Full English Description for Cisco ASA5540-K9 (ASA5540-BUN-K9 Security Plus Premium Bundle)
1. Official Short Order Description
Cisco ASA5540-K9: Flagship high-performance 1U rack-mount legacy Adaptive Security Appliance, top-tier ASA 5000 Series unrestricted Security Plus bundle for enterprise data center cores, service provider PoPs and massive VPN aggregation hubsCisco. Equipped with 4 onboard auto-sensing 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet ports, one dedicated Fast Ethernet management port and one SSM expansion slot for AIP-SSM IPS or CSC-SSM unified content security modules, running full ASA OS 8.x and final supported ASA OS 9.1Cisco. Built on Cisco Adaptive Security Algorithm (ASA), it delivers stateful SPI firewall, full-strength IKEv1/IKEv2 IPsec/DMVPN/FlexVPN, AnyConnect SSL/DTLS remote access, inline hardware IPS, NAT/PAT, PPPoE broadband client, VoIP fixup inspection, multi-context virtual firewalls, and both Active/Standby & Active/Active stateful failover high availabilityCisco. Performance benchmarks: up to 650 Mbps cleartext firewall throughput, 400,000 maximum concurrent TCP/UDP connections, 325 Mbps full 3DES/AES VPN throughput, supporting 5000 simultaneous IPsec IKE peers and 200 logical routed VLAN interfacesCisco. K9 license unlocks unrestricted DES/3DES/AES strong crypto, unlimited TLS proxy sessions, full multi-context segmentation and dual HA modes. Managed via serial CLI, embedded ASDM web GUI, Cisco Security Manager (CSM), Syslog and SNMPv3. Fully End-of-Sale (Sep 16, 2013) and End-of-Support (Aug 31, 2023) obsolete hardware, superseded by ASA 5545-X next-generation Firepower NGFWsCisco.
2. Complete Detailed Product Overview
Product Line Positioning
The Cisco ASA5540-K9 is the premium unrestricted flagship bundle of the ASA 5540 high-performance chassis, positioned above mid-tier ASA5520-K9 and below the ultimate ASA5550 backbone platform, engineered for large enterprise headquarters, multi-segment gigabit DMZ edges, and service provider multi-tenant colocation deployments requiring massive connection scale, high VPN peer density and carrier-grade redundancyCisco.
Compared to the limited DES-only ASA5540-K8 base license, the K9 Security Plus bundle eliminates hard caps on encryption algorithms, VPN tunnel count and TLS proxy sessions, while enabling multi-context virtual firewalls and load-balanced Active/Active failover for multi-tenant segmentation. The platform reached EoS in 2013 and EoL in 2023; no official firmware patches, vulnerability fixes or Cisco TAC technical support exist today, replaced by modern ASA 5500-X Firepower security appliances.
Physical Hardware & Modular SSM Architecture
Form Factor & Mechanical Specifications
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Standard 1U 19-inch rack-mount metal chassis, rack rails included; optional rubber feet for standalone desktop placement
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Single internal universal auto-switch AC power supply (100–240V 50/60Hz); separate 48V DC telecom central office SKUs available as upgrades
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Variable-speed intelligent cooling fan with thermal load balancing for enclosed NEBS-compliant telecom racks
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Front panel multi-color LED indicators: Power, System Fault, Module Status, Global Traffic Activity, VPN Tunnel Status, power supply health
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Integrated physical security lock slot for anti-tampering protection
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Hardware core: High-speed multi-core x86 processor, base 1 GB SDRAM (field-upgradeable to maximum 4 GB SDRAM), fixed 128 MB flash storage for ASA OS, configurations and persistent event logs
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One horizontal SSM expansion slot for field-installable security service modules (IPS / unified content filtering)
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Dual rear USB 2.0 ports for external flash storage backup, firmware upgrades and log archiving
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Environmental compliance: 0°C to +40°C operating temperature, 10%–90% non-condensing humidity, NEBS Level 3, FCC Class A, CE, UL/CSA, FIPS 140-2 Level 2 certified
Rear Panel Fixed Port Layout
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4 × Onboard 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Auto-MDI/MDIX RJ45 Ports (GigabitEthernet0/0 – 0/3)
Native gigabit copper ports to deploy independent Inside trusted LAN, Outside untrusted WAN and multiple isolated DMZ server zones without additional interface cards
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1 × Dedicated 10/100 Fast Ethernet Management Port (Management0/0)
Isolated out-of-band management interface segregated from production data traffic for secure device administration
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1 × SSM Expansion Slot Bay
Compatible field-installable service modules:
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AIP-SSM-10 / AIP-SSM-20 / AIP-SSM-40: Hardware inline intrusion prevention with hundreds of threat signatures, IPS throughput up to 650 MbpsCisco
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CSC-SSM-10 / CSC-SSM-20: Unified content security (URL filtering, anti-spam, antivirus, anti-malware)
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RJ45 RS-232 Serial Console Port
