PIX Firewall Licensing Clarification?

[khorhanchong]

Hi All,

I am just wondering if anyone have the definite answer to the following question.

Scenario:

1. I have 20 servers in my server farm hosted in a data center.

2. I wanted to put in a PIX 501 just for management purpose. i.e. I'll only use it as a VPN terminator for my mobile workers to VPN into that internal network segment to manage those servers.

3. Those servers have their own Internet connection through the hosting company.

Question:

1. If a PIX 501 10 users license solution meet the requirement? I read from the licensing portion where it limits the concurrent connections to the External interfaces to 10. But when I initiate the VPN connection, I'll be allocated an Internal IP. Thus, from there onward, the communication between the 20 servers to the VPN user will be consider as 20 --> 1 (Internal) and it's should be still consider as 1 concurrent connection (The VPN allocated Internal IP --> VPN user's public IP)?

2. In other words, the 10 users license solution in this scenario will enable me to support up to 10 concurrent VPN connections in for admin purpose?

Please response if you know the definite answer.

Regards,

Chong

[Patrick Iseli]

Some FACTS:

1.) DHCP Client is limited to 32 users.

2.) Incomming connection are not limited.

3.) Outgoing to 10 users if you got 10 users license.

4.) Max VPN Peers 10

User Licenses

Cisco PIX 501 Security Appliances, a popular security solution for Small Office/Home Office network environments, support User Licenses. This license controls how many internal users (located on the inside network of a Cisco PIX Security Appliance) that can concurrently access the Internet, or other resources through the outside interface of the appliance. Supported license levels include: 10 users, 50 users, and unlimited users. Cisco Systems provides three different pre-configured bundles of the Cisco PIX 501 Security Appliance, making it easy for businesses to purchase an appliance with the appropriate User License installed. Businesses can upgrade from one User License level to another, as their needs grow, by purchasing the appropriate User License upgrade part number.

See:http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/vpndevc/ps2030/products_data_sheet09186a00800b0d85.html

sincerely

Patrick