Cisco FirePOWER 8350 vs Firepower 9300 Series
The FirePOWER 8350 is an end-of-support 8000 Series appliance; the Firepower 9300 is Cisco's modular, carrier-grade NGFW chassis running FTD on hot-swappable security modules with massive throughput. Migrate to the 9300 for data-center and service-provider scale threat defense.
Cisco FirePOWER 8350 Appliance
End-of-life Sourcefire-generation 8000 Series high-performance NGIPS appliance managed by FMC.
- High-throughput 8000 Series NGIPS class
- NetMod interface bays for flexible media
- FireSIGHT/FMC managed, IPS-focused
- Past end-of-support; no unified FTD
Cisco Firepower 9300 Series Chassis
Current-gen modular security platform with up to three hot-swappable security modules running FTD or ASA.
- Up to 3 security modules per 3RU chassis
- Multi-hundred Gbps aggregate throughput
- Runs FTD or ASA; carrier-grade clustering
- FXOS supervisor, smart NIC offload
Cisco FirePOWER 8350 Appliance vs Cisco Firepower 9300 Series Chassis: spec comparison
| Spec | Cisco FirePOWER 8350 Appliance | Cisco Firepower 9300 Series Chassis |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Fixed appliance (8000 Series) | Modular 3RU chassis, up to 3 modules |
| Software image | Sourcefire / FireSIGHT, legacy | FTD or ASA on FXOS |
| Family members | 8350 / 8360 / 8370 / 8390 (+AMP) | 9300 with SM-40 / SM-48 / SM-56 modules |
| Throughput class | Tens of Gbps NGIPS (8000 class) | Tens to 100s of Gbps aggregate |
| Scalability | Stacking within 8000 Series | Intra/inter-chassis clustering, multi-instance |
| Interfaces | NetMod bays (1G/10G/40G media) | Network modules incl. 10/40/100G |
| VPN/firewall | NGIPS role (not stateful FW) | Full NGFW firewall + VPN (FTD/ASA) |
| High availability | Limited (IPS stacking) | Clustering, redundant SUP/PSU/fans |
| Management | FireSIGHT / FMC | FMC + FXOS Chassis Manager |
| Support status | End-of-support (EoL) | Current / supported |
Choose Cisco FirePOWER 8350 Appliance if
There is no new-build reason to choose the FirePOWER 8350; keep it only until migration completes, as it is end-of-support, IPS-only, and lacks FTD, clustering, and 100G options.
Choose Cisco Firepower 9300 Series Chassis if
Choose the Firepower 9300 for data-center and service-provider scale: modular security modules, clustering, 100G interfaces, multi-instance FTD/ASA, and an active support lifecycle.
Verdict
Migrate from the FirePOWER 8350 to a Firepower 9300. The 9300 delivers carrier-grade, modular NGFW with FTD or ASA, clustering, multi-instance, and 100G interfaces at far higher scale, while the 8350 is an end-of-support IPS-only appliance. Keep the 8350 only during the cutover window.
Frequently asked questions
What replaces the Cisco FirePOWER 8350?
The Firepower 9300 modular platform (or a Firepower 4100 for fixed form factor) replaces the high-end 8000 Series appliances such as the 8350.
Is the FirePOWER 8000 Series end of life?
Yes. The 8000 Series, including the 8350, is past end-of-support and no longer receives software or platform maintenance.
Can the Firepower 9300 run ASA as well as FTD?
Yes. The 9300 security modules can run Firepower Threat Defense or classic ASA software on the FXOS supervisor, with multi-instance options on FTD.
Does the Firepower 9300 support clustering and 100G?
Yes. The 9300 supports intra- and inter-chassis clustering for scale-out throughput and offers 10/40/100G network modules, neither of which the 8350 provided.
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.