Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center Virtual Getting Started Guide

Download the Installation Package

Updated: February 5, 2026

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Overview

Learn how to download and extract the Management Center Virtual installation package from the Cisco Software Download page. Verify the package, identify the correct OVF and VMDK files for your deployment target, and prepare the files for installation in your VMware environment.

Cisco provides packaged virtual appliances for VMware ESX and ESXi host environments on its Support Site as compressed archive (.tar.gz) files. Cisco virtual appliances are packaged as virtual machines with Version 7 of the virtual hardware. Each archive contains the OVF templates and manifest files for either an ESXi or VI deployment target, and a virtual machine disk format (vmdk) file.

Download the Firewall Management Center Virtual installation package from Cisco.com, and save it to your local disk. Cisco recommends that you always use the most recent package available. Virtual appliance packages are usually associated with major versions of the system software (for example, 6.1 or 6.2).

Before you begin

Validate the SHA1 checksum after extracting the VMDK files from the directory.

Procedure

	1.	Navigate to the Cisco Software Download page. Note A Cisco.com login and Cisco service contract are required.
	2.	Click Browse all to search for the Firewall Management Center Virtual deployment package.
	3.	Choose Security > Firewalls > Firewall Management, and select Secure Firewall Management Center Virtual.
	4.	Find the VMware installation package that you want to download for the Firewall Management Center Virtual Appliance using the following naming convention: Cisco_Secure_FW_Mgmt_Center_Virtual_VMware-X.X.X-xxx.tar.gz where X.X.X-xxx is the version and build number of the installation package you want to download.
	5.	Click the installation package you want to download. Note While you are logged into the Support Site, Cisco recommends you download any available updates for virtual appliances so that after you install a virtual appliance to a major version, you can update its system software. You should always run the latest version of the system software supported by your appliance. For the Firewall Management Center Virtual, you should also download any new intrusion rule and Vulnerability Database (VDB) updates.
	6.	Copy the installation package to a location accessible to the workstation or server that is running the vSphere Client. Caution Do not transfer archive files via email; the files can become corrupted.
	7.	Uncompress the installation package archive file using your preferred tool and extract the installation files. For the Firewall Management Center Virtual: Cisco_Secure_FW_Mgmt_Center_Virtual_VMware-X.X.X-xxx-disk1.vmdk Cisco_Secure_FW_Mgmt_Center_Virtual_VMware-ESXi-X.X.X-xxx.ovf Cisco_Secure_FW_Mgmt_Center_Virtual_VMware-ESXi-X.X.X-xxx.mf Cisco_Secure_FW_Mgmt_Center_Virtual_VMware-VI-X.X.X-xxx.ovf Cisco_Secure_FW_Mgmt_Center_Virtual_VMware-VI-X.X.X-xxx.mf where X.X.X-xxx is the version and build number of the archive file you downloaded. Note Make sure you keep all the files in the same directory.

What to do next

Determine your deployment target (VI or ESXi) and continue with Deploy the Firewall Management Center Virtual.

Need help?

Open a support case

(Requires a Cisco Service Contract)

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