The 5500TX is a network security appliance developed by Trend Micro under its TippingPoint Threat Protection System (TPS) series. It is designed to offer comprehensive and high-performance threat protection for enterprise and data center networks by detecting and preventing known and unknown vulnerabilities in real-time.
What is the 5500TX?
The 5500TX is a security appliance that provides inline real-time inspection and enforcement to defend networks from evolving cyber threats. As part of the Trend Micro TippingPoint platform, it uses multiple technologies including deep packet inspection, advanced malware analysis, URL reputation, and threat reputation systems. This combination ensures highly accurate detection and remediation of threats like malware, phishing, and zero-day vulnerabilities on a flow-by-flow basis.
Key Features of the 5500TX
Real-time Threat Prevention: The appliance inspects all inbound, outbound, and lateral traffic to block attacks proactively before they impact the network.
Comprehensive Visibility: It offers detailed contextual awareness of network traffic, which aids security teams in prioritizing and responding to threats.
High Performance and Flexibility: The 5500TX is rack-mountable hardware with a 1U form factor, supporting 10GbE network connections and powered by a 1.5GHz processor with 64GB of DDR4 RAM to ensure smooth operations under heavy data loads.
Operational Simplicity: It features a centralized management interface that simplifies setup and ongoing management, with flexible deployment options tailored to organizational needs.
Integration Capabilities: The 5500TX works well with Trend Micro’s Deep Discovery Advanced Threat Protection solutions for enhanced targeted attack detection and blocking.
Technical and Operational Insights
The appliance weighs around 17.5 lbs, includes dual power supplies for redundancy, and supports high availability networking protocols. It is engineered for easy license reassignment and scalable performance via a pay-as-you-grow licensing model. Users benefit from immediate out-of-the-box recommended settings and continuous updates from Trend Micro's Digital Vaccine Labs, which provide up-to-date threat intelligence.
Transition and Future Outlook
It's important to note that Trend Micro has announced End-of-Sale and End-of-Life dates for the 5500TX model, with the last order date set for December 31, 2025. Customers using the 5500TX are recommended to migrate to newer models such as the 5600TXE for continued support and improved features. Existing licenses can typically be transferred to the new platforms without additional cost as long as license capacities are supported.
The 5500TX represents a robust solution in the category of network security technology, ideal for enterprises seeking a proactive, high-performance defense against complex cyber threats while maintaining operational efficiency and scalability.
This overview should provide clear insights into the 5500TX’s capabilities, technical specifics, and its place within the evolving landscape of cybersecurity technology. For more details and current offerings, visiting Trend Micro’s official resources or consulting authorized vendors is recommended.
