FP 2100 ASA Appliance Mode or Platform Mode

[anton.bjoklund]

First of all how to i know what mode the device is in?
How do i switch modes?

What i can tell the getting started guide is not of much help.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/firepower/quick_start/fp2100/firepower-2100-gsg/asa-appliance.html

[Aref Alsouqi]

The very last section of the link you shared shows how to move between the FXOS (platform) and ASA (appliance) modes:

ciscoasa# connect fxos admin
Connecting to fxos.
Connected to fxos. Escape character sequence is 'CTRL-^X'.
firepower# 
firepower# exit
Connection with FXOS terminated.
Type help or '?' for a list of available commands.
ciscoasa#

Basically, when you are in FXOS you are in platform mode, when you exit from the platform mode, you are in the appliance mode.

[anton.bjoklund]

Hi! 

Tanks for the response.
Almost the same text is in the platform guide aswell:
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/firepower/quick_start/fp2100/firepower-2100-gsg/asa-platform.html

[Marvin Rhoads]

When you connect to fxos (from the ASA or FTD cli) you can then run the command "show fxos mode".

Cisco Fire Linux OS v6.6.0 (build 37)
Cisco Firepower 2140 Threat Defense v6.6.0.1 (build 7)

> 
> connect fxos 
Cisco Firepower Extensible Operating System (FX-OS) Software
TAC support: http://www.cisco.com/tac
Copyright (c) 2009-2019, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

The copyrights to certain works contained in this software are
owned by other third parties and used and distributed under
license.

Certain components of this software are licensed under the "GNU General Public
License, version 3" provided with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY under the terms of
"GNU General Public License, Version 3", available here:
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html. See User Manual (''Licensing'') for
details.

Certain components of this software are licensed under the "GNU General Public
License, version 2" provided with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY under the terms of
"GNU General Public License, version 2", available here:
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html. See User Manual
(''Licensing'') for details.

Certain components of this software are licensed under the "GNU LESSER GENERAL
PUBLIC LICENSE, version 3" provided with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY under the terms
of "GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE" Version 3", available here:
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details.

Certain components of this software are licensed under the "GNU Lesser General
Public License, version 2.1" provided with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY under the
terms of "GNU Lesser General Public License, version 2", available here:
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(''Licensing'') for details.

Certain components of this software are licensed under the "GNU Library General
Public License, version 2" provided with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY under the terms
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FW1# 
FW1# show 
  chassis              Chassis 
  cli                  CLI Information 
  clock                Clock 
  configuration        Configuration 
  eth-uplink           Ethernet Uplink 
  event                Event Management 
  fabric-interconnect  Show NGFW 
  fault                Fault 
  fxos-mode            Fxos-mode 
  identity             Identity 
  ntp-overall-status   NTP Overall Time-Sync Status 
  registry-repository  Registry Repository 
  security             security mode 
  server               Server 
  system               Systems 
  timezone             Set timezone 
  version              System version 
FW1# show fxos-mode
Mode is currently set to platform
FW1# 

[anton.bjoklund]

Hi!

Thanks for the response.

When i do the show command i can only see this: 

FXOS# show   
  chassis              Chassis 
  cli                  CLI Information 
  clock                Clock 
  configuration        Configuration 
  eth-uplink           Ethernet Uplink 
  event                Event Management 
  fabric-interconnect  Show NGFW 
  fault                Fault 
  identity             Identity 
  ntp-overall-status   NTP Overall Time-Sync Status 
  registry-repository  Registry Repository 
  security             security mode 
  sel                  System Event Log 
  server               Server 
  system               Systems 
  timezone             Set timezone 
  version              System version 
FXOS# show fxos-mode
           ^
% Invalid Command at '^' marker

[Marvin Rhoads]

What version is running ("show version" from the fxos cli)?

[anton.bjoklund]

It's installde with: cisco-asa-fp2k.9.12.4.4.SPA
https://software.cisco.com/download/home/286312107/type/280775065/release/9.12.4%20Interim

Fxos:
Show verson
Boot Loader version: 1.0.09
System version: 2.6(1.214)
Service Manager version: 2.6(1.214)
fpga version: 2.0.00
fpga golden version: 2.0.00
power sequencer version: 2.13
lanspi version: unknown

fxos: scope system:
show firmware detail
MANAGER:
    Boot Loader:
        Firmware-Vers: 1009.0200.0213
        Rommon-Vers: 1.0.09
        Fpga-Vers: 2.0.00
        Fpga-Golden-Vers: 2.0.00
        Power-Sequencer-Vers: 2.13
        Firmware-Status: OK
    System:
        Running-Vers: 2.6(1.214)
        Platform-Vers: 2.6.1.214
        Package-Vers: 9.12.4.4
        Startup-Vers: 2.6(1.214)
    NPU:
        Running-Vers: 2.6(1.214)
        Platform-Vers: 2.6.1.214
        Package-Vers: 9.12.4.4
        Startup-Vers: 2.6(1.214)
    Service Manager:
        Running-Vers: 2.6(1.214)
        Platform-Vers: 2.6.1.214
        Package-Vers: 9.12.4.4
        Startup-Vers: 2.6(1.214)

[Marvin Rhoads · Accepted solution]

Ah OK - you're running 9.12. Appliance mode was only added as of ASA 9.13.

Reference:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/asa/roadmap/asa_new_features.html#topic_lbm_q21_ghb

So unless you are running 9.13 or later, you can only be running Platform mode.

With 9.13+ you have the option to change to Appliance mode - and the fxos command should then be present to reflect which has been configured.

[anton.bjoklund]

Thank you for all the help.

will uppgrade and verify the results before i accept as solution.

Have a nice day.