Ncsw10301 Unable To [new] Download The Image From Cisco.com Invalid Metadata Trans-id -

NCSW10301: Unable to download the image from cisco.com : invalid metadata_trans_id

a known issue typically encountered in Cisco DNA Center (now Cisco Catalyst Center ) versions 2.2.3.x through 2.3.4.x This error occurs during

(Software Image Management) operations when the system successfully downloads the software image but fails to retrieve the associated ISSU Compatibility Matrix

(comp_matrix.xml) due to an API timeout or metadata mismatch. Quick Fixes & Workarounds

If you encounter this error, use the following steps to bypass the automated download failure: Manual Image Import (Recommended):

Download the required software image directly to your laptop from the Cisco Software Central In Catalyst Center, navigate to Design > Image Repository to manually upload the image file from your local device. Verify Integrity Settings: Ensure your Known Good Values (KGV) file is up to date under System > Settings > Integrity Verification Check that the certificate chain is current under Settings > Trust & Privacy Retry After Waiting:

Since this issue is often linked to sporadic failures in external provider APIs, waiting a few hours and retrying the download sometimes resolves the issue without further intervention. Cisco Community Root Cause & Technical Details Cisco Bug ID CSCwd15921 This bug specifically addresses the invalid metadata_trans_id error during the ISSU Compatibility Matrix download. API Timeouts: metadataTransId NCSW10301: Unable to download the image from cisco

is a unique ID generated for the request that expires after 60 minutes. If the API call to the external provider hangs or fails, the transaction ID becomes invalid. Cisco DevNet Advanced Troubleshooting

If manual import fails or you continue to see connectivity errors: Check DNS & Proxy: Verify that Catalyst Center can reach

The error code typically indicates a failure within the Software Image Management (SWIM)

feature of Cisco Catalyst Center (formerly DNA Center) when attempting to download an image or its associated metadata from Cisco.com Potential Causes External API Issues

: Sporadic issues with external provider APIs used for the download feature. Failed Metadata Download

: Specifically, the download of the ISSU Compatibility Matrix ( comp_matrix.xml ) may fail even if the image itself is retrieved. Service Registration and redirection behavior

: The product may not be properly registered or approved to call the service. Software Version Limitations

: Older versions of DNA Center (e.g., 2.2.3.x, 2.3.3.x, 2.3.4.x) are known to experience this. A field notice

notes that affected releases would stop downloading images after April 26, 2024. Recommended Workarounds

If the direct download from Cisco.com continues to fail, you can use these manual steps: Manual Image Import

Download the required software image manually to a local workstation or laptop from the Cisco Software Central Cisco Catalyst Center , go to the Image Repository and use the feature to upload the file from your local machine. Use Internal Server

: Copy the image to an internal network server and import it into Catalyst Center from that location. Check Registration If alternate method succeeds

: Ensure your Catalyst Center instance is correctly registered and authorized to access Cisco cloud services. Verify Certificates : Check if the and certificate chains are up-to-date under Settings > Trust & Privacy > Trustpool , as expired certificates can block communication. Cisco Community

1. Check the Full Error Context

Look at the complete log entry. Often, there are preceding or following lines with more detail:

grep -i "ncsw10301" /var/log/crosswork/*.log

On Intersight Appliance:

cat /var/log/intersight/firmware_download.log | grep "trans-id"

5.2 Robust NTP Deployment

2.4 Image Path Change on Cisco Servers

Cisco occasionally moves images between repositories (e.g., from download.cisco.com to software.cisco.com). If NCS retains an old URL with an embedded trans-id for the original location, the new server rejects it.

5. Verification

After applying the update or synchronization:

  1. Verify that the Product Instance status changes to "In Compliance" or "Authorized".
  2. Check the logs (typically /var/log/ensm/ensm.log or similar depending on version) to confirm that the metadata parsing has succeeded and a new Transaction ID has been generated successfully.

Note: If you are a Cisco customer seeing this error in a production environment and the steps above do not resolve it, this may require a backend investigation by Cisco TAC to clear the specific transaction state stuck on Transaction ID NCSW10301.

Solution 1: Force Clear the Metadata Cache

This is the most effective solution for corruption issues.

Step-by-step troubleshooting

  1. Reproduce and capture error
  1. Verify network/DNS/HTTP reachability
  1. Confirm device time and TLS validity
  1. Check disk space and image checksum
  1. Try alternate transfer method
  1. Inspect proxy, SSL/TLS, and redirection behavior
  1. Check for platform-specific bugs and software version issues
  1. Enable debug (when safe) and collect full traces
  1. Workarounds
  1. When to escalate to Cisco TAC Provide these items:

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