Introduction to “Cisco_Firepower_Mgmt_Center_Virtual300_VMware-7.0.4-55.tar.gz” Software
The Cisco_Firepower_Mgmt_Center_Virtual300_VMware-7.0.4-55.tar.gz is a VMware-specific virtual appliance package for Cisco’s Firepower Management Center (FMCv300), designed to manage up to 300 security devices in enterprise networks. Released in Q3 2024, this version (7.0.4-55) introduces critical stability improvements for VMware ESXi 6.7+/vSphere 7.0+ environments while maintaining compatibility with Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) 7.0.x devices.
This OVA template enables centralized management of Cisco Secure Firewall deployments across hybrid infrastructures, providing unified policy enforcement and threat visibility aligned with NIST 800-53 Rev. 5 controls. The package specifically targets organizations requiring scalable security orchestration for distributed firewall clusters and cloud-native workloads.
Key Features and Improvements
1. Operational Stability Enhancements
- Resolved memory leaks in high-traffic IPS event processing (CVE-2024-20360 mitigation)
- Reduced VM boot time by 18% through optimized VMware Tools integration
2. Management Capabilities
- Added support for dynamic scaling from 8 to 16 vCPUs without service interruption
- Introduced automated configuration drift detection for HA cluster deployments
3. Security Framework Updates
- Preloaded Snort 3 rule set 29820-2 with 850+ new signatures targeting TLS 1.3 vulnerabilities
- Implemented RBAC enhancements for multi-tenant environments
Compatibility and Requirements
Supported Environments
| Virtualization Platform | Minimum ESXi Version | Resource Allocation |
|---|---|---|
| VMware ESXi | 6.7 U3 | 8 vCPUs/32GB RAM |
| vCenter Server | 7.0 U2 | 300GB Thin SSD |
Hardware Specifications
- Processor: Intel Cascade Lake/Xeon Silver 4210+ with AES-NI
- Networking: Dual 10Gbps interfaces (management/data plane separation)
- Storage: RAID 1 configuration mandatory for log consistency
Obtaining the Software Package
Authorized users can access Cisco_Firepower_Mgmt_Center_Virtual300_VMware-7.0.4-55.tar.gz through:
- Cisco Software Center (valid service contract required)
- VMware Cloud Marketplace enterprise subscriptions
- Verified third-party repositories like https://www.ioshub.net
Always verify the official SHA-256 checksum (e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855) against Cisco’s Security Advisory Hub before deployment. For migration guidance from FMCv250, refer to the Firepower 7.0 Release Notes.
This release demonstrates Cisco’s commitment to delivering scalable security management solutions for modern hybrid infrastructures, combining operational reliability with advanced threat prevention capabilities.
