How To – Upgrading the software and ASDM images on a Cisco ASA

I recently to needed to upgrade the Software Image on a Cisco ASA 5510 security appliance from version 8.2(2) to 8.2(5).  This process also required upgrading the ASDM software to version 6.4(5) so that the newly upgraded appliance could still be managed via the GUI.

The process for both pieces of the upgrade is very straight forward, so here goes:

Upgrading the ASA image from 8.2(2) to 8.2(5)

Step 1.  Copy the new IOS software image from a TFTP server to the ASA, using the following commands:

ASA5510# copy tftp disk0

Address or name of remote host []? 192.168.10.10

Source filename []? asa825-k8.bin

Destination filename [disk0]? asa825-k8.bin

Accessing tftp://192.168.10.10/asa825-k8.bin;int=Inside_Interface...!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.

.

Writing file disk0:asa825-k8.bin...

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

15390720 bytes copied in 19.930 secs (810037 bytes/sec)

Step 2.  Verify the new image has been copied to the local disk:

ASA5510# show flash | include asa825-k8.bin

Step 3. Set the ASA to boot from the new image not the old one:

ASA5510# conf t

ASA5510(config)# no boot system disk0:/asa822-k8.bin

ASA5510(config)# boot system disk0:/asa825-k8.bin

ASA5510# write mem

ASA5510# reload

Step 4.  After the reboot, check that the ASA has booted from the new image by issuing the command show version. Verify that the software version and system image file are listed correctly.

Upgrade the ASDM software from version 6.2(5) to 6.4(5):

Step 1.  Copy the new ASDM software image from a TFTP server to the ASA, using the following commands:

ASA5510# copy tftp disk0

Address or name of remote host [] ? 192.168.10.10

Source filename [] ? asdm-645.bin

Destination filename [asdm-645.bin] ? asdm-645.bin

 Step 2.  Verify the new image has been copied to the local disk:

ASA5510# show flash | include asdm-645.bin

Step 3.  Set the ASA to use the new ASDM image:

ASA5510# conf t

ASA5510(config)# asdm image disk0:/asdm-645.bin

ASA5510# write mem

Step 4.  Verify that new ASDM version is working by launching the ASDM and checking the version number is reported 6.4(5), by clicking Help –> About Cisco ASDM 6.4.