Cisco ASA 5550 Series Getting Started Manual page 10

Balancing Traffic to Maximize Throughput
Note
Figure 2-1 Embedded Ports on the ASA 5550
Slot 1
LNK
3 2 1 0 SPD
Ethernet
Note
Balancing Traffic to Maximize Throughput
Cisco ASA 5550 Getting Started Guide
2-2
Chapter 2
To establish fiber connectivity on the adaptive security appliance, you must order
and install SFP modules for each fiber port you want to use. For more information
on fiber ports and SFP modules, see the
page 3-5.
Figure 2-1 shows the embedded ports on the FWSM.
LINK SPD
3
Fiber
Although Slot 1 has four copper Ethernet ports and four fiber Ethernet ports, you
can use only four Slot 1 ports at a time. For example, you could use two Slot 1
copper ports and two fiber ports, but you cannot use fiber ports if you are already
using all four Slot 1 copper ports.
To maximize traffic throughput, configure the adaptive security appliance so that
traffic is distributed equally between the two buses in the device. To achieve this,
lay out the network so that all traffic flows through both Bus 0 (Slot 0) and Bus 1
(Slot 1), entering through one bus and exiting through the other.
Maximizing Throughput on the ASA 5550 Adaptive Security Appliance
"Installing SFP Modules" section on
Slot 0
FLASH
LINK SPD LINK SPD LINK SPD
2 1 0
Ethernet
78-17644-01