 0. Reset to 0 at the beginning of every major release for that release. Incremented for every maintenance release. Preceded by "m" for bulbs from main branch.
- TTN: Throttle of Throttle Number. Optional Field, Starts with 1. Precedes with "t" which represents the word "throttle or throttle". Applicable only in "Throttle of Throttle" cases. Reset to 1 at the beginning of every major release for that release.
- DN: Dev branch Number. Same as TTN except Used for DEV branches. Precedes with "d" which represents "dev branch".
- MR: Major Release for TOT and DEV branches. Only applicable for TOT and DEV Branches. Starts with 0 for every new TOT and DEV branch.
- BN: Build Number. Optional Field, Starts with 1. Precedes with "t" which represents the word "interim". Does not support preceding 0. Reset at the beginning of every major release for that release. Reset of every throttle of throttle.
The appropriate version number field increments after a version has been released. The new version numbering format is a contiguous sequential number that represents incremental changes between releases. This format facilitates identifying the changes between releases when using Bug Search Tool to research software releases.
Software Integrity Version
To verify the integrity of the software image you have from Cisco, you can validate the SHA512 checksum information against the checksum identified by Cisco for the software.
Image checksum information is available through Cisco.com Software Download Details. To find the checksum, hover the mouse pointer over the software image you have downloaded.
Figure 2. Sample of PCF Software Image
The image displays details for a PCF offline signature package, including Release Date (25-Jul-2023), FileName (pcf.2023.03.0.SPA.tgz), Size (3904.95 MB), MD5 Checksum, and SHA512 Checksum. It also shows links to PCF Release Notes, Advisories, and the software file itself.
| Operating system | SHA512 checksum calculation command examples |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Windows | Open a command line window and type the following command:certutil.exe -hashfile <filename.extension> SHA512 |
| Apple MAC | Open a terminal window and type the following command:$ shasum -a 512 <filename.extension> |
| Linux | Open a terminal window and type the following command:$ sha512sum <filename.extension>OR $ shasum -a 512 <filename.extension> |
Note: <filename> is the name of the file. <extension> is the file type extension (for example, .zip or .tgz).
If the SHA512 checksum matches, you can be sure that no one has tampered with the software image or the image has not been corrupted during download.
If the SHA512 checksum does not match, we advise you to not attempt upgrading any systems with the corrupted software image. Download the software again and verify the SHA512 checksum again. If there is a constant mismatch, please open a case with the Cisco Technical Assistance Center.
Certificate validation
PCF software images are signed via x509 certificates. Please view the README file packaged with the software for information and instructions on how to validate the certificates.
Legal Information
Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to this URL: www.cisco.com/go/trademarks.
Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1110R)
Any Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and phone numbers used in this document are not intended to be actual addresses and phone numbers. Any examples, command display output, network topology diagrams, and other figures included in the document are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any use of actual IP addresses or phone numbers in illustrative content is unintentional and coincidental.
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