Cisco ASAv network simulation using Vagrant

After creating IOSv and IOS XE Vagrant images, now doing the same for Cisco ASAv. Like in my last post same basic idea to create an simulated on-demandĀ  network environment for continuous integration testing.

You need to buy the Cisco ASAv to get access to the KVM image on the Cisco website!

The Cisco ASAv is pretty easy because you can get QCOW2 images directly on the Cisco website, there are a few changes you need to do before you can use this together with Vagrant.

Boot the ASAv QCOW2 image on KVM and add the configuration below:

conf t
interface Management0/0
 nameif management
 security-level 0
 ip address dhcp
 no shutdown
 exit

hostname asa
domain-name lab.local
username vagrant password vagrant privilege 15
aaa authentication ssh console LOCAL
aaa authorization exec LOCAL auto-enable
ssh version 2
ssh timeout 60
ssh key-exchange group dh-group14-sha1
ssh 0 0 management

username vagrant attributes
  service-type admin
  ssh authentication publickey AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAABIwAAAQEA6NF8iallvQVp22WDkTkyrtvp9eWW6A8YVr+kz4TjGYe7gHzIw+niNltGEFHzD8+v1I2YJ6oXevct1YeS0o9HZyN1Q9qgCgzUFtdOKLv6IedplqoPkcmF0aYet2PkEDo3MlTBckFXPITAMzF8dJSIFo9D8HfdOV0IAdx4O7PtixWKn5y2hMNG0zQPyUecp4pzC6kivAIhyfHilFR61RGL+GPXQ2MWZWFYbAGjyiYJnAmCP3NOTd0jMZEnDkbUvxhMmBYSdETk1rRgm+R4LOzFUGaHqHDLKLX+FIPKcF96hrucXzcWyLbIbEgE98OHlnVYCzRdK8jlqm8tehUc9c9WhQ==

Now the image is ready to use with Vagrant. Create an instance folder under the user vagrant directory and copy the QCOW2 image. As well create an metadata.json file:

mkdir -p ~/.vagrant.d/boxes/asav/0/libvirt/
cp ASAv.qcow2 ~/.vagrant.d/boxes/asav/0/libvirt/box.img
printf '{"provider":"libvirt","format":"qcow2","virtual_size":2}' > metadata.json

Create a Vagrantfile with the needed configuration and boot up the VMs. You have to start the VMs one by one.

berndonline@lab:~/asa-lab-vagrant$ vagrant status
Current machine states:

asa-1                     not created (libvirt)
asa-2                     not created (libvirt)

This environment represents multiple VMs. The VMs are all listed
above with their current state. For more information about a specific
VM, run `vagrant status NAME`.
berndonline@lab:~/asa-lab-vagrant$ vagrant up asa-1
Bringing machine 'asa-1' up with 'libvirt' provider...
==> asa-1: Creating image (snapshot of base box volume).
==> asa-1: Creating domain with the following settings...
==> asa-1:  -- Name:              asa-lab-vagrant_asa-1
==> asa-1:  -- Domain type:       kvm
==> asa-1:  -- Cpus:              1
==> asa-1:  -- Feature:           acpi
==> asa-1:  -- Feature:           apic
==> asa-1:  -- Feature:           pae
==> asa-1:  -- Memory:            2048M
==> asa-1:  -- Management MAC:
==> asa-1:  -- Loader:
==> asa-1:  -- Base box:          asav
==> asa-1:  -- Storage pool:      default
==> asa-1:  -- Image:             /var/lib/libvirt/images/asa-lab-vagrant_asa-1.img (8G)
==> asa-1:  -- Volume Cache:      default
==> asa-1:  -- Kernel:
==> asa-1:  -- Initrd:
==> asa-1:  -- Graphics Type:     vnc
==> asa-1:  -- Graphics Port:     5900
==> asa-1:  -- Graphics IP:       127.0.0.1
==> asa-1:  -- Graphics Password: Not defined
==> asa-1:  -- Video Type:        cirrus
==> asa-1:  -- Video VRAM:        9216
==> asa-1:  -- Sound Type:
==> asa-1:  -- Keymap:            en-us
==> asa-1:  -- TPM Path:
==> asa-1:  -- INPUT:             type=mouse, bus=ps2
==> asa-1: Creating shared folders metadata...
==> asa-1: Starting domain.
==> asa-1: Waiting for domain to get an IP address...
==> asa-1: Waiting for SSH to become available...
==> asa-1: Configuring and enabling network interfaces...
    asa-1: SSH address: 10.255.1.238:22
    asa-1: SSH username: vagrant
    asa-1: SSH auth method: private key
    asa-1: Warning: Connection refused. Retrying...
==> asa-1: Running provisioner: ansible...
    asa-1: Running ansible-playbook...

PLAY [all] *********************************************************************

PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************

berndonline@lab:~/asa-lab-vagrant$ vagrant up asa-2
Bringing machine 'asa-2' up with 'libvirt' provider...
==> asa-2: Creating image (snapshot of base box volume).
==> asa-2: Creating domain with the following settings...
==> asa-2:  -- Name:              asa-lab-vagrant_asa-2
==> asa-2:  -- Domain type:       kvm
==> asa-2:  -- Cpus:              1
==> asa-2:  -- Feature:           acpi
==> asa-2:  -- Feature:           apic
==> asa-2:  -- Feature:           pae
==> asa-2:  -- Memory:            2048M
==> asa-2:  -- Management MAC:
==> asa-2:  -- Loader:
==> asa-2:  -- Base box:          asav
==> asa-2:  -- Storage pool:      default
==> asa-2:  -- Image:             /var/lib/libvirt/images/asa-lab-vagrant_asa-2.img (8G)
==> asa-2:  -- Volume Cache:      default
==> asa-2:  -- Kernel:
==> asa-2:  -- Initrd:
==> asa-2:  -- Graphics Type:     vnc
==> asa-2:  -- Graphics Port:     5900
==> asa-2:  -- Graphics IP:       127.0.0.1
==> asa-2:  -- Graphics Password: Not defined
==> asa-2:  -- Video Type:        cirrus
==> asa-2:  -- Video VRAM:        9216
==> asa-2:  -- Sound Type:
==> asa-2:  -- Keymap:            en-us
==> asa-2:  -- TPM Path:
==> asa-2:  -- INPUT:             type=mouse, bus=ps2
==> asa-2: Creating shared folders metadata...
==> asa-2: Starting domain.
==> asa-2: Waiting for domain to get an IP address...
==> asa-2: Waiting for SSH to become available...
==> asa-2: Configuring and enabling network interfaces...
    asa-2: SSH address: 10.255.1.131:22
    asa-2: SSH username: vagrant
    asa-2: SSH auth method: private key
==> asa-2: Running provisioner: ansible...
    asa-2: Running ansible-playbook...

PLAY [all] *********************************************************************

PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************

berndonline@lab:~/asa-lab-vagrant$ vagrant status
Current machine states:

asa-1                     running (libvirt)
asa-2                     running (libvirt)

berndonline@lab:~/asa-lab-vagrant$

After the VMs are successfully booted you can connect with vagrant ssh:

berndonline@lab:~/asa-lab-vagrant$ vagrant ssh asa-1
Type help or '?' for a list of available commands.
asa# show version

Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software Version 9.6(2)
Device Manager Version 7.6(2)

Compiled on Tue 23-Aug-16 18:38 PDT by builders
System image file is "boot:/asa962-smp-k8.bin"
Config file at boot was "startup-config"

asa up 10 mins 31 secs

Hardware:   ASAv, 2048 MB RAM, CPU Xeon E5 series 3600 MHz,
Model Id:   ASAv10
Internal ATA Compact Flash, 8192MB
Slot 1: ATA Compact Flash, 8192MB
BIOS Flash Firmware Hub @ 0x0, 0KB

....

Configuration has not been modified since last system restart.
asa# exit

Logoff

Connection to 10.255.1.238 closed by remote host.
Connection to 10.255.1.238 closed.
berndonline@lab:~/asa-lab-vagrant$ vagrant destroy
==> asa-2: Removing domain...
==> asa-2: Running triggers after destroy...
Removing known host entries
==> asa-1: Removing domain...
==> asa-1: Running triggers after destroy...
Removing known host entries
berndonline@lab:~/asa-lab-vagrant$

Here I have a virtual ASAv environment which I can spin-up and down as needed for automation testing.

The example Vagrantfile you can find in my Github repository:

https://github.com/berndonline/asa-lab-vagrant/blob/master/Vagrantfile

Read my new post about anĀ Ansible Playbook for Cisco ASAv Firewall Topology

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