Manage a PIX Security Appliance with Adaptive Security Device Manager
ASDM operating requirements

Security Appliance Requirements
A PIX Security Appliance must meet the following requirements to run ASDM:

  • The administrator must have an activation key that enables DES or the more secure 3DES, which ASDM requires for support of the SSL protocol. If the PIX Security Appliance is not enabled for DES, the administrator will need to obtain a new PIX Security Appliance activation key.
  • ASDM supports Java plug-in 1.4.2 or 1.5.0.
  • Verify that the PIX Security Appliance meets all requirements listed in the release notes for the PIX software version that is installed.
  • Verify that the PIX Security Appliance hardware model, PIX software version, and Device Manager (DM) version are compatible. Refer to the table in Figure to ensure compatibility.

Workstation Requirements
To access ASDM from a browser, the workstation must meet the following requirements:

  • JavaScript and Java must be enabled. If these are not enabled, ASDM will prompt the administrator to enable them. When using a browser, Java Plug-in version 1.4.2 or 1.5.0 is supported. To check which version is running, launch ASDM. In the main ASDM menu, click Help > About Cisco ASDM 5.0 for PIX. When the About Cisco ASDM 5.0 for PIX window opens, it displays the browser specifications in a table, including the Java version. If an older version of Java is present, a newer version must be obtained.
  • Browser support for SSL must be enabled. The supported versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator support SSL without requiring additional configuration.
  • Pop-up blockers may prevent ASDM from starting. If ASDM does not start, it is advisable to disable pop-up blocking.

ASDM can operate in browsers running on Windows, SUN Solaris, or Linux operating systems. The requirements for each operating system are shown in Figure .

General Guidelines
The following are a few general guidelines for workstations running ASDM:

  • The administrator can run several ASDM sessions on a single workstation. The maximum number of ASDM sessions the administrator can run varies depending on the resources of the workstation such as memory, CPU speed, and browser type.
  • The time required to download the ASDM applet can be greatly affected by the speed of the link between the workstation and the PIX Security Appliance. A minimum 56-Kbps link speed is required, and 384 Kbps or higher is recommended. After the ASDM applet is loaded on the workstation, the link speed impact on ASDM operation is negligible.

If the resources of the workstation are running low, the administrator should close and reopen the browser before launching ASDM.