In article , wrote: :My company is using a Cisco PIX 501 with firmware 6.3(4) and would like :to upgrade to the latest version. I have a few questions regarding :this since I have not upgraded firmware before on a Cisco device:
:1) Can anyone point me to a tutorial on performing the upgrade?
cisco.com, or this newsgroup ... the process is very simple. It's easiest from the command line, but I -think- there is a menu to do it from PDM as well.
Put the software on a tftp server. Go into PIX configuration mode. Use the tftp-server command to indicate the right interface and hostname and filename. Then use the "copy tftp flash:bin" command to load in the new version. Reboot when done.
The process is very simple... provided you aren't running low on memory.
:2) How do I obtain the latest firmware?
You need a support contract.
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in, choose the Downloads link at the top of the list, choose Cisco Secure Software, choose Cisco PIX Security Appliance Software, choose Download PIX Security Appliance Software
Or as the one-step approach,
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log in when so requested.
:3) Is it worth it? (The device functions fine).
Mostly bug fixes. Numerous bug fixes. Check out the release notes,
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:4) We are also in the process of buying the license upgrade to 50 :connections. Should I perform one upgrade before the other?
It doesn't matter in 6.2 and later. In previous versions, you would do the upgrade first and apply the new key as a last step in the upgrade process: back then the only way to put in a new key was to update! Now there's a command to put in a new key.