Cisco's own lifecycle policy notes that hardware TAC support typically runs five years past end-of-sale, but the exact dates vary by product bulletin. For the ASR 920 family, that means checking model-specific milestones rather than guessing based on age.
This guide breaks down what ASR 920 EoL and EOS actually mean, the current dates by model, and what to do if your gear is already past end-of-sale.
Key Takeaways
- EOL15870 sets ASR 920 End-of-Sale March 31, 2027 and Last Date of Support March 31, 2032 for the four main variants.
- EoL does not force immediate replacement; many networks keep ASR 920s in lower-risk roles for years.
- Verify every unit by serial number in Cisco's CWAY checker; bulletins can list different dates for the same model.
- Refurbished ASR 920s are a practical, budget-friendly bridge for backup paths and lab environments.
What Is the Cisco ASR 920 Series?
The ASR 920 is Cisco's compact, carrier-grade Aggregation Services Router built for cost-effective delivery of wireline and wireless services. It's a fixture in mobile backhaul, Carrier Ethernet access, and central-office aggregation, where space and power budgets are tight—and where matching the exact PID matters when you check EoL status.
Four variants show up most often in the field:
- ASR-920-24TZ-M – 24 copper GE ports plus 4x10GE, modular power supply
- ASR-920-24SZ-M – 24 fiber GE ports plus 4x10GE, modular power supply
- ASR-920-12CZ-A – 12 GE ports plus 2x10GE, AC-powered
- ASR-920-4SZ-A – 2 GE ports plus 4x10GE, AC-powered, smaller footprint
All four fit in a single rack unit and support SyncE and IEEE 1588 timing, which matters if you're aggregating multiple cell sites onto one backhaul link.
Is the ASR 920 a Router or a Switch?
This trips up a lot of engineers. Cisco classifies the ASR 920 as a router. But its Layer 2 functionality (Ethernet flow points, bridge domains, MAC learning and flooding) looks and behaves like carrier Ethernet switching.
The practical distinction: it's a service-provider aggregation router with switch-like data-plane behavior, not a member of Cisco's switch product families. When you're matching a PID against a support contract or EoL bulletin, use the exact router model number, not "switch."
Understanding Cisco EOL and EOS Terminology
Before you can plan a migration, you need the vocabulary straight. Cisco defines these terms precisely, and mixing them up leads to bad budget assumptions.
- End-of-Life (EOL): The full sunset process—scheduled milestones that end in product obsolescence.
- End-of-Sale (EOS): The last date you can order the product through Cisco’s normal sales channels.
- End of Software Maintenance Releases: The last date Cisco engineering issues bug fixes or maintenance builds for that software.
- Last Date of Support (LDOS): When Cisco stops all support under active contracts—no more RMAs, no more TAC.
Cisco typically spaces these milestones across five to seven years from announcement to LDOS. Here’s the typical sequence:
| Milestone | What It Means |
|---|---|
| EOL Announcement | Public notice of the lifecycle schedule |
| End-of-Sale | Last day to order through Cisco |
| Last Ship | Final shipment window for pending orders |
| End of SW Maintenance | Last bug-fix release |
| End of Routine Failure Analysis | Last date for hardware defect analysis |
| End of Service Contract Renewal | Last date to renew a support contract |
| Last Date of Support | Support ends entirely |
ASR 920 End-of-Life Dates by Model
Cisco's current public record for the ASR 920 family is bulletin EOL15870, announced March 31, 2026. It covers the models below under one milestone table.
| Model | End-of-Sale | End of SW Maintenance | Last Date of Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASR-920-24TZ-M | March 31, 2027 | March 30, 2027 | March 31, 2032 |
| ASR-920-24SZ-M | March 31, 2027 | March 30, 2027 | March 31, 2032 |
| ASR-920-12CZ-A | March 31, 2027 | March 30, 2027 | March 31, 2032 |
| ASR-920-4SZ-A | March 31, 2027 | March 30, 2027 | March 31, 2032 |
Caution on the 24SZ-M: An earlier Cisco notice (EOL13388, 2020) used the same "ASR-920-24SZ-M" string with a different schedule, including a Last Date of Support of June 30, 2025. Use the latest bulletin (EOL15870) and confirm against your specific unit so you do not apply the old dates.
