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VM-Series Deployment Guide

Upgrade the VM-Series Firewall

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Upgrade the VM-Series Firewall

Upgrading the PAN-OS version or VM-Series model allows you to add the latest features and fixes that help improve the security capabilities and performance of your firewalls.

The standard PAN-OS release is just that; the normal version of PAN-OS that can be installed on all Palo Alto Networks firewalls. The PAN-OS XFR releases are for VM-Series firewalls only and can include new features and bug fixes for VM-Series firewalls. If you install a PAN-OS XFR image on the VM-Series firewalls, the features and fixes are not available in PAN-OS versions that are earlier than the software version you have installed.

Because XFR images include features and fixes that are specific to VM-Series firewalls, if you upgrade to an XFR release, you must stay on XFR releases to keep XFR specific features until the next major PAN-OS release; all the fixes and capabilities available in XFR will be cumulatively rolled into the next major PAN-OS release.

Palo Alto Networks does not publish VM-Series base images for every PAN-OS maintenance release. If no base image is available for the target PAN-OS version, upgrade or downgrade your VM-Series firewall to the target version.

For instructions on installing your VM-Series firewall, see VM-Series Deployments.

Verify the VM-Series System Requirements for your firewall model before you upgrade. If your firewall has less than 5.5GB memory, the system capacity (number of sessions, rules, security zones, address objects, etc) on the firewall will be limited to that of the VM-50 Lite.

VM-Series in High Availability

Upgrade the PAN-OS Software Version (Standalone Version)