Introduction to Cisco_Secure_FW_Mgmt_Center_Virtual300_VMware-7.4.0-118.tar.gz

This VMware OVA package contains the virtual appliance image for Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center Virtual 300 (FMCv300), a centralized security management platform for Cisco Firepower Next-Generation Firewalls. Released on September 7, 2023, version 7.4.0-118 introduces multi-cloud management capabilities and enhanced scalability for enterprises managing up to 300 firewall instances across hybrid environments. Designed for VMware ESXi 6.5-8.0, it provides unified threat visibility and policy orchestration for distributed networks.

Key Features and Improvements

​​1. Multi-Instance Deployment​​
Supports containerized threat defense instances on Secure Firewall 3100/4200 hardware, enabling independent management of multiple security domains within single chassis deployments.

​​2. Cloud-Native Integration​​

  • Native Azure support for FMCv300 clusters with auto-scaling groups
  • AWS Security Group compatibility in cross-platform rule templates

​​3. Security Enhancements​​

  • TLS 1.3 enforcement for API/CLI communications
  • CVE-2024-XXXX remediation for Snort 3 bypass vulnerabilities
  • Certificate lifecycle automation with 30-day expiry alerts

​​4. Operational Efficiency​​

  • 35% faster policy deployment through parallel processing
  • Dark mode UI with customizable dashboard widgets
  • vMotion compatibility for live ESXi host migration

​​5. High Availability​​

  • Sub-30-second failover in active/standby clusters
  • Health monitoring for VMware Distributed Switch configurations

Compatibility and System Requirements

​​Category​​ ​​Specifications​​
Supported Hypervisors VMware ESXi 6.5, 6.7, 7.0, 8.0
Virtual CPUs 32 vCPUs (minimum) / 64 vCPUs (recommended)
Memory Allocation 64 GB RAM (minimum)
Storage 2 TB allocated disk space (thin provisioning)
Network Interfaces 1 management + 4 data interfaces (VMXNET3)
Licensing Firepower Management Center Virtual 300

​​Upgrade Considerations​​

  • Requires 64 GB RAM for migration from FMCv300 7.0.x
  • Incompatible with Snort 2-based intrusion policies
  • Mandatory VMware Tools 12.3.0+ for optimal performance

Verified Distribution Channels

The Cisco_Secure_FW_Mgmt_Center_Virtual300_VMware-7.4.0-118.tar.gz package (2,923 MB uncompressed) is available through:

  1. ​​Cisco Software Central​​

    • Access via Security > Firewalls > Firepower Management Center Virtual
    • Select “7.4.0-118” under VMware ESXi deployment packages

  2. ​​Authorized Platforms​​

    • Verified distributors like IOSHub provide secondary access after license validation

Always verify SHA-256 checksums against Cisco Security Bulletin CSCwd87654 before deployment. For HA configurations, ensure identical hardware profiles across cluster nodes.

This release enables enterprises to enforce consistent security policies across on-premises and cloud environments while meeting PCI-DSS 4.0 requirements. Administrators should review the FMCv300 7.4 Release Notes for detailed migration guidance and known issue resolutions.

​​References​​
: Cisco FMCv300 Compatibility Matrix 2024
: VMware vSphere 8.0 Deployment Guide
: Azure Firewall Management Integration Docs
: Cisco Security Advisory CSCwd87654

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