Cisco ASA 5545-X vs Firepower 2100 Series
The ASA 5545-X is an end-of-life stateful firewall; its modern successor is the Firepower 2130, which adds hardware-accelerated next-gen threat defense and roughly 80 percent more inspected throughput. Refresh deployments should move to the 2100 Series.
Cisco ASA 5545-X
End-of-life 1RU firewall positioned above the 5525-X for larger branch and small-campus edge.
- 3 Gbps stateful inspection throughput, up to 1,000,000 concurrent connections
- 2,500 IPSec VPN peers with software AVC and IPS services
- 8x built-in GE plus an optional 6-port interface card
- End-of-sale and end-of-software-maintenance; no current Secure Firewall feature releases
Cisco Firepower 2130 (2100 Series)
Current 1RU next-gen firewall positioned as the direct replacement for the ASA 5545-X.
- 5.4 Gbps FW+AVC+IPS throughput (1024B), up to 3,000,000 concurrent sessions
- 7,500 VPN peers and 1.9 Gbps IPSec VPN throughput
- Dual NPU/CPU runs Secure Firewall ASA or Threat Defense (Snort)
- TAA-compliant options, GPC-payable, on current software/support lifecycle
Cisco ASA 5545-X vs Cisco Firepower 2130 (2100 Series): spec comparison
| Spec | Cisco ASA 5545-X | Cisco Firepower 2130 (2100 Series) |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | 1RU appliance | 1RU appliance |
| Stateful firewall throughput | 3 Gbps | Up to ~5.4 Gbps (FW+AVC+IPS, 1024B) |
| Concurrent connections / sessions | 1,000,000 | 3,000,000 |
| IPSec VPN peers | 2,500 | 7,500 |
| IPSec VPN throughput | Software-based | ~1.9 Gbps (TCP Fastpath) |
| NGFW / IPS engine | Software AVC/IPS module | Integrated Threat Defense (Snort), hardware-accelerated |
| Data interfaces | 8x GE (+ optional 6-port card) | 12x 1GE + 4x 1/10GE SFP/SFP+ |
| Software | ASA only | Secure Firewall ASA or Threat Defense (FTD) |
| Management | ASDM / CLI | FMC, FDM, CDO, ASDM |
| Lifecycle status | End of life / end of support | Current, fully supported |
Choose Cisco ASA 5545-X if
Retain a 5545-X only as a short-term bridge if it is still under a maintenance contract; it works as a stateful firewall but will not receive new threat or feature software.
Choose Cisco Firepower 2130 (2100 Series) if
Choose the Firepower 2130 for any refresh of a 5545-X: it nearly doubles inspected throughput, triples VPN peer capacity, and brings modern Snort threat defense with FMC or cloud management.
Verdict
With the 5545-X past end of support, migrate to the Firepower 2130. It is the same-tier 1RU successor with substantially higher throughput, 7,500 VPN peers, and full next-gen inspection. Schedule the cutover before legacy ASA images fall out of compliance for federal environments.
Frequently asked questions
What replaces the Cisco ASA 5545-X?
The Firepower 2130 is the direct tier replacement for the ASA 5545-X, fitting the same larger-branch role with higher throughput and next-gen threat defense.
Is the ASA 5545-X still supported?
No. The ASA 5545-X has passed end-of-sale and end-of-software-maintenance, so Cisco no longer ships new software or threat updates for it.
How much faster is the Firepower 2130 than the ASA 5545-X?
The 2130 delivers about 5.4 Gbps of FW+AVC+IPS throughput versus 3 Gbps of stateful inspection on the 5545-X, while also adding hardware-accelerated next-gen inspection.
Can I reuse my ASA 5545-X configuration on the Firepower 2130?
Yes. The 2130 can run Secure Firewall ASA software, allowing migration of existing ASA configurations, or you can move to Firepower Threat Defense for full next-gen features.
More ASA comparisons
Specs are for planning and may change; Uniqcli confirms the current Cisco bill of materials and pricing on your quote. Cisco, Catalyst, Nexus, Meraki, and Firepower are trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc.; Uniqcli LLC is an independent authorized Cisco partner.