Cisco has supplied IOS as a single image file since its inception. This simplified installation because all you had to do was download an image, copy it to your router or switch, and configure your device to boot from the new image. If you want a newer version, you must download a new IOS image... There are no patches or bug fixes available.
Since Cisco's inception, there has been an IOS image for each model, however, there is a separate IOS image for each model's different versions.
The Cisco 1800 series integrated services router, for example, comes in the following models:
•1801, 1802, 1803 and 1805.
•1811 and 1812.
•1841 \s1861 and 1861E
You may believe that there is only one IOS image for the "1800 series," however this is not the case. There are four distinct IOS images. The IOS picture is shared by 1801, 1802, 1803 and 1805, as well as 1811 and 1812. There is a distinct IOS image for 1841, and the 1861 and 1861E share one IOS image.
To make matters worse, there are distinct IOS pictures for the various feature sets. You must pay for a specific IOS image depending on the functionality you desire. For example, if you want to operate a VPN, you may need the "security features," whereas if you want to use your router for voice over IP, you may need the "voice features."
Cisco now ships a unified image that includes all feature sets. We still have distinct IOS images based on model and version, but no longer different IOS images with feature sets.
When you buy Cisco equipment nowadays, it comes with an IOS image that includes all feature sets, but you must unlock them first.
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