The Cisco ASA 5505 firewall provides specific throughput capabilities for its Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) and Virtual Private Network (VPN) functionalities.
Cisco ASA 5505 Throughput Specifications
When considering the throughput of a firewall, it's important to differentiate between various types, as a single "throughput" figure can refer to different functions. For the Cisco ASA 5505, the provided specifications highlight its performance for IPS and VPN traffic.
IPS Throughput
The Cisco ASA 5505 can achieve an IPS throughput of up to 75 Mbps. This capability is realized when the device is equipped with the optional AIP-SSC-5 module, which provides dedicated processing for intrusion prevention services. The IPS throughput indicates the maximum rate at which the firewall can inspect traffic for malicious patterns without significant performance degradation.
VPN Throughput
For secure communications, the Cisco ASA 5505 supports a maximum 3DES/AES VPN throughput of up to 100 Mbps. This metric represents the highest speed at which the firewall can encrypt and decrypt data using 3DES (Triple Data Encryption Standard) or AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) algorithms for VPN connections, including both site-to-site and remote-access VPN sessions.
The following table summarizes the key throughput figures for the Cisco ASA 5505:
| Feature | Cisco ASA 5505 Throughput |
|---|---|
| IPS Throughput | Up to 75 Mbps (with AIP-SSC-5) |
| Maximum 3DES/AES VPN Throughput | Up to 100 Mbps |
It is important to note that a general "firewall throughput" or "stateful inspection throughput" without specific feature enablement is not explicitly detailed in the provided reference. The listed figures focus on specific security services integrated with the device.
Additional Cisco ASA 5505 Capabilities
Beyond throughput, the Cisco ASA 5505 offers several other key specifications that contribute to its suitability for small office or branch environments.
User and VPN Session Capacity
- Users or Nodes: The Cisco ASA 5505 supports an unlimited number of users or nodes, making it scalable for growing small networks.
- Maximum Site-to-Site and IPsec IKEv1 Client VPN User Sessions: The appliance can handle 10 VPN sessions by default, which can be expanded to 25 VPN sessions with the acquisition of a Security Plus license. This provides flexibility for remote access and inter-office connectivity needs.
These specifications highlight the Cisco ASA 5505's comprehensive security features and its capacity for managing network traffic and secure connections.
