Lines of gear... please explain!

[deanwebb]

How would you explain commonly-used model numbers to someone who was unfamiliar with them?

For example, Cisco firewalls.

If the firewall doesn't have an -X after the number, it's legacy gear, on its way out.

The bigger the number, the bigger the capacity. All the ASA firewalls are in the 5500 range, and can be referred to generically as "Fifty-five hundreds".

Of the legacy firewalls, the 5505 shows up most frequently in small locations and home labs. It is configured somewhat differently from other 5500s.

The -X series firewalls include the 5506, 5512, 5525, 5555, and 5585. These replace, respectively, the 5505, 5510, 5520, 5550, and 5580.

Lots of people will drop the -X when talking about the newer firewalls to other network guys, but will specify the -X when talking to managers and purchasing agents so that they get the product order done correctly.

5505/5506-X firewalls are the smallest, for the small offices, 100 people or less, usually. The Shetland Pony of Cisco firewalls.

5512s are for slightly larger sites, and are better than 5506s if you want HA and other cool functions.

5525s are workhorse firewalls.

Never seen a 5555, but your mileage may vary.

The 5585 is the big bad boy, sitting on major links, at the gateways to data centers, standing tall in the saddle. If you accidentally reboot a 5506, you might get yelled at. Accidentally reboot a 5512 or 5525, you'll have a talk with a manager or three. Accidentally reboot the 5585? Start packing the cardboard box before security packs it for you. 

The -X series firewalls can run SourceFire, which makes them next-gen firewalls. Next-gen firewalls are firewalls that will also act as an IPS, checking application traffic as it passes through and serving as a false termination point for SSL connections. This last part probably belongs in another thread, but that should explain the firewall range to you...

Now, can someone do run-downs of switch/router/cabinet/WLC models? Thanks awfully if you do so, they'll be a big help to young folks trying to find their way in the field.

[Otanx]

You missed the 5508-X (didn't know till now the 5506 and 08 were even released). Also missed the 5515-X. Both are just slightly beefier versions of the 5506-X and 5512-X respectively.

-Otanx

[javentre]

The 5585 is the big bad boy, sitting on major links, at the gateways to data centers, standing tall in the saddle. If you accidentally reboot a 5506, you might get yelled at. Accidentally reboot a 5512 or 5525, you'll have a talk with a manager or three. Accidentally reboot the 5585? Start packing the cardboard box before security packs it for you. 

IME, the bigger the box, especially at the 5585 level, the more likely it is to be running in a cluster.   Rebooting a cluster node has a lot less impact than a standalone firewall.