PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Cisco Secure Firewall 4245
Cisco Secure Firewall 4245
★ 3.4 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Firewall Throughput: 95 Gbps
  • Threat Prevention Throughput: 80 Gbps
  • IPsec VPN Throughput: 80 Gbps
  • Max Sessions: 30,000,000
  • New Sessions/sec: 1,700,000
  • Interfaces: 2x Network Module (NetMod) slots (up to 400G)
  • Form Factor: 1RU

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Extreme 95 Gbps performance in a compact 1RU chassis; Dedicated cryptographic hardware acceleration for SSL/TLS decryption; Advanced AI/ML-driven threat detection without decryption
  • ✘ Cons: Highly complex Smart Licensing and multi-tier subscription model; Very high Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) including recurring costs; Steep learning curve for the Firepower Management Center (FMC)
  • Est. Price: $55,000 - $75,000

Compare Against

Fortinet FortiGate 120G
Fortinet FortiGate 120G
★ 4.4 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Firewall Throughput: 39 Gbps
  • Threat Prevention Throughput: 2.8 Gbps
  • IPsec VPN Throughput: 35 Gbps
  • Max Sessions: 3,000,000
  • New Sessions/sec: 140,000
  • Interfaces: 18x GE RJ45 (incl. MGMT/HA), 8x GE SFP, 4x 10GE SFP+
  • Form Factor: 1RU Rack Mount

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Exceptional throughput powered by the new FortiSP5 ASIC; High-density 10GE connectivity for a mid-range appliance; Dual redundant power supplies included; Integrated SD-WAN and ZTNA support.
  • ✘ Cons: High cost of mandatory security subscriptions; FortiOS can have a steep learning curve; Support and licensing can be expensive compared to lower-tier brands.
  • Est. Price: $2,900 - $3,960

Popular Comparisons

Cisco Secure Firewall 4245 vs Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Beast Cisco Secure Firewall 4245 vs Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Pro Max Cisco Secure Firewall 4245 vs Ubiquiti Dream Machine Pro Max Cisco Secure Firewall 4245 vs Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Pro Max (UDM-Pro-Max) Cisco Secure Firewall 4245 vs Fortinet FortiGate 120G