Out-of-band CLI management at default 9600 baud for initial bootstrap, password recovery and offline configuration editing
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DB-15 Dedicated Inter-Chassis Failover Serial Port
Used to connect redundant ASA5540 chassis pairs for stateful session synchronization and sub-second traffic failover
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IEC AC Power Input Socket
Integrated internal power supply with detachable standard IEC power cord
Core Performance & K9 Security Plus License Full Capabilities
Throughput & Connection Benchmarks
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Maximum cleartext stateful firewall throughput: 650 MbpsCisco
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Maximum concurrent TCP/UDP connection table entries: 400,000Cisco
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Maximum new connections per second: 25,000Cisco
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IPsec VPN throughput (3DES/AES full strong crypto): Up to 325 Mbps
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IPS throughput with AIP-SSM-40 top-tier hardware module: Up to 650 Mbps
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Maximum simultaneous IPsec IKE security associations (site-to-site + remote access): 5000 peers (core K9 exclusive feature)Cisco
K9 Unrestricted License Key Advantages vs ASA5540-K8 Base License
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Encryption suite: Full native DES, 3DES-168, AES-128/AES-192/AES-256 strong crypto (K8 limited to DES weak encryption only)
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Simultaneous IPsec IKEv1/IKEv2 tunnels: Max 5000 peers (500 hard cap on K8)Cisco
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Logical routed VLAN interfaces: Up to 200 separate security zones (identical VLAN cap on K8)
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TLS proxy sessions for encrypted VoIP SCCP/SIP inspection: Unlimited chassis-wide capacity (1000 hard cap on K8)Cisco
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High Availability: Supports both stateless Active/Standby and load-balanced Active/Active failover (K8 only supports Active/Standby)
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Multi-context virtual firewalls: Up to 50 independent virtual security contexts (completely disabled on K8 base license)Cisco
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Internal LAN host capacity: Unlimited, no hard user count throttling
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VPN clustering and load balancing enabled for aggregated multi-ASA WAN hub deployments
Full Integrated Security & Networking Feature Suite (ASA OS 8.x / 9.1 Final Supported Release)
1. Stateful Adaptive Security Algorithm Firewall
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Full stateful packet inspection tracking all TCP/UDP connection states to eliminate stateless filter bypass attacks
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Object-based inbound/outbound ACLs for granular traffic permission/denial rule management
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Multi-vector DoS/DDoS mitigation: SYN flood protection, port scan detection, malformed packet filtering, full TCP normalization
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Layer 7 fixup protocol inspection engines for FTP, H.323, SIP, SCCP Skinny, RTSP, NetBIOS to preserve NAT traversal for VoIP and multimedia workloads
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Native Transparent Layer 2 firewall mode (ASA OS 8.x core feature)
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Third-party partner URL web content filtering integration (expandable via CSC-SSM content security module)
2. Standards-Based Multi-Protocol VPN Suite
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Site-to-site LAN-to-LAN IPsec tunnels for secure inter-branch private connectivity over public internet
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Remote access IPsec VPN for legacy Cisco VPN Client software teleworker tunnels
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Clientless SSL VPN + AnyConnect Premium SSL/DTLS remote access for browser/software-based mobile workforce connectivity
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Dual IKEv1/IKEv2 key exchange protocol support, full X.509 digital certificate enrollment via SCEP for scalable multi-site deployments
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GRE tunnel encapsulation for routed non-IPsec traffic across VPN links
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Optional AIP-SSM hardware acceleration module to eliminate CPU crypto bottlenecks for high-volume VPN aggregation hubs
3. Broadband NAT & Routing Services
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Static one-to-one NAT, dynamic NAT pools, PAT port address translation to share a single public IP across hundreds of internal LAN endpoints
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Native PPPoE client for DSL broadband ISP authentication and dynamic public IP assignment
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Local DHCP server supporting up to 1024 internal IP address leases for wired LAN endpoints
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Static routing and policy-based routing (PBR); full native IPv4 protocol stack, limited partial IPv6 functionality on ASA OS 9.1
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Local DNS caching to reduce external DNS query latency and bandwidth consumption