How to Check Your Unit's Exact Status
- Pull the PID and serial number off the chassis label or via
show version. - Run the serial through Cisco's CWAY Device Coverage Checker to see contract coverage and EoX context.
- Open Cisco's official EoL bulletins page and match your PID to the current ASR 920 notice for the authoritative milestone table.
- Check My Devices if you have an active Cisco.com support account, for entitlement details tied to your contract.
Don't rely on a Google search result showing an old bulletin. Model-name searches can surface outdated schedules, as the 24SZ-M example shows.
If you need spare or replacement ASR 920 units after End-of-Sale, Terabit Systems stocks refurbished Cisco ASR hardware with testing and warranty coverage.
Why Running an EoL ASR 920 Still Makes Sense for Many Networks
Here's the thing most vendors won't tell you: EoL doesn't mean the box stops working. It means Cisco stops selling it and, eventually, stops supporting it. Between those two events, there's often years of usable life left.
That said, running past End-of-Sale carries real trade-offs:
- No more bug fixes or security patches — whatever IOS-XE version you're on is frozen
- No new features — you won't get new protocol support or platform enhancements
- Harder-to-source spares — OEM channel inventory dries up over time, though secondary-market units often remain available
- Eventual TAC cutoff — once Last Date of Support passes, Cisco won't touch it
These risks matter less in certain roles than others. Low-risk use cases for an EoL ASR 920 include:
- Cell-site backhaul on stable, mature IOS-XE builds
- Redundant or backup paths that rarely carry primary traffic
- Lab and staging environments for testing configs before production rollout
If your unit is stable, your traffic loads aren't growing dramatically, and you have a known-good spare or a secondary-market source lined up, there's no urgent reason to rip and replace on the EOS date alone.
Planning Your Upgrade or Sourcing Support
Once you know your ASR 920's timeline, you've got two realistic paths forward.
Path 1: Budget for a next-gen replacement. Look at ASR 900-series successors or Catalyst 8200 series routers if you need ongoing Cisco support and new feature releases. This is the right call for primary production paths approaching Last Date of Support.
Path 2: Extend the hardware's useful life with refurbished units. For backup roles, lab gear, or filling a gap while you plan a phased migration, refurbished ASR 920 hardware stretches your budget considerably compared to buying new replacement platforms.
For Path 2, Terabit Systems supplies tested Cisco routing and switching gear, including service-provider edge equipment, to ISPs, cloud and hosting providers, and enterprise IT teams mid-refresh. The San Francisco-based reseller focuses on used and refurbished enterprise networking hardware.
Every unit goes through a five-step QA process:
- Physical inspection
- Functional and wire-speed traffic testing
- Factory reset
- Cosmetic refurbishment
- Final kitting before it ships
Each unit is backed by a one-year replacement-or-refund warranty.
If you're decommissioning ASR 920 units as part of a refresh, Terabit's asset recovery program offers a free audit of your surplus gear and can pay fair-market value or trade-in credit toward your next purchase. Retired hardware becomes migration budget instead of a disposal cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Cisco ASR 920-12CZ-A end of life?
No — not yet. Per Cisco's EOL15870 bulletin, End-of-Sale is March 31, 2027. Verify your unit's serial number in Cisco's CWAY tool for contract-specific status.
How do I check a Cisco device's EOL and EOS status?
Use Cisco's CWAY Device Coverage Checker with your device's serial number, or review the End-of-Life bulletins page for the product family. Both sources should agree before you make a planning decision.
What is the Cisco ASR 920?
It's a compact, carrier-grade Aggregation Services Router built for cell-site backhaul, Carrier Ethernet access, and central-office aggregation in service provider networks. Cisco offers several port-density and power variants within the family.
Is the Cisco ASR 920 a router or a switch?
Cisco officially classifies it as a router, even though it performs Layer 2 switch-like functions such as MAC learning and Ethernet flow point aggregation. Use the exact PID, not the term "switch," when checking support or lifecycle status.
What does Cisco end-of-life (EOL) mean?
EOL marks the start of a defined sunset timeline that begins with an announcement and ends at Last Date of Support. In between are milestones like End-of-Sale and End of Software Maintenance Releases.
