Cisco PIX firewalls and Cisco ASA 5500 Series adaptive security appliances combine comprehensive firewall, intrusion defense, and Virtual Private Network (VPN) technologies in a cost-effective, one-box format. Both of these product families have been superseded by Cisco's ASA 5500-X family of security appliances with Firepower. (See configuration and debugging expertise for Cisco AA 5500-X firewalls with Firepower Services.) Still, PIX and previous-generation ASA 5500 Series adaptive security appliances are extensively used and continue to provide small and mid-size organizations a reliable firewall solution.

PIX and the original ASA 5500 firewalls offer powerful user and application policy enforcement, mutlivector attack defense, and secure connectivity services. The increased knowledge sharing of integrated security features in a single package provides customers implementing these integrated firewalls the benefits of enhanced protection, reduced cost of ownership, and smaller maintenance expense. PIX security appliances and the ASA 5500 Series join IOS Firewall, the Firewall Services Module for Cisco Catalyst 6500 switches, and Cisco 7600 Series routers as components of Cisco's flexible, integrated firewall line. Based on a scalable, building-block platform, every offering is designed with a particular array of options to deliver more efficient security to different network environments. These solutions can be independently deployed to protect specific areas of a connectivity environment, or can be grouped for a layered, protection-in-depth approach following the architecture leading practices described in Cisco's SAFE Blueprint. Completing the integrated firewall product line, Cisco has developed a comprehensive security management portfolio, ranging from Cisco security device and Cisco IOS Software security features and built-in device controllers, to self-contained management programs, helping to make sure that businesses can productively manage their Cisco protection infrastructure investments. PIX Security Appliance Series
PIX firewalls offer reliable user and application policy support, multi-source attack defense, and secure connectivity services in affordable, easy-to-deploy modules. These specialized devices provide a broad range of built-in security and networking services including process-aware firewall services, Voice over IP (VoIP) and multimedia security, robust multi-site and remote-connectivity IPcec VPN connectivity, excellent resiliency, intelligent networking services, and flexible management options. The Cisco PIX Security Appliance Series product line spans small plug-and-go appliances for small offices or home offices to modular gigabit products with investment protection for large business and ISP environments, PIX firewall appliances provide high levels of protection, speed, and availability for network environments of any size.

Cisco PIX Security Help
Based around a hardened, specialized software platform that offers a wealth of protection services, Cisco PIX security appliances provide a high level of security and have earned Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 4 status and ICSA Labs Firewall and IP Security certification. Cisco PIX firewall appliances offer security for a wide range of Voice over IP and other multimedia standards such as H.323 v. 4, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Cisco Skinny Client Control Protocol (SCCP), RTSP, and MGCP, enabling organizations to safeguard installations of a wide range of contemporary and next-generation IP voice and mixed-media applications. PIX firewall appliances offer a wealth of configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting features, giving businesses the flexibility to utilize the methods that most closely match their needs. Administrative solutions include centralized, policy-based administration tools, integrated web-accessible administration, and support for remote-tracking standards such as SNMP and syslog. The integrated Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM) interface provides a powerful web-accessible management platform that greatly simplifies the installation, ongoing configuration, and tracking of a specific PIX firewall without the need of any additional utility beyond a standard browser and Java applet to be running on an administrator's PC.

Administrators can furthermore remotely set up, track, and analyze PIX firewalls using a command-line interface (CLI). Safe command-line interface (CLI) communication is possible through a number of methods including SSHv2 Protocol, Telnet over IP Security, and out-of-band via a console port. PIX firewalls also have dependable auto-update features, a set advanced protected remote-management services that make sure that firewall configurations and software images are always up to date. Cisco ASA Firewalls
Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA) Firewalls are purpose-built solutions that bring together advanced, best-of-breed protection and Virtual Private Network services with a flexible design. The end product is a powerful, versatile network security appliance better suited to protect small and midsize business and larger networks and, simultaneously, lower the total installation and operations expenses previously required for this high degree of security.

Cisco ASA 5500 Series Firewalls Consulting Firm
Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA) 5500 Series Firewalls build on technology developed for the Cisco PIX 500 Series firewall, Cisco's IPS 4200 Series Intrusion Prevention System, and Cisco's VPN 3000 Series concentrator. These technologies enable the Cisco ASA 5500 Series Firewall family to offer a firewall that defends against a wide range of threats. Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA) 5500 Series Firewalls deliver program security, local containment, and safe VPN functionality across Cisco's product portfolio. This broad scope of protection allows defense of any network segment, including the most common attack conduits such as remote sites, locally-attached inside users, and remote connected Virtual Private Networks. Cisco ASA firewalls deliver a high-level of application protection through intelligent, application-aware inspection processes that examine traffic at Layers 4-7. This results in a better protected environment covering web, voice, and mobile wireless services. To protect networks against application-layer attacks and to give organizations more policing of the applications and protocols used in their environments, these inspection engines integrate extensive application and protocol knowledge and rely on security enforcement technologies that include protocol anomaly detection and application and protocol state tracking. Also incorporated are assault sensing and mitigation techniques such as application and protocol command filters and URL deobfuscation. Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances firewall inspection engines also deliver control over instant messaging and peer-to-peer file sharing, enabling businesses to police usage policies and recover network bandwidth for crucial business applications. While improving network protection, Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances firewalls also lower installation and support costs. By offering broad VPN and protection services, the Cisco ASA 5500 Series firewall can be used as the single device for many environments, allowing product standardization. The Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances 5500 Series firewall can be deployed as a converged threat-prevention device at the datacenter by taking advantage of its access control, application inspection, and malware remediation technologies. The Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances firewall can also be used as a dedicated remote connectivity solution using its Virtual Private Network capabilities. As an alternative, the Cisco ASA 5500 Series firewall serves capably inside the network for interdepartmental access management and to guard against malicious assaults internal workers may unknowingly release into the network. In small company and branch office environments, the Cisco ASA firewall acts as an all-in-one platform providing complete threat prevention and VPN services while fitting within the cost structure and operational demands of these situations.

This versatile single-platform, multiple-use approach minimizes the number of devices that need to be installed and maintained while providing a common operating and administrative system throughout all deployments. This architecture streamlines the training of configuration, tracking, support, and protection personnel. To further reduce operations expenses, Cisco ASA 5500 Series firewalls are also highly network aware, enabling them to integrate seamlessly into the environment without interfering with legitimate traffic and processes. How Progent's Cisco Certified Experts Can Assist You with Cisco Firewalls
Cisco's ASA Series firewalls and PIX security appliances provide a wealth of configuration, monitoring, and analysis features that give you the ability to configure these firewalls to match your company's requirements. Progent's CCIE authorized network experts can assist you to support your existing infrastructure that incorporates Cisco ASA or PIX firewall technology and that provides security, resilience, performance, and recoverability. Progent can also help your organization to migrate to Cisco ASA 5500-X firewalls with Firepower Services.

Progent's GISA and CISSP-ISSP-certified IS security experts can help your business to create a security policy appropriate for your business and can configure your firewall to support your security policies. Progent's security evaluation professionals can assess the strength of your current firewall deployment and help determine the overall security of your whole IT network. Progent's Technical Response Center (TRC) can provide urgent online troubleshooting for Cisco products and can give you quick access to a Cisco network engineer. To learn more details about Progent's engineering expertise for Cisco technology, select a topic:

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