Cisco FTD and Cisco ASA are two software products that offer various security solutions to customers. They both share the same goal: to protect enterprise networks and data from cyberattacks and online threats. The difference is that Cisco FTD is a threat defense solution while Cisco ASA is built as a firewall and encryption product.
Cisco FTD vs. ASA
Cisco FTD is built as a threat defense solution which means it can stop attacks before they break through the network perimeter. This comes in handy as many attacks now happen outside of your network, such as malware, phishing, social engineering, etc.
Cisco ASA, on the other hand, offers firewall and encryption skillsets which makes it more effective at keeping intrusions out of your network rather than stopping them before they reach your data center.
Cisco FTD is a security solution for distributed enterprises, while Cisco ASA is designed for mid-sized organizations.
Cisco’s FTD product is based on the Firepower Platform and provides granular control over individual devices on the network. It can detect intrusions and respond more quickly than other solutions on the market. It also helps enterprises standardize their network security policies with pre-set templates that can be customized to meet local needs. The ASA product, on the other hand, is based on an appliance-based architecture and offers UTM, unified threat management, firewall, IPS protection, web content filtering, anti-malware capabilities, and VPN endpoint security, among other features.
The Cisco FTD is a world-class firewall, IPS, and VPN solution for enterprises, large SMBs, and service providers. The Cisco ASA provides network security to the enterprise or small office with a variety of features at a lower price point.
For such a big organization with a large number of remote sites needing protection, the FTD is your best option. For more centralized organizations that require less distributed firewalls, the ASA may be more appropriate or cost-effective.
What is Cisco FTD?
Firepower Threat Defense is the latest product by Cisco Systems. It is an integrated platform that protects an organization’s networks, applications, and data.
Cisco FTD is a next-generation firewall system that combines intrusion prevention, web filtering, VPNs, and application firewalls to stop malware intrusions. It also blocks botnets and prevents the exploitation of OS vulnerabilities.
The product integrates with Cisco’s Advanced Malware Protection, AMP, to block malware at the gateway before it can enter the network.
Cisco FTD is an integrated threat defense system, which is designed to provide complete protection against cyber-attacks. Cisco FTD is a combination of next-generation firewall, next-generation IPS, and Web content filtering capabilities.
Cisco Firepower Threat Defense, FTD, helps enterprises combat increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks by providing complete protection against the latest network, email, and web-based threats.
A Cisco FTD helps organizations defend themselves against today’s increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks with complete protection against network, email, and web-based threats. It also provides visibility into cloud workloads to help them comply with emerging security mandates like GDPR while maximizing the performance of applications in hybrid environments.
The Cisco FTD is an industrial-strength firewall that delivers high performance, scalability, and visibility. It simplifies the firewall management process by enabling you to focus on your security strategies.
The Cisco FTD combines the proven threat prevention capabilities of the Advanced Malware Protection, AMP, a module with advanced firewall features to deliver a complete security solution. The Cisco FTD provides granular visibility into network activity for troubleshooting and forensics, as well as continuous threat protection against zero-day attacks and other advanced threats.
What is Cisco ASA?
The Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance, ASA, is an adaptive security device that helps to protect networks. It has various features, such as firewall, antivirus, VPN, etc. The firewall detects intrusions and filters out unwanted data; the VPN offers secure remote access, and the antivirus helps in detecting malicious content in email attachments.
Cisco ASA is a device that can be used to manage networks and security. It is often used in the enterprise, but it can also be used in smaller businesses or home networks.
Cisco ASA is a modular firewall with multiple features. This device offers content filtering, access control, VPN connections, and other features to protect your network from intrusion.
People who work on the Cisco FTD team include engineers, marketers, and business, development specialists. These people work together to innovate new products that will better suit the needs of customers and that meet regulatory requirements.
The Cisco ASA is a “dual-threat” VPN firewall. It can be configured to be either an adaptive security appliance, ASA, or a stateful firewall, FTD. The adaptive security appliance is the most common form of the device, and it has an interface that is more like traditional firewalls. The stateful firewall has different interfaces for configuring its functions, but it also has many other features like intrusion prevention system, IPS, antivirus, anti-spam filtering, and Cisco Secure Desktop.
The dual-threat capabilities give the Cisco ASA great flexibility in how it can be used in different types of networks.
Difference Between Cisco FTD and ASA
- Cisco FTD does not support VPN, while in Cisco ASA, VPN is supported.
- Cisco FTD is Higher-Performance while Cisco ASA is Lower Performance.
- Cisco FTD does not support Multiple Context Assistance while Cisco ASA supports Multiple Context Assistance.
- Cisco FTD is Very Affordable while Cisco ASA is Very Expensive.
- Cisco FTD is faster while Cisco ASA is slower.
Conclusion
Cisco ASA is a network security appliance that has been in the market for a long time. It’s loved by the IT community for its simplicity and strong configuration management.
Cisco FTD is a new product from Cisco, which aims to offer an integrated, simplified experience for all types of users.
The specific difference between them is that Cisco ASA is a firewall with VPN capabilities, while Cisco FTD has VPN and firewall capabilities in one interface with strong security features.
Cisco FTD also offers more robust features like malware protection, intrusion prevention system, IPS, and advanced threat protection, ATP, without any additional cost to installation or deployment.