# Changes in Release 26.03

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(release-26.03)=
## New Functionality

* Cisco IOS XR has received massive new functionality (SR-MPLS, MPLS/VPN, MPLS 6PE, EVPN over MPLS, VRRP, full BGP routing policy support). See [New Device Features](release-26.03-device-features) for details.
* Juniper [cRPD](https://www.juniper.net/us/en/products/routers/cRPD.html) is now supported as a containerlab node with shell-script-based configuration deployment.
* [EVPN/VXLAN](module-evpn) is now supported on Juniper vPTX and vJunos-router.
* [SR-MPLS](module-sr-mpls) now supports OSPFv2 in addition to IS-IS (implemented on EOS, FRR, Cisco IOS XE, and Cisco IOS XR).

**Minor improvements**

* [SR-MPLS](module-sr-mpls) can now be selectively enabled for a subset of address families using the **sr.af** parameter.
* New [netlab report](netlab-report): IS-IS interfaces, circuit types, and metrics.
* _netlab_ can now declare attributes as obsolete, deprecated, or migrated in module/feature definitions, producing automatic warnings and backward-compatible data migration.
* JSON output files are now formatted with indentation, making them easier to read with Unix tools like `cat` and `grep`.
* The **node_files** directory is cleaned up before generating device configurations, preventing stale configuration files from being deployed.

(release-26.03-device-features)=
## New Device Features

Arista EOS:
* SR-MPLS support for OSPFv2
* EVPN support for SR-MPLS transport

Cisco IOS XE:
* SR-MPLS support for OSPFv2
* EVPN/VXLAN symmetric IRB
* EVPN/MPLS using LDP or SR-MPLS
* Configurable BGP TCP-AO authentication algorithm

(release-26.03-ios-xr)=
Cisco IOS XR:
* MPLS support (LDP, SR-MPLS, MPLS/VPN, 6PE)
* EVPN over MPLS
* VRRP
* EBGP multihop
* BGP session security (password, TTL security, TCP-AO)
* BGP session parameters (timers, keepalives, AS-path handling)
* BGP route aggregation
* Complete implementation of routing policies
* Prefix sets and prefix matching in routing policies
* AS-path sets and corresponding routing policy matches
* Complete standard and large BGP community support (including set/append/delete and community lists)
* Shell-script configuration deployment for XRd containers (optional, set **netlab_config_mode** to `sh`)
* Management VRF for all IOS XR-based containers

FRRouting:
* SR-MPLS support for OSPFv2

Juniper vPTX:
* EVPN/VXLAN

Juniper vJunos-router:
* EVPN/VXLAN

Nokia SR Linux:
* Bump default container release to 25.10.2

OpenBSD:
* BGP support

(release-26.03-device-fixes)=
## Fixes in Configuration Templates

Cisco IOS/IOS XE:
* Configure BGP RR clients in VPNv4/VPNv6 address families
* MPLS/VPN and MPLS 6PE BGP route-reflector fixes

FortiOS:
* Disable password policy enforcement

FRRouting:
* MPLS/VPN and MPLS 6PE BGP route-reflector fixes

Nokia SR OS:
* MPLS 6PE BGP route-reflector fixes
* Advertise inactive BGP routes

VyOS:
* MPLS/VPN and MPLS 6PE BGP route-reflector fixes

(release-26.03-breaking)=
## Breaking changes

The SR-MPLS module data model has been refactored. The following **global** attributes have been renamed or removed:

* `sr.ipv6_sid_offset` → `sr.node_sid_offset.ipv6` (migrated automatically with a warning)
* `sr.srgb_range_start` and `sr.srgb_range_size` are **obsolete** (the SRGB range is device-specific and must be set as a node or device attribute); using them generates a warning, and the values are ignored.

The following changes were made to **node-level** attributes: 

* These attributes have been migrated: `sr.srgb_range_start` → `sr.srgb.start`, `sr.srgb_range_size` → `sr.srgb.size`
* `sr.ipv6_sid_offset` is now obsolete at the node level (set it globally instead).
* Node SID values that were previously calculated in Jinja2 configuration templates are now stored in `sr.node_sid.ipv4` and `sr.node_sid.ipv6`

Other potentially breaking changes:

* The Cisco IOS XRd shell-script configuration deployment mode is now optional (set **netlab_config_mode** to `sh` to use it).
* Routing policy objects are sorted by sequence numbers (documentation claimed that was true, but it was not)

(bug-fixes-26.03)=
## Bug Fixes

* Cleanup `/etc/hosts` generation on Cumulus Linux, FRRouting, and SR Linux (#3187)
* Unified handling of in-VRF BGP neighbors across all ebgp.multihop configuration templates
* Reorder device provisioning template search paths so that user-provided templates take precedence over defaults (#3185)
* Do not attempt to apply empty IOS XRd configuration snippets
* Symmetric IRB fixes for MPLS and SR-MPLS transport
* Create per-AF min/max prefix-length values in prefix lists
* SR-MPLS module is now configured after OSPF and IS-IS to ensure correct module ordering
* The **'non-empty list'** constraint is now available for attribute validation: set `empty: false` on a list attribute to reject empty lists.
* Format JSON inventory output with indentation for better Unix tool compatibility (#3100)
* Clean up the **node_files** directory before generating device configurations (#3108)
* Remove artifacts resembling netlab files from the Ansible inventory (#3140)
* Adjust validation plugins to enable VRF prefix checks (#3132)
* Fix integration tests broken by line-wrap behavior change in python-box 7.3.3 (#3130)
* `mpls.6pe` settings do not need to be explicitly adjusted when not configured
* Use a more recent IOS XRd container image (#3102)
* OpenBSD needs additional startup time before accepting SSH connections (#3134)

(doc-fixes-26.03)=
## Documentation Fixes

* Clarify **bgp.originate** plugin IPv6 support
* **stp.priority** increments by 4096, not 1024
* Ansible `cisco.iosxr` collection compatibility has been fixed
* Make IOS XR spelling consistent throughout (IOS XR, not IOS/XR)
* Clarify **delete.community.list** attributes in routing policy

## Template Developer Documentation

* MPLS: LDP, MPLS/VPN, 6PE
* Generic routing: routing policies, prefix filters, AS-path filters, BGP community filters, static routes
* ebgp.multihop plugin