Recommended Firewall [Security] reading

[fbeye]

Hello

I was wondering what sort of path and direction to take on learning more about the security aspect of Cisco.

I am getting acquainted with the ASA setup and then I see the NGFW (CX IPS?) and then FirePOWER (also part of the NGFW platform??).

Are they all equaly important or are any phasing out or does one trump the other... or does one combine them all and make them obsolete (if the better one is better used).

I have no problems reading about everything but I also don’t wanna invest time on a structure that won’t be used too much longer. 

Basically caooy, is there a general reading “path” I should take?

[Rob Ingram]

Hi,

My personal thoughts are that ASA will be around for a few good years yet. Firepower is the future though, this book here is probably useful. I don't believe the CX has much of a future.

HTH

[fbeye]

Well that is pleasing... I seem to be in the correct path. 2 weeks ago I received Cisco ASA: All-in-one Next-Generation Firewall, IPS, and VPN Services (3rd Edition) and have been reading (and re reading chapters) and it’s such a rush. I did also purchase the book you suggested 2 days ago and it should be coming Monday. 

What happened was all of a sudden my mind got confused and wondered if all of these were various (equal) safegurds or if some were phasing out and so on so forth. 

Is FirePOWER a title for a series of protocols or is FirePOWER a protocol itself? Is ASA categorized under FirePOWER (Newer implementations) or completely separate. 

I understand ASA are access list permission type configurations but I also am under the impression FirePOWER is more of a license format?

[Rob Ingram · Accepted solution]

Firepower is not a protocol, it is the name of the NGFW solution (hardware/software).

ASA hardware run Firepower as an additional module, there is dedicated Firepower devices that don't run ASA firmware (NGIPS/FTD etc).

The firepower is licensed for all the additional features not available on the ASA - URL Filtering, Application/User control, Malware etc.

[Marvin Rhoads]

The FTD book recommended by RJI is the current gold standard. It will explain a lot of the answers to your questions.

Classic Cisco IPS is end of life and the CX module is end of sales for several years and approaching end of life.

[fbeye]

Awesome.

Thank you, both.

Looking forward to finishing my current book and beginning the new one, as suggested.