Manage a PIX Security Appliance with Adaptive Security Device Manager
ASDM overview

Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM) is a browser-based configuration tool designed to help the administrator set up, configure, and monitor a PIX or Adaptive Security Appliance graphically, without requiring an extensive knowledge of the PIX Security Appliance command line interface (CLI) .

ASDM monitors and configures a single PIX Security Appliance. The administrator can use ASDM to create a new configuration. The administrator can use ASDM to monitor and maintain current PIX Security Appliances. The administrator can point the browser to more than one PIX and administer several devices from a single workstation.

ASDM Features
ASDM is secure, versatile, and easy to use. It can be used to manage PIX 500 Series and ASA 5500 series security appliances and runs on a variety of platforms .

ASDM enables the administrator to securely configure and monitor a PIX Security Appliance remotely. Its ability to work with the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol ensures that communication with the PIX Security Appliance is secure, and because it is implemented in Java, it is able to provide robust, real-time monitoring. A single PIX can support up to 16 concurrent ASDM sessions, enabling up to 16 workstations to each have one browser session open with the same PIX.

ASDM works with PIX and ASA security appliance Software Versions 7.0 and comes preloaded into Flash memory on new security appliances running Software Versions 7.0. The administrator can download ASDM from Cisco and then copy it to the PIX via TFTP. In order to use ASDM, the security appliance must be running, at minimum, PIX or ASA software version 7.0. ASDM runs on Windows, Sun Solaris, and Linux platforms and requires no complex software installations.