topic ASA boot/console logs to file in Network Security

ASA boot/console logs to file

Galle — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 06:32:48 GMT

I'm planning to update the ASA and ROMMON software on a ISA3000. I've tested it in our lab first and during the testing I've been connected through the console port. This is nice as I can see what is going on during the reload processes.

However, when I'll perform the upgrade on the target system, I'll only have an SSH connection, no console. Is there a way to get the same messages that can be seen during a reboot with an active console session written to a file? Or how can I get the same info, either live, or downloaded afterwards, from an SSH session?

I've tried to enable syslogging to file, but I can't find any of the messages I'm interested in there. I wondering if the messages I'm interested in do not come from the syslog service?

These are the current log settings:

FW01/sec/NoFailover# show logg
Syslog logging: enabled
Facility: 20
Timestamp logging: enabled
Timezone: enabled
Logging Format: disabled
Hide Username logging: enabled
Standby logging: disabled
Debug-trace logging: enabled
Console logging: disabled
Monitor logging: disabled
Buffer logging: level informational, 922 messages logged
Trap logging: level informational, facility 20, 1714 messages logged
Global TCP syslog stats ::
NOT PUTABLE: 0, ALL CHANNEL DOWN: 0
CHANNEL FLAP CNT: 0, SYSLOG PKT LOSS: 0
PARTIAL REWRITE CNT: 0
Permit-hostdown logging: enabled
History logging: disabled
Device ID: disabled
Mail logging: disabled
ASDM logging: level informational, 922 messages logged

Re: ASA boot/console logs to file

Mark Elsen — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 16:22:09 GMT

- @Galle >....Is there a way to get the same messages that can be seen during a reboot with
an active console session written to a file?
Cisco devices don't support that , well actually it probably involves a number of race conditions

What you can do is have the console connected to a PC with a serial interface, and define a log file
in PuTTY before connecting to the ASA, then reboot

Re: ASA boot/console logs to file

Aref Alsouqi — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 16:53:42 GMT

You can't get the boot up messages via SSH because the network services that would allow you to SSH to the device won't start from the very begining. I think what @Mark Elsen suggested is the only way to work around that.

Re: ASA boot/console logs to file

Galle — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 08:21:03 GMT

Thank you for the reply. Disappointing that Cisco doesn't provide a boot log on file, something I would consider a normal thing. E.g. there are messages related to configuration settings during boot up that are good to review. We only do console connections to the equipment if absolutely necessary due to difficulties with physical access, and rely on SSH for normal maintenance. And I'm sure qute a large portion of the user base does the same.

Re: ASA boot/console logs to file

Galle — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 08:41:41 GMT

Yes, I understand that. Logging to file would still be useful!