Cisco FirePOWER 7120 vs Firepower 2100 Series
The FirePOWER 7120 is a legacy Sourcefire-era appliance that is end-of-support; the Firepower 2100 Series is its modern NGFW replacement running unified FTD on dedicated NPU/CPU silicon with much higher throughput. Migrate to a 2100 for current threat defense and supportability.
Cisco FirePOWER 7120 Appliance
End-of-life Sourcefire-generation 7000 Series IPS/NGIPS appliance managed by FireSIGHT/FMC.
- ~1.25 Gbps NGIPS throughput class
- Legacy 7000 Series (Sourcefire) hardware
- FireSIGHT/FMC managed, IPS-focused
- Past end-of-support; no FTD unified image
Cisco Firepower 2100 Series Appliance
Current-gen NGFW running Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) with separate NPU and x86 CPU architecture.
- Up to ~8.5 Gbps+ FW throughput (top model)
- Unified FTD (firewall + NGIPS + AMP)
- Dedicated NPU for crypto/flow offload
- FMC or FDM managed; current support
Cisco FirePOWER 7120 Appliance vs Cisco Firepower 2100 Series Appliance: spec comparison
| Spec | Cisco FirePOWER 7120 Appliance | Cisco Firepower 2100 Series Appliance |
|---|---|---|
| Platform type | NGIPS appliance (7000 Series) | NGFW appliance (FTD) |
| Software image | Sourcefire / FireSIGHT, legacy | Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) unified |
| Models in family | 7050/7110/7115/7120/7125 | 2110 / 2120 / 2130 / 2140 |
| Firewall throughput | Not a stateful firewall (IPS role) | ~3 to 8.5+ Gbps across the family |
| NGIPS/threat throughput | ~1.25 Gbps class (7120) | ~2 to 8.5 Gbps with threat inspection |
| Architecture | Single x86 inspection platform | Separate NPU + multicore x86 CPU |
| Interfaces | Copper/fiber NetMods (fixed) | RJ45 + SFP/SFP+, mgmt + console |
| VPN | Not a VPN concentrator | Site-to-site and remote access VPN |
| Management | FireSIGHT / FMC | FMC or on-box FDM |
| Support status | End-of-support (EoL) | Current / supported |
Choose Cisco FirePOWER 7120 Appliance if
There is no new-deployment reason to choose the FirePOWER 7120; retain it only until a migration window closes, since it is end-of-support and IPS-only with no unified FTD or VPN.
Choose Cisco Firepower 2100 Series Appliance if
Choose a Firepower 2100 for current NGFW capabilities: unified FTD firewall plus NGIPS and AMP, hardware-accelerated throughput, VPN, and an active support lifecycle.
Verdict
Migrate from the FirePOWER 7120 to a Firepower 2100. The 2100 consolidates firewall, NGIPS, AMP, and VPN into one supported FTD platform with dedicated NPU acceleration and far higher throughput, whereas the 7120 is an end-of-support IPS-only appliance. There is no reason to keep the 7120 beyond a brief cutover.
Frequently asked questions
What replaces the Cisco FirePOWER 7120?
The Firepower 2100 Series (2110, 2120, 2130, 2140) running Firepower Threat Defense is the modern replacement, adding stateful firewall and VPN on top of NGIPS.
Is the FirePOWER 7000 Series end of life?
Yes. The 7000 Series Sourcefire-generation appliances, including the 7120, are past end-of-support and no longer receive software or signature platform updates.
Does the Firepower 2100 run the same software as the 7120?
No. The 2100 runs the unified Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) image, while the 7120 ran the legacy Sourcefire/FireSIGHT-managed IPS software.
Can a Firepower 2100 do both firewall and IPS?
Yes. FTD on the 2100 combines stateful firewalling, NGIPS, application control, and AMP malware defense in a single appliance, unlike the IPS-only 7120.
More FirePOWER 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.