Unable to Install FMC on ESXi 8

[Himanshu_Dwivedi]

I am unable to install FMC on esxi version 8, the latest image on Cisco website is till ESXi 7, how to deploy in this case.

[Rob Ingram]

@Himanshu_Dwivedi unfortuntely ESX 8.0 is not currently supported on the latest version of FMC.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/secure-firewall/release-notes/threat-defense/740/threat-defense-release-notes-74/requirements.html

A suggestion here is to run a nested version of ESX 7.0 in an ESX 8.0 instance, you can then run FMC on the nested ESX 7.0.

[Himanshu_Dwivedi]

So this means tha I will need a special License for ESXI 7

[Loris Signoracci]

Hi Rob, I'm facing the same issue and  Cisco TAC stops its support reading compatibility tables.

I know this is the bible but, honestly, I can install the following version on ESXi 8: Cisco_Secure_FW_Mgmt_Center_Virtual300_VMware-VI-7.2.5-208

B.R.

Loris S.

[Marvin Rhoads]

It won't work.I have verified this with Cisco TAC and also in my own lab. ESXi 8 will be supported in the next major FMC release (7.6, expected in 2024).

As I noted in the thread linked by @Rob Ingram, nested ESXi works fine.

[Himanshu_Dwivedi]

Hello This version of FMC worked on ESXI 8 with vSphere 7 Compatibility. What I was doing previously that installing directly from vCenter by browsing VMDK & OVF, so instead of vCenter I directly went to Host and it got successfully installed.

[Loris Signoracci]

Hello Himanshu,

I confirm that there is a bug on version Cisco_Secure_FW_Mgmt_Center_Virtual_VMware-7.2.5-208 because I can install Cisco_Secure_FW_Mgmt_Center_Virtual_VMware-7.3.1-19 on ESXi 8.0.
Cisco Bug!
TAC loses.

[Marvin Rhoads]

There is a non-public ENH (enhancement request) that I had opened on this. CSCwe44306 is the Cisco BugID tracking it.

Using software not listed as supported may or may not work - that's why Cisco recommend the supported versions in the release notes and installation guides.

[Loris Signoracci]

Hi Marvin, thank you for the answer.

What I can't understand is why the Virtual300 works on ESXi 8 and basic doesn't...