CSM vs FMC

[Sushant Kaliraj]

Can anybody explain be difference between Cisco Security Manager  and Firesight Management Centre?

I have cisco ASA5585-X SSP-40 ( without Firepower module)  and ASA5585-X SSP-60( with Firepower SSP-60 module). Can Cisco Firesight Management Centre be used as a centralized Security Policy enforcer and management device for these two ASA of different DC?

[Marvin Rhoads · Accepted solution]

Not yet. FMC will be the unified management platform in the future; but, as of right now, CSM is the tool for managing policy, configuration, health etc. across multiple ASAs (and legacy IPS and some IOS devices).

For now FMC (version 5.4 is current) manages Cisco's FirePOWER modules in ASAs and legacy Sourcefire appliances (including more recently-introduced Cisco-branded ones).

[Sushant Kaliraj]

Thank you, Marvin for the information.

Are Cisco Security Manager and Prime Security Manager same?

[Marvin Rhoads]

You're welcome.

CSM and PRSM are completely distinct products.

CSM I described earlier.

PRSM on the other hand manages policy for CX modules (and, optionally, some limited sets of ASA base configuration bits though that function is seldom used), The CX module was an interim product between Cisco's legacy IPS and the FirePOWER branded products that have been introduced and integrated since the acquisition of Sourcefire in late 2013.

CX modules and the PRSM management tool had an end of life announcement published this February with the end of sales date coming up in August 2015.