Product Overview

Your small offices or branch locations require the best network security available. An integrated solution that is easy to deploy and manage improves IT efficiency. Affordable pricing and the ability to scale as necessary are other important product benefits. You get all that and more with the Cisco^® ASA 5505 Adaptive Security Appliance and ASA 5500-X Series Next-Generation Firewalls. These multifaceted security products include the world’s most proven stateful inspection firewallwith a comprehensive suite of highly integrated next-generation firewall services for networks of all sizes. These firewalls are used and trusted by small and midsize businesses with one or a few locations, large enterprises, service providers, and mission-critical data centers.

Enterprise class security. Cisco MultiScale^® performance, providing the ability to deliver multiple security services at scale. Unprecedented services flexibility. Modular scalability. Feature extensibility. And lower deployment and operational costs. All of these features and benefits add up to tremendous value in the Cisco ASA 5505 Adaptive Security Appliance and ASA 5500-X Series Next-Generation Firewalls. Available in a wide range of sizes and performance levels to fit your network, budget, and evolving security needs, all models deliver the same proven level of security that protects the networks of some of the largest and most security-conscious companies in the world. They also provide the visibility and control you need to take advantage of new applications and devices without compromising security.

Cisco ASA 5512-X and 5515-X Adaptive Security Appliances

The Cisco ASA 5512-X and 5515-X Adaptive Security Appliances combine the most widely deployed stateful inspection firewall in the industry with a comprehensive suite of next-generation network security services for comprehensive security without compromise. They provide multiple security services and redundant power supplies and help enable consistent security enforcement throughout the organization. In addition to comprehensive stateful inspection firewall capabilities, the Cisco ASA 5512-X and 5515-X Adaptive Security Appliances optionally provide broad and deep network security through an array of integrated cloud- and software-based security services, including Cisco Application Visibility and Control (AVC), web security, Cisco Cloud Web Security (CWS), and the only context-aware intrusion prevention system (IPS) - all with no need for additional hardware modules.

The Cisco ASA 5512-X and ASA 5515-X Adaptive Security Appliances are part of the Cisco ASA 5500-X Series Next-Generation Firewalls, which is built on the same proven security platform as the rest of the Cisco ASA Family of firewalls and delivers exceptional application visibility and control along with superior performance and operational efficiency. The Cisco ASA 5512-X and 5515-X Adaptive Security Appliances are designed to meet evolving security needs by providing, among other things, innovative next-generation firewall services that make it possible to take advantage of new applications and devices without compromising security.

Unlike other next-generation firewalls, the Cisco ASA 5500-X Series Next-Generation Firewalls keep pace with rapidly evolving needs by offering end-to-end network intelligence gained from combining the visibility from local traffic with in-depth global network intelligence using:

● Cisco TrustSec^® technology

● Cisco AnyConnect^® Secure Mobility Solution for unique mobile client insight

● Cisco Security Intelligence Operations (SIO) for near-real-time threat information and proactive protection

● Cisco ASA Next-Generation Firewall Services

With up to 1.2 Gbps of firewall throughput, 250,000 concurrent firewall connections, 15,000 connections per second, and 6 integrated Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, the Cisco ASA 5512-X and ASA 5515-X Adaptive Security Appliances are excellent choices for businesses requiring a high-performance, cost-effective, and extensible security solution with exceptional application visibility and control that can grow as your needs change.

Cisco ASA 5505 Adaptive Security Appliance

The Cisco ASA 5505 is a full-featured firewall for small business, branch, and enterprise teleworker environments. It delivers high-performance firewall, SSL and IPsec VPN, and rich networking services in a modular, immediately operational appliance. Using the integrated graphical Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM), the Cisco ASA 5505 can be rapidly deployed and easily managed, helping businesses reduce operational costs. It features a flexible 8-port 10/100 Fast Ethernet switch whose ports can be dynamically grouped to create up to three separate VLANs for home, business, and Internet traffic for improved network segmentation and security. The Cisco ASA 5505 provides two Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports, simplifying the deployment of Cisco IP phones with highly secure zero-touch voice over IP (VoIP) capabilities, as well as the deployment of external wireless access points for extended network mobility. A high-performance intrusion prevention and worm mitigation service is available with the addition of the Advanced Inspection and Prevention Security Services Card (AIP SSC). Multiple USB ports can be used to implement additional services and capabilities as they are needed.

As business needs grow, customers can install a Security Plus upgrade license, The Cisco ASA 5505 can then scale to support a higher connection capacity and up to 25 IPsec VPN users, add full DMZ support, and integrate into switched network environments through VLAN trunking support. Furthermore, this upgrade license improves business continuity by helping to enable support for redundant ISP connections and stateless active/standby high-availability services.

Businesses can also extend the Cisco ASA 5505’s VPN service by enabling Cisco AnyConnect client and clientless VPN remote access to support various mobile workers and business partners. Cisco Secure Remote Access Solution deployments can scale to serve up to 25 AnyConnect or clientless VPN concurrent users on each Cisco ASA 5505 by installing an Essential or a Premium Cisco AnyConnect VPN license.

This combination of market-leading security and VPN services, advanced networking features, flexible remote management capabilities, and future extensibility makes the Cisco ASA 5505 an excellent choice for businesses requiring a best-in-class small business, branch, or enterprise teleworker security solution.

Table 1 compares the features and capacities of the Cisco ASA 5500 and ASA 5500-X platforms for small offices and branch locations.

Table 1. Cisco ASA 5500 Adaptive Security Appliance and ASA 5500-X Series Next-Generation Firewalls for Small Offices and Branch Locations