4. Threat Defense & Unified Security Stack
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Base built-in IDS engine with hundreds of predefined exploit, worm and brute-force scan signatures; enhanced inline IPS with optional AIP-SSM hardware module
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Automatic dynamic host blocking to quarantine malicious source IP addresses after detected security breaches
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Unicast Reverse Path Forwarding (URPF) strict/loose anti-spoof filtering to block forged source IP traffic
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Persistent local event logging + remote Syslog export to external SIEM platforms for compliance audit trails
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Encrypted administrative access only: SSHv2 remote CLI, HTTPS ASDM web GUI, encrypted SNMPv3 monitoring
5. AAA Access Control & Audit Logging
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Complete AAA authentication, authorization and accounting via external RADIUS and TACACS+ servers
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Local user credential database for standalone device administrative login
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Comprehensive logging architecture supporting buffered local flash storage, Syslog servers and USB flash archival
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SNMPv3 secure monitoring for device health, traffic utilization and fault alert reporting
6. Application-Aware Hierarchical QoS & Bandwidth Management
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Four-level priority queuing to prioritize real-time voice/video conferencing over recreational streaming/P2P file-sharing traffic
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Per-link bandwidth shaping and policing on all Gigabit/Fast Ethernet WAN/LAN/DMZ interfaces to eliminate link congestion
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DSCP marking preservation across IPsec and SSL VPN tunnels for consistent enterprise end-to-end QoS policy enforcement
Management & Configuration Tools
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ASA CLI Console: Modern Cisco IOS-style command-line interface via serial console or encrypted SSHv2 remote access
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Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM): Embedded HTTPS graphical web GUI for single-device visual configuration, real-time traffic utilization dashboards and security event reporting
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Cisco Security Manager (CSM): Centralized enterprise policy management platform for bulk multi-ASA deployment orchestration, mass firmware upgrades and cross-device compliance audit reporting
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TFTP + USB flash dual methods for OS firmware and full configuration backup/restore; offline config editing supported
Key Differentiators vs Related ASA Platforms
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vs ASA5540-K8 Base DES License:
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Full unrestricted 3DES/AES strong encryption suite (K8 locked to DES only)
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5000 IPsec VPN peers / unlimited TLS proxy sessions vs K8’s 500 VPN / 1000 TLS cap
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Enables multi-context virtual firewalls and Active/Active load-balanced failover (K8 lacks both core features)
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vs ASA5520-K8/K9: Flagship 650 Mbps gigabit throughput, 400,000 concurrent connections, maximum 4 GB memory expansion, dedicated SSM expansion slot for IPS/content modules, native gigabit multi-zone segmentation
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vs ASA5550: Lower throughput and maximum connection scale, single internal power supply standard (dual redundant hot-swappable power baseline on ASA5550), smaller flash/memory ceiling
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vs Discontinued PIX-525/535: Modern unified ASA OS architecture, native IPv6 support, ASDM graphical web GUI, AnyConnect SSL VPN capability, modular SSM IPS expansion slot and flexible multi-context virtual segmentation
Typical Historical Deployment Scenarios
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Large enterprise data center core gigabit internet edge firewall with multiple isolated DMZ zones for web, email, application and database servers
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Service provider regional backbone VPN aggregation hub aggregating thousands of wholesale customer and branch site IPsec tunnels
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MSP multi-tenant colocation boundary security gateway with independent multi-context virtual firewall segmentation for separate customer networks
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Active/Active redundant firewall pair for load-balanced multi-tenant remote access VPN services and zero-traffic-loss mission-critical business continuity disaster recovery
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High-fidelity legacy network lab training platform for carrier-grade ASA OS stateful firewall, inline IPS, multi-context virtual firewall and large-scale IPsec VPN architecture learning
3. E-commerce Short Marketing Description
Cisco ASA5540-K9 Security Plus Premium Flagship Gