Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) Quick Start Guide, 9.5

Prerequisites for the ASAv

For hypervisor support, see Cisco ASA Compatibility.

Guidelines for the ASAv

Context Mode Guidelines

Supported in single context mode only. Does not support multiple context mode.

Failover Guidelines

For failover deployments, make sure that the standby unit has the same model license; for example, both units should be ASAv30s.

Unsupported ASA Features

The ASAv does not support the following ASA features:

• Clustering
• Multiple context mode
• Active/Active failover
• EtherChannels
• Shared AnyConnect Premium Licenses

Guidelines, Features, and Limitations for the ASAv5

• Jumbo frames are not supported.
• Deployed on VMware, KVM, and Hyper-V with 1 GB of memory.

To run with 1 GB of memory, the ASAv5 VM must be re-provisioned with the 9.5.1.200 image. Only ASAvs running 9.5.1.200 can operate on 1 GB of memory. If you try to downgrade to a previous version, you must increase the memory to 2 GB.

• Throughput of 100 Mbps.

The ASAv5 will begin drop packets soon after the threshold of 100 Mbps is reached (there is some headroom so that you get the full 100 Mbps). The ASAv5 is intended for users who require a small memory footprint and small throughput, so that you can deploy larger numbers of ASAv5s without using unnecessary memory.

• Supports 8000 connections per second, 35 maximum VLANs, 50,000 concurrent session, and 50 VPN sessions.

ASAv Rate Limiter

Note: The ASAv Rate Limiter enforces throughput performance for the ASAv5 with some extra headroom to match entitlement and the built-in Lab Edition mode ASAv platforms.

License Entitlement shows the compliant resources scenarios that match license entitlement for the ASAvs.

Table 1 License Entitlement

ASAv States and Messages shows the ASAv states and messages connected to resources and entitlement for the ASAvs.

Table 2 ASAv States and Messages

Licensing for the ASAv

The ASAv uses Cisco Smart Software Licensing. For detailed information, see Smart Software Licensing for the ASAv.

Note: You must install a smart license on the ASAv. Until you install a license, throughput is limited to 100 Kbps so you can perform preliminary connectivity tests. A smart license is required for regular operation.

ASAv Interfaces and Virtual NICs

As a guest on a virtualized platform, the ASAv utilizes the network interfaces of the underlying physical platform. Each ASAv interface maps to a virtual NIC (vNIC).

• ASAv Interfaces
• Supported vNICs