CHEAP ASA 5505 flash and memory upgrades

gp1200x · ‎01-28-2015

This is simply an informative "blog" to spread help to others of what I found. Anything you do is at your own risk.

I have 50+ ASA5505s and wanted to use the newer code. Hardware upgrades are expensive for this older firewall so I researched and arrived at the following.

I updated the compact flash to an EDGE compact flash card - 512MB. I formatted them all in a 5510 and used a PC to load multiple code levels and configs on them before inserting into the ASA 5505s. EDGE compact flash was like $12-15 if I recall.

Upon booting, the ASAS5505 will lose its activation key so you must record it before removing the old compact flash. Once the new compact flash is booted you can get into the machine and reload the activation key.

NOTE: On one ASA I lost the key information and it was a PLUS License. I went to the automated Cisco tech site and asked for a AES-256 activation key for the serial number of my ASA. The site generated a key for me and sent it to me with a error message saying something was wrong. However there was nothing wrong. The system knew it already had AES-256 and a PLUS license so it sent a key to me for those features again! It all worked!

For the memory simm - I tried quit a few different ones and had a lot of problems with them hanging during reload commands.

I upgraded a bunch of test ones and had NO issues with one type of memory simm.

I am now using 1GB simms labeled HYS64D128320HU-5-B and HYS64D128320HU-5-B-N . I have about a half dozen of each and none have failed with reloading several times daily over the last several weeks. This is with 9.2.3 code which makes the ASAs run hotter than they did with the older 8.2.5 code levels. You can buy the SImms from places like OEMPCWORLD for about $17.

The ones that have Infineon on them also had a number of 031810 in their database and these were the ones labeled HYS64D128320HU-5-B. The other ones without the Infineon name labeled with part number HYS64D128320HU050B-N also had part number 033718 on them. I think either will work without issues however MAKE SURE YOU SELECT NO SUBSTITUTIONS - otherwise I do not know if their replacement simms would work!

One last thing...these ASAs run hotter now...you need to keep air flowing near them. I am thinking of putting taller feet on them. I had the feet on one disintegrate due to the heat. Getting them slightly higher in the air may help the airflow under them too.

gp1200x · ‎03-21-2015

After more testing and a few failures, I now will only use the 512MB simms that are supplied in the newer ASAs or Infineon HYS64D128320HU-5-B 1GB memory simms. I will not use any others since I have seen a failure or two on a reload with other brands. I have NEVER had a reload failure with the sinmm part number I listed above - BUT it has to have the word Infineon or the slanted letter I on it. All other simms are not equivalent. The 512MB EDGE compact flash card has worked in every ASA with no problems. I simply reload all the files on it, boot the ASA with it, reinstall the activation key (need to copy it off the unit before swapping the compact flash) and upgrade the code to the latest 9.2.3 and asdm code. I've done twenty plus with another 30 to do when I have spare time. These ASA5505s are good for another few years and can push 90+Mb on a good connection.

Karsten Iwen · ‎03-22-2015

On the original CF-card, there are hidden folders that contain your licenses. If you copy them to your new CF-card, you don't lose the licenses and you don't have to reapply them with your activation-keys. You also can format the CF-card on a Windows-PC with FAT32.

gp1200x · ‎03-22-2015

I had read issues occasionally when I formatted the EDGE compact flash cards (and other brands) in a Windows machine and then tried to use them in a Cisco device. So now I only format them in another Cisco switch or router and never had any read issues. Since I did mass copying of files to 20+ compact flash drives I found it a lot easier to just cut and paste the old license activation key onto the new flash after it booted up. That way I did not have to keep track of which flash went with which ASA and all my compact flashed were identical until they were installed and had an activation key applied.

Karsten Iwen · ‎03-22-2015

Ok, with your "mass-deployment", that way could really be easier.