subject: PIX vs. ASA An Alphabet Soup Of Protection [print this page] PIX vs. ASA An Alphabet Soup Of ProtectionPIX vs. ASA An Alphabet Soup Of Protection
For many years, the Cisco PIX has been the established and popular firewall. But in May 2005, Cisco introduced a new offeringthe Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA). The PIX is, however, still available for those who might see it as a possible choice.
Before you make a buying decision it's probably wise to consider each and see which fits your needs.
There is no doubt that your network needs protection, so a firewall is a must. There are some who prefer hardware to software and vice versa. Sticking with hardware, there are two choices that are very popular. One is an oldie but goodie and the other its newer relative. The Cisco ASA (Adaptive Security Appliance) is Cisco's replacement for it's older PIX (Private Internet eXchange) and was introduced in 2005. Interestingly, even with five years of sales and history, there are still a lot of older PIX boxes being sold.
The Cisco PIX series is a dedicated hardware firewall appliance. The Cisco ASA is a firewall and anti-malware security appliance. Consistent with features of the PIX, the ASA can also serve as an intrusion prevention system (IPS) and VPN concentrator. Additionally, the ASA could take the place of three of Cisco's separate devices: the Cisco PIX firewall, the Cisco VPN 3000 Series Concentrator, and the Cisco IPS 4000 Series Sensor.
Although the Cisco PIX is a great firewall, the needs of a security device have changed over the last few years. You see, a PIX protecting your network with a stateful packet filtering is no longer sufficient. With new and growing threats to your network, including viruses, worms, phishing, etc. the protection offered by the PIX just might not be enough to help keep your network secure. It is much better to consider a device that offers "all-in-one" protection like as a unified threat management (UTM) device. The ASA loaded with a Content Security and Control Security Service Module (CSC-SSM) becomes a real UTM.
The choice of what works best in your organization, PIX or ASA, is up to you. Each company has its own unique needs. Based on the price of a used/refurbished ASA it becomes an especially good value for the level of protection it gives. And, since the ASA series has newer and better technology, it deserves more serious consideration than the older PIX's.
