The speedy proliferation of GPU-driven AI datacenters and the relentless development of telecom mobility infrastructures are reshaping the boundaries of recent networking and safety. Conventional firewalls, designed for a pre-AI period, battle to maintain up with the terabit-scale efficiency necessities of those cutting-edge environments. They introduce scaling limitations, operational complexities, and better prices, leaving service suppliers grappling with the problem of terminating giant volumes of high-speed IPSec connections. Recognizing these challenges, Cisco has launched a groundbreaking answer: the Cisco Safe Firewall 6100 Collection.
Unveiled at Cisco Reside US 2025, the 6100 Collection units a brand new benchmark for ultra-high-end firewalls. With its unmatched efficiency, modular scalability, and a future-ready structure, this innovation displays Cisco’s dedication to empowering organizations with safety options that seamlessly combine into trendy, cloud-native, and legacy software environments. Let’s dive deeper into what makes the Cisco Safe Firewall 6100 Collection a game-changer.
Efficiency That Redefines Trade Requirements
The Cisco Safe Firewall 6100 Collection delivers unprecedented efficiency, providing Layer 4 firewalling at as much as 800 Gbps and Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) efficiency of as much as 400 Gbps. Packaged in a compact 2 Rack Unit (RU) kind issue, it achieves a formidable 200 Gbps per rack unit, making it the highest-performing next-generation firewall in its class.
To fulfill the various wants of deployment situations, the 6100 Collection contains two further community module slots, enabling use-case-specific interface configurations. The platform initially helps interfaces starting from 1 Gbps to 400 Gbps, with an structure designed to help 800 Gbps interfaces sooner or later, as soon as business requirements evolve. This forward-looking design ensures the 6100 Collection stays related as networks scale and expertise advances.
Constructed for Reliability, Redundancy, and Scalability
In mission-critical environments, reliability and redundancy are non-negotiable. The 6100 Collection introduces improvements that considerably improve each. One standout characteristic is the flexibility to carry out discipline replacements of Twin In-Line Reminiscence Modules (DIMMs), rising the imply time between failures (MTBF) by 3x in comparison with non-replaceable DIMM designs. This not solely minimizes downtime but additionally saves clients from pricey system replacements as a consequence of memory-related points.
To make sure steady operations, the platform helps 1+1 redundancy configurations for energy provides and followers, with choices for AC, DC, and HVDC energy provides to cater to numerous deployment wants. For patrons prioritizing uninterrupted connectivity, the 6100 Collection additionally gives Fail-to-Wire community modules supporting as much as 100 Gbps, guaranteeing site visitors bypass within the occasion of a failure throughout paired ports.
On the subject of scalability, the 6100 Collection really shines. With modular scalability enabled by Cisco’s proprietary clustering expertise, as much as 16 units will be clustered, delivering next-generation firewall efficiency of over 4 Tbps. This functionality permits organizations to scale incrementally, investing in solely the throughput they want on Day 0, and increasing as their enterprise grows. Not like alternate options requiring cumbersome 10+ RU chassis, the 6100 Collection delivers efficiency with higher effectivity, consuming much less house, energy, and capital expenditure.
Superior Software program Capabilities: The Coronary heart of Safe Firewalling
The Cisco Safe Firewall 6100 Collection isn’t nearly {hardware}. Its software program choices—Adaptive Safety Equipment (ASA) and Firewall Risk Protection (FTD)—present tailor-made options for various use circumstances. These capabilities be sure that the 6100 Collection not solely meets at present’s safety calls for but additionally anticipates the threats of tomorrow.
- ASA Software program: Optimized for high-performance Layer 4 firewalling, ASA now contains enhanced software visibility capabilities in its 10.0 launch. By superior DNS snooping, it allows software consciousness with out the efficiency tax of conventional deep packet inspection (DPI).Â
- FTD Software program: Constructed for next-generation firewalling, FTD gives IPS, URL filtering, and superior risk prevention at line price. Two standout options embrace:
- Encrypted Visibility Engine (EVE): Inspects encrypted site visitors (TLS and QUIC) with out full decryption by matching packet hashes with recognized risk vectors. This progressive strategy ensures visibility with out compromising efficiency or privateness.
- Snort ML: Powered by machine studying, Snort ML detects and mitigates zero-day threats by means of anomaly detection, providing proactive protection in opposition to unknown risk vectors.
Discover the Way forward for Firewalling
The Cisco Safe Firewall 6100 Collection represents the fruits of years of innovation, marking the ultimate step within the refresh of Cisco’s next-generation firewall portfolio. Beginning December 2025, clients can order two fashions—6160 and 6170—to tailor options to their distinctive necessities. This launch is way from an remoted funding. It aligns with Cisco’s broader imaginative and prescient of the Hybrid Mesh Firewall, integrating {hardware}, software program, and centralized administration right into a unified safety cloth that simplifies operations whereas enhancing safety.
As organizations scale their AI workloads, embrace hybrid infrastructures, and sort out ever-evolving cyber threats, the necessity for adaptable, high-performance safety options has by no means been higher. With the Safe Firewall 6100 Collection, Cisco is not only addressing these wants—it’s redefining what’s attainable.
Whether or not you’re a service supplier managing terabit-scale site visitors or an enterprise architect securing a high-performance datacenter, the Cisco Safe Firewall 6100 Collection is designed to guard what issues most—your enterprise, your information, and your future.
Are you able to take your safety technique to the following stage? Uncover how the Cisco Safe Firewall 6100 Collection can remodel your group’s safety posture.
Don’t simply adapt to the longer term—safe it.
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