Hello,
Through my previous employer, I likely will be able to purchase a number of
501's for a very good price. I do not believe that they have been used for quite some time, so they are likely way out of revision on software/firmware. Is it possible to get the latest software as an end user, or does one need to have an account and service agreement through Cisco to download?Thanks,
-Jay
JMO, but i find the pix so overrated. i'll only use them for vpn tunnels and secure incoming. Been using more of the linux based systems for internet protection, all in one boxes. They blow the snot out of the cisco. To answer your question, if you surf google, you can find the ios and pdm downloads. You don't necessarily have to go to cisco to get them. Yes, stupidly enuf, you need a contract with cisco before they give you anything.
If you search Cisco's site for PIX Security Advisories then you will find information that will entitle your employer to load the presently-latest subrelease within whatever version the PIX has installed -- e.g., if at 6.1 then the currently latest 6.1(*). It will, however, not entitle you to upgrade to a new release (e.g., from 6.2 to 6.3) [though if you argued well you could probably go from 6.1 to 6.2.]
This isn't a general statement about PIX releases: it's a statement about what's true right now, based upon the known security issues. For example, until about two weeks ago, if you had 6.3(something) then you would have been entitled to go to 6.3(4) but not 6.3(5) because 6.3(4) was a security release but 6.3(5) was a bug-fix release and it is only the security releases that the conditions apply to. But within the last 2 weeks there's been another security advisory so for now the latest of each 6.1+ release is available without a support contract.
Now, that would get you (or rather, your employer) the latest current software, but then there is the problem that the software license is not transferable.
In order to have the right to use the software, when you buy the items from your employer, you would have to "relicense" the software. The part number you would need to relicense would be LL-PIX-501-SW-10 for the 10 user license, or -50 for the 50 user. The cost for -10 is between $US140 and $US185 depending where you shop.
If you can get your workplace to "loan" the 501's to you with them continuing to own the devices, that would fall within the license terms and the above would not apply... but if at some point you wanted to get support, it would have to be through the official owner.
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