In the context of the continuous rise in cyber threats and the rapid adoption of distributed architectures, organizations need security solutions that combine operational efficiency with advanced protection. The new models in the Cisco Secure Firewall 1200 Series address these challenges through an all-in-one SD-WAN firewall platform enhanced with artificial intelligence, delivering up to three times higher performance compared to similar firewalls. It is a flexible platform that can be easily integrated into existing or modernizing infrastructures.

General features

The Cisco Secure Firewall 1200 Series is a family of network security appliances designed for enterprise branch locations. These devices are powered by a high-performance network processor that delivers energy efficiency and optimal performance for modern security workloads at the operational unit level. Part of Cisco’s next-generation firewall lineup, the series is engineered to provide advanced security capabilities. The Cisco Secure Firewall 1200 Series offers an excellent balance of processing power, advanced inspection capabilities, and integration with Cisco XDR. Models in the Cisco Secure Firewall 1200 Series are designed to protect branch offices, regional sites, or small data centers, delivering an outstanding ratio between performance, enterprise-grade features, and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). This is a security appliance family focused on threat detection, specifically built for distributed enterprise networks. It extends advanced inspection capabilities to branch locations, enabling direct internet connectivity and SD-WAN integration. The Secure Firewall 1200 Series is compatible with both Cisco Firepower Threat Defense software and Cisco Secure ASA.

Technical features

This equipment series includes three compact models (1210CE, 1210CP, 1220CX), which can be installed in various configurations (wall-mounted, desktop-mounted, rack-mounted or placed in a suitable cabinet) and three rack-mounted models (1230, 1240, 1250), which occupy 1 rack unit and are designed for larger branch offices.

Cisco Secure Firewall 1210

• Firewall: 6 Gbps
• IPS: 6 Gbps
• VPN IPsec: 5 Gbps
• Decryption: 1 Gbps
• Physical Format: Desktop/Compact
• Ports: 8 x 1000BASE-T (model 1210CE)
• Ports: 8 x 1000BASE-T (4 x with UPoE+ support) (model 1210CP)

Cisco Secure Firewall 1220

• Firewall: 9 Gbps
• IPS: 9 Gbps
• VPN IPsec: 10 Gbps
• Decryption: 1.5 Gbps
• Physical Format: Desktop/Compact
• Ports: 8 x 1000BASE-T, 2 x SFP+ (1/10G)

Cisco Secure Firewall 1230, 1240

• Firewall: 13–18 Gbps
• IPS: 9–12 Gbps
• VPN IPsec: 13–18 Gbps
• Decryption: 2.5–3.2 Gbps
• Physical Format: Rack-mountable, 1U
• Ports: 8 x 1000BASE-T, 4 x SFP+ (1/10G)

Cisco Secure Firewall 1250

• Firewall: 24 Gbps
• IPS: 18 Gbps
• VPN IPsec: 22 Gbps
• Decryption: 4.1 Gbps
• Physical Format: Rack-mountable, 1U
• Ports: 8 x 1/2.5GBASE-T, 4 x SFP+ (1/10G)

Who is the Cisco Secure Firewall 1200 series designed for?

The 1200 Series goes beyond basic security features, offering the following advanced enterprise-level functionalities:

• Advanced protection against cyber threats

Functionality powered by Cisco Threat Defense software: intrusion prevention (Snort 3 – support for Snort 3 in Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) with Firepower Management Center (FMC) is available starting with version 7.0), malware blocking and encrypted traffic analysis through the Encrypted Visibility Engine (EVE).

• Integrated artificial intelligence

Automates the creation, optimization, and reporting of policies with Cisco AI Assistant. The solution enables the delivery of personalized services directly from the management console and is available both on-premises and in the cloud.

• Extended management capabilities

Centralized management with Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC).

Local (on-box) management via Cisco Secure Firewall Device Manager (FDM).

Cloud-based management through Cisco Security Cloud Control (SCC), formerly known as CDO – Cisco Defense Orchestrator.

• Scalability and efficient segmentation

Supports up to 1,000,000 concurrent sessions (Cisco Secure Firewall 1250 model). Can manage up to 15 virtual router instances for network segmentation (Cisco Secure Firewall 1250 model).

• Durability and compliance with international standards

Architecture based on Cisco Trustworthy Systems technologies, ensuring hardware integrity, protection against tampering attempts and compliance with global safety and emissions regulations.

• Compact design, perfect for limited-space environments

Optimized design for edge computing environments or locations with space constraints.

• Energy efficiency

Low power consumption, starting from 40 W under standard usage conditions, helping to optimize operational costs.

Licensing and extensibility

Cisco offers the following licensing approach for the 1200 series:

Basic licenses (Essentials). An Essentials license is automatically included with the purchase of a Secure Firewall device from this series, enabling the following functionalities:

• Device configuration to perform switching and routing functions (including DHCP relay and NAT)
• Device configuration in high availability mode (redundant pair setup)
• Cluster configuration
• Implementation of user- and application-based control by adding specific conditions to access control rules
• Updating the Vulnerability Database (VDB) and the Geolocation Database (GeoDB)
• You can download intrusion detection rules, such as SRU/LSP. However, you cannot implement access control policies or rules that include intrusion policies on the device unless the IPS license is activated

Optional licenses

• Threat (IPS) License:

This enables intrusion detection and prevention, file control, and filtering based on security intelligence (Security Intelligence Filtering).

• Malware Defense License:

A Malware Defense license enables malware protection features and Secure Malware Analytics. With this functionality, devices can detect and block malware files transmitted over the network.

• URL Filtering License:

The URL Filtering license allows the creation of access control rules that determine which traffic is permitted on the network based on the URLs requested by monitored hosts, correlated with additional information about those URLs.

Optional licenses are subscription-based and provide signature updates for 1200 series devices running FTD software. They are available for durations of 1, 3, or 5 years.

In conclusion

The Cisco Secure Firewall 1200 Series is a reliable, scalable, and easily integrable solution for securing distributed locations, making it ideal for organizations seeking to strengthen their security without compromising performance or operational simplicity. By integrating with Cisco XDR platforms and being cloud-managed via Cisco Security Cloud Control (SCC), formerly known as Cisco Defense Orchestrator (CDO), alongside extended support for modern inspection and segmentation technologies, the 1200 Series stands out as a strategic choice in the context of accelerated digital transformation.

Latest developments in the Cisco ecosystem

Over the years, Cisco has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to innovation in the enterprise space, delivering solutions that have redefined industries and supported the expansion of global connectivity. Cisco has introduced significant enhancements to its firewall portfolio to meet modern demands for extended scalability and deployment flexibility, ensuring consistent security regardless of bandwidth growth or the expansion of the organizational network. According to “Cisco Live US 2025: Key Announcements,” the company launched two new firewall families:

• 6100 Series, designed for data centers and cloud interconnect zones; it includes high-performance devices capable of delivering up to 400 Gbps of application-layer throughput per unit. By clustering multiple units, capacity can be flexibly scaled beyond 4 Tbps, depending on requirements.
• 200 Series, a smaller form factor line that brings advanced threat inspection, including AI/ML-based intrusion detection and encrypted traffic analysis, to branch locations. The devices feature integrated SD-WAN capabilities and simplified cloud-based management.

The devices will be available for order starting October 2025 for the 6100 Series, and December 2025 for the 200 Series. That being said, we will follow up with a new blog post once Cisco publishes the full documentation detailing the specifications and functionalities of the mentioned devices.

For demonstrations and personalized offers, our sales team is available through communication channels such as our official website www.arcticstream.ro or via email at [email protected].