Cisco ASA-IC-6GE-CU-B: High-Performance Copper Network Interface Card

Jun 20 , 2025 2

Cisco ASA-IC-6GE-CU-B: High-Performance Copper Network Interface Card

Product Overview

The Cisco ASA-IC-6GE-CU-B is a 6-port Gigabit Ethernet network interface card designed for Cisco ASA 5500-X Series firewalls. This copper-based interface card provides reliable, high-speed connectivity for enterprise branch offices, retail networks, and mid-sized business deployments. With its plug-and-play installation and energy-efficient design, it delivers cost-effective network security without compromising performance.

Key Specifications

✔ Port Configuration:

• 6x 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ45 ports (auto-negotiating)

• Auto-MDIX support on all ports
  ✔ Performance:

• 6Gbps aggregate throughput

• Line-rate forwarding for all packet sizes
  ✔ Latency: <10 microseconds (cut-through mode)
  ✔ Compatibility: ASA 5506-X, 5508-X, 5516-X models
  ✔ Power Consumption: 18W typical

Advanced Features

Flexible Deployment Options:

• Supports routed and transparent firewall modes

• VLAN trunking capability
  Integrated Security:

• Hardware-accelerated encryption (IPSec)

• MAC address filtering
  Traffic Management:

• 8 priority queues per port

• Traffic shaping and policing
  High Availability:

• Interface monitoring and failover

• Link aggregation (LACP) support
  Operational Simplicity:

• Hot-swappable design

• LED status indicators per port

Deployment Use Cases

• Branch office security appliances

• Retail store network segmentation

• Small/medium business firewall deployments

• Remote worker VPN termination points

• IoT security gateways

Next-Generation Evolution: Cisco ASA-IC-6MG-CU-C (Projected 2026)

Key Upgrades & Innovations

Enhanced Connectivity:

• 6x Multi-Gigabit ports (2.5GBase-T)

• Backward compatible with 1G/100M devices
  Performance Improvements:

• 15Gbps aggregate throughput (2.5x increase)

• AI-accelerated traffic inspection
  Smart Operations:

• Automatic device classification (IoT/OT/IT)

• Predictive bandwidth allocation
  Security Advancements:

• Port-level encrypted traffic inspection

• Zero Trust network access controls
  Sustainability:

• 30% improved power efficiency

• Dynamic power scaling per port

Why Upgrade to ASA-IC-6MG-CU-C?

✔ Future-ready Multi-Gigabit support
✔ Enhanced performance for modern applications
✔ Automated network segmentation
✔ Improved visibility into encrypted traffic
✔ Reduced energy consumption

Conclusion

The ASA-IC-6GE-CU-B provides reliable Gigabit connectivity for today's security deployments, while the next-generation ASA-IC-6MG-CU-C delivers Multi-Gigabit readiness with intelligent traffic management and enhanced security capabilities. This evolution demonstrates Cisco's commitment to scalable, future-proof security solutions that address growing bandwidth demands while maintaining enterprise-grade protection.