[c-nsp] ASA (and PIX?) active/active failover

[Jeff Kell]

I'm looking into active/active failover with a pair of ASA5540s.  This may apply similarly to PIX 7.0, but that isn't the hardware in question.  The documentation leaves a bit to be desired, and current docs mostly have to be dragged out of CCO.  So hopefully someone can save me a great deal of surfing the haystack for the elusive needle.

What are the minimum platform(s)/IOS required on either side of the pair to support active/active?

Does it really need SLB to work?  Or just dual-path routing?  Looks like only the Cat6500[/7600] can do it from a fat switch standpoint, and I'm trying to avoid feeding it directly into a "router" router (non-Cat).

Surely I don't need a 6500 on both sides...?

Thanks in advance,

Jeff