Upload newest image on ASA5525-X

[johnlloyd_13]

hi all,

i'm going to upgrade a new ASA5525-X and wanted to know what's the 'best' image to load.

do i upload the 'suggested' image such as 9.2.24 or 'latest' such as 9.1.5?

see below from cisco.com download area:

Suggested

9.2.2.4.SMP 

9.1.5.SMP.ED 

9.0.4.SMP.ED 

Latest

9.3.2

9.2.3.SMP

9.1.5.SMP.ED 

9.0.4.SMP.ED 

[Vibhor Amrodia · Accepted solution]

Hi ,

I would say upgrading to the suggested images on the cisco CCO should be better and stable.

But at the end , it is your choice and both should be fine.

Thanks and Regards,

Vibhor Amrodia

[johnlloyd_13]

thanks guys!

i also want to ask this question since both of you are on this thread.

we always deploy an ASA5525-X and run the typical NAT/PAT and S2S IPsec VPNs.

i read some cisco docs that this is the NGN firewall.

my question is what feature/s (without buying additional module, etc) on this 'X' series firewall that i could use and leverage?
 

[Karsten Iwen · Accepted solution]

A general rule (which is not always valid, but very often) is that the higher the third number is, the more stable the image is. With that I would prefer 9.1.5 over 9.2.2.4.

An also important decision is to use interim-releases or not. The suggested and latest images are typically not the ones that include important bug-fixes. These images are typically only released as interim-releases, also if there are security-related problems. (Personally I don't understand the cisco-strategy here).

When looking at 9.1.5, this release is from 2014-03-31, the newest interim-release 9.1.5.21 is from 2014-12-19 and includes numerous bug-fixes that I would consider important:

http://www.cisco.com/web/software/280775065/112517/ASA-915-Interim-Release-Notes.html