Item: Cisco ASA 5500-X with FirePOWER Services
Rating: 9
Author: Zakarieya Abderoef

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

The Cisco ASA firewall is being used to protect the environment from external threats and viruses. We also use it for external access to our servers i.e. port forwarding, DMZ and the guest wifi access also gets restricted via the firewall. Our users can also access our environment externally from the SSL VPN which is configured on the firewall.

Pros and Cons

SSL VPN
Port Forwarding
Threat Control
DMZ
Remote access

User friendliness
Additional features similar to other competitor firewalls
Licensing cost compared to other vendor brands

Return on Investment

As an integrated appliance, we saved costs on getting other security technologies.
It provided secure access to our remote users, saving costs and time as our users could get access to the network anywhere and anytime.
Since we have other Cisco devices, integration was seamless.
Integration with Active Directory meant we did not need to create addition user accounts.

Systems Integrated With

Sonicwall
Fortigate

Support Rating

Depending on where the firewall is being deployed, I would select Cisco SmartNet support (24x7x4hours) onsite support should this be deployed within the data centre. For branch offices, you could maybe go with the Cisco SmartNet next business day support which can save a bit of costs if your business model supports this. With SmartNet, Cisco will resolve issues faster and mitigate risk
with 24 hour access to Cisco experts online or via the telephone.

Alternatives Considered

I have worked on both the Cisco ASA and the Fortigate firewall from Fortinet. Although both technologies are very good, each of them has their strengths and weaknesses. The Cisco ASA is a rock-solid appliance manufactured with lots of quality components. The Cisco ASA interface was good and better than the previous / older models. However, the Fortigate firewall had more features and a more user-friendly GUI interface. Depending on your existing networking infrastructure, I would definitely look into both of these brands.

Other Software Used

Huawei FusionServer X Series, Huawei eSPACE Contact Center (eSPACE CC), Huawei CloudEngine Data Center Switches

Key Insights

Do you think Cisco ASA 5500-X with FirePOWER Services delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Cisco ASA 5500-X with FirePOWER Services's feature set?

Yes

Did Cisco ASA 5500-X with FirePOWER Services live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Cisco ASA 5500-X with FirePOWER Services go as expected?

Would you buy Cisco ASA 5500-X with FirePOWER Services again?

Yes

Usability

Cisco firepower provides automatation for an organisations security operations to detect and stop the most advanced threats fast. It also assists in preventing attacks in using intelligence and innovative solutions.

Likelihood to Recommend

The Cisco ASA firewalls is perfect for managing traffic on your network especially between your LAN and the Internet. As this is an integrated appliance, it also includes a host of other features such as advanced malware protection, application control, remote access and site to site VPN capability and much more. If you have multiple Cisco ASA firewalls, I would recommend you purchase Cisco Firepower Management Centre as it provides in-depth visibility and control over you network.

Cisco ASA 5500-X Review

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco ASA 5500-X with FirePOWER Services