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Cisco ASA 5500 Series Configuration Guide using the CLI
Chapter2 Getting Started
Starting ASDM
ASDM-IDM Launcher (Windows only)—The Launcher is an application downloaded from the ASA
using a web browser that you can use to connect to any ASA IP address. You do not need to
re-download the launcher if you want to connect to other ASAs. The Launcher also lets you run a
virtual ASDM in Demo mode using files downloaded locally.
Java Web Start—For each ASA that you manage, you need to connect with a web browser and then
save or launch the Java Web Start application. You can optionally save the application to your PC;
however you need separate applications for each ASA IP address.
Note Within ASDM, you can choose a different ASA IP address to manage; the difference between the
Launcher and Java Web Start application functionality rests primarily in how you initially connect to the
ASA and launch ASDM.
This section describes how to connect to ASDM initially, and then launch ASDM using the Launcher or
the Java Web Start application. This section includes the following topics:
Connecting to ASDM for the First Time, page2-7
Starting ASDM from the ASDM-IDM Launcher, page2-8
Starting ASDM from the Java Web Start Application, page 2-8
Using ASDM in Demo Mode, page 2-9
Note ASDM allows multiple PCs or workstations to each have one browser session open with the same ASA
software. A single ASA can support up to five concurrent ASDM sessions in single, routed mode. Only
one session per browser per PC or workstation is supported for a specified ASA. In multiple context
mode, five conc urrent ASDM sessions are suppor ted per context, up to a maximum of 32 total connections
for each ASA.
Connecting to ASDM for the First Time
To connect to ASDM for the first time to download the ASDM-IDM Launcher or Java Web Start
application, perform the following steps:
Step1 From a supported web browser on the ASA network, enter the following URL:
https://interface_ip_address/admin
Where interface_ip_address is the management IP address of the ASA. See the “Configuring ASDM
Access for Appliances” section on page2-2 for more information about management access.
See the ASDM release notes for your release for the requirements to run ASDM.
The ASDM launch page appears with the following buttons:
Install ASDM Launcher and Run ASDM (Windows only)
Run ASDM
Run Startup Wizard
Step2 To download the Launcher:
a. Click Install ASDM Launcher and Run ASDM.