How to Download Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Images

[jdelio]

Hello there,

In this week's Discussion of the Week, I am going to be giving a refresher on where and how to download a Palo Alto Networks VM-Series images.

This was a discussion that I talked about in April 2021, but since this is still a high-volume search on LIVEcommunity, I wanted to re-visit and update this so everyone can have all of the information needed to obtain a VM-Series image as easily as possible.

The discussion that we want to call attention to is: How to download Palo Alto VM?

Even though the discussion led to the information about how to obtain trail licenses, no one ever truly answered the actual HOW question. Or more specifically, where to go to download. So, we're going to talk about both! 

Please note, that before you download the VM images from Palo Alto Networks Customer Support Portal page, you need to have a support account and you need to have a license for VMs before they appear in the download page.

If you do not already have a sign-on ID, you will need to register.

Once you are logged in, you need to go to Updates > Software Updates:

Palo Alto Networks Customer Support Portal page with software update window

You will see an option for dropdown to select specific software. You will notice for VM-Series, the list is pretty long, with the following options: 

• PAN-OS for VM-Series
• PAN-OS for AWS VM-Series
• PAN-OS for VM-Series Base Images
• PAN-OS for VM-Series NSX-V Base Images
• PAN-OS for VM-Series SDX Base Images
• PAN-OS for VM-Series KVM Base Images
• PAN-OS for VM-Series Hyper-V Base Images
• PAN-OS for VM-Series NSX-T Base Images

Please select the specific VM-Series you need, and then you should see the following options:

CSP screen showing the VM-Series download list

CSP screen showing the VM-Series download list

There are alternate ways to obtain OVA's from other sites, but we always recommend that you obtain the latest software from Palo Alto Network's Support site.

Once downloaded and running, most features will work, but you will not be able to see any traffic in the monitor tab.

If you would like any Trial Licenses, you will need to contact sales. 

Sales

North America Sales: 866-320-4788 or contact_sales@paloaltonetworks.com International Sales

For more information on VM-Series software, or how to install it, please see the VM-Series Deployment Guide.

Also, for information on working with activation codes, please see How to Authorize and Install VM-Series Auth-Codes.

Now that we've answered this discussion's primary question, we hope you found the information useful! We enjoy providing the solutions you need—whenever you have a question, the LIVEcommunity is here to find an answer!

Thanks for taking time to read my blog.
If you enjoyed this, please hit the Like (thumb up) button, don't forget to subscribe to the LIVEcommunity Blog area.

As always, we welcome all comments and feedback in the comments section below.

Stay Secure,
Joe Delio
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[AbrahamAG]

Hi,

I try to download the PAN-OS VM resources but does not appear anymore?, is there any other way to obtain this resources?

Thanks in advance.

[Thompsonburgh]

any luck with the username/password for this Palo Alto vm ?                                                         mywakehealth

[AbrahamAG]

Hi @Thompsonburgh ,

usually are the same that Palo Alto devices on default config

admin

admin

There are osme other boot modes that uses Admin and no password.

Did you know another source to download this PA-VM? There used to be available on the Software section but are not appearing anymore, do we know if this is for some license required matter?

Thanks for the answers

[aleksandar.astardzhiev]

Hi @AbrahamAG ,

Availability of the images you can download from Customer Support Portal -> Software Updates is depending on the active support licenses currently associated with your account. If your VM support licenses are expired you wouldn't see the images in the dropdown menue.

Hey @Thompsonburgh ,

If I could add to the @AbrahamAG  reply:

- Starting from (I don't remember which version, but probably around 9.0) all PanOS come with default admin/admin, but prompts you to change it immediately.

- Above is valid for physical and virtual appliances. But VM-Series for public cloud have some exceptions

   - VM for Azure will ask you to provide superadmin credetials (username and password) during VM deployment

   - VM for AWS will allow you to login with SSH key only for initial login. Once you login with ssh keys you can then create password in order to login to the GUI as well.

- After bootup VM need some time to "initilize" - start all processes, auto-commit (to load config) etc. One of those steps is preparing the local users database. Before this process is completed firewall will not accept any usename and password and will always return wrong credentials, even if they are correct. So you need to be patient and wait couple of minutes before attempting to login - even if you see login prompt in console/ssh.

[assubramania]

We are unable to download PAN-OS VM image from my customer support portal

Please suggest me soon how to resolve soon

[terrywilliams]

If I wanted a VM for labbing/certification purposes.  What would be the best route to do so?  I wish vendors had VM's with limited capabilities, but yet enough that they could aid in for labbing purposes.

Cisco seems to have the right formula for that, wish the other vendors did the same.   As it would only be beneficial the vendors.

[Blollo]

Joe,

Great article.

I would like to confirm that a trial licence is only available from the Support Portal.

I gather that this portal is only available to customers that already have the product. Is that correct ??

I understand that there is a need to contact sales so that there can be follow up done on those leads.

However, for those of us that have not paid for a product, and want to have a look at the product, so that one might be able to prepare/compare palo alto with other products one has used eg: fortinet appliances, for potential jobs in companies using your product, we cannot get a trial version of the software. ??

Regards

Blollo

[Sanjay_Ramaiah]

Hi All,

I am unable to use the image downloaded in ESX host. Unable to import it.

• PAN-OS for VM-Series

Above is the one we downloaded. Anything wrong or any other image we need to download for ESX host?

Regards,

Sanjay S

[Aftermath]

Hi Guys!

What that is it mean!? I can not see the download page for VM.

[bhargava]

i m trying to download 10.1.8 or 10.1.8-h6 code from the customer portal. I dont see the 10.1.8 version listed. All i see is 10.1.7,10.1.9 etc..

[G.Gonzales]

Where can i download thae Palo alto firewall Image with trial license ?

[Telecomunicaciones_ATI]

Hi team!

Have there been any changes in the way images of this type are downloaded?

Regards!