Cisco ASA 5585-X vs Secure Firewall 3130
The ASA 5585-X with SSP-20 is an end-of-life classic stateful firewall; the Secure Firewall 3130 (Firepower 3130) is its modern NGFW replacement, delivering roughly 5-6x the firewall throughput, native Snort 3 threat inspection, and current FTD/ASA software support. For any 5585-X still in production, the 3130 is the supported migration target.
Cisco ASA 5585-X (SSP-20)
End-of-life high-end ASA stateful firewall with SSP-20 service processor.
- 7 Gbps multiprotocol stateful firewall throughput
- Up to 10,000 IPsec VPN peers; 2 Gbps VPN throughput
- Classic ASA software; NGIPS only via add-on FirePOWER services
- End of sale and end of support; no modern Snort 3 / SecureX integration
Cisco Secure Firewall 3130 (Firepower 3130)
Current 1U next-generation firewall with integrated Snort 3 threat defense.
- Up to ~45 Gbps firewall throughput; high threat-inspection performance with AVC+IPS enabled
- Native FTD (Snort 3) NGFW or ASA software; runs as firewall or dedicated IPS
- 8x 1G RJ45 + 8x 1/10/25G SFP plus network-module expansion slots
- Up to 6M concurrent sessions and 15,000 VPN peers; current support lifecycle
Cisco ASA 5585-X (SSP-20) vs Cisco Secure Firewall 3130 (Firepower 3130): spec comparison
| Spec | Cisco ASA 5585-X (SSP-20) | Cisco Secure Firewall 3130 (Firepower 3130) |
|---|---|---|
| Stateful firewall throughput | 7 Gbps | Up to ~45 Gbps (1024B) |
| Threat inspection (AVC + NGIPS) | ~3.5 Gbps (with FirePOWER SSP add-on) | Multi-Gbps native (Snort 3, no add-on hardware) |
| IPsec VPN throughput | 2 Gbps | ~33 Gbps |
| Maximum VPN peers | 10,000 | 15,000 |
| Maximum concurrent sessions | ~4 million | ~6 million |
| Onboard interfaces | 8x GE RJ45 + 2x 10G SFP+ | 8x 1G RJ45 + 8x 1/10/25G SFP |
| Expansion | Fixed SSP-based chassis | Network module slots (e.g., add 40/100G) |
| Software | ASA (FTD via FirePOWER services module) | FTD (Snort 3) or ASA |
| Management | ASDM / CSM / legacy FMC | FMC, FDM, cloud-delivered FMC (CDO) |
| Form factor | 2U chassis + service module | 1U appliance |
| Lifecycle status | End of sale and end of support | Current shipping product |
Choose Cisco ASA 5585-X (SSP-20) if
Keep the 5585-X only to bridge a short window before a planned migration. It is past end of support, so it should not anchor any new security architecture.
Choose Cisco Secure Firewall 3130 (Firepower 3130) if
Choose the Secure Firewall 3130 for the refresh: it consolidates firewall, VPN, and native Snort 3 NGIPS into a single 1U TAA-compliant appliance with far higher throughput, modern management (FMC/CDO), and a current support runway.
Verdict
Migrate from the ASA 5585-X to the Secure Firewall 3130. The 5585-X is end of life and bolts on FirePOWER services to get NGIPS, whereas the 3130 delivers integrated Snort 3 threat defense, dramatically higher throughput and VPN scale, and modern cloud-delivered management. For US federal buyers it is TAA-compliant and GPC-payable through an authorized partner.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Cisco ASA 5585-X end of life?
Yes. The ASA 5585-X has passed end of sale and end of support. Cisco's replacement path is the Secure Firewall 3100 Series, with the 3130 sitting in the same high-end class.
What replaces the ASA 5585-X SSP-20?
The Secure Firewall 3130 (FPR3130-NGFW-K9) is the modern equivalent, offering far higher firewall and threat-inspection throughput in a 1U appliance with native FTD software.
Can the Firewall 3130 run ASA software like the 5585-X?
Yes. The 3100 Series can run either FTD (Firepower Threat Defense with Snort 3) or classic ASA software, which eases migration for teams with existing ASA configurations.
Is the Secure Firewall 3130 TAA compliant for federal use?
Cisco offers TAA-compliant configurations of the Secure Firewall 3100 Series. As an authorized partner we can quote the correct TAA SKU for GPC-payable federal purchases.
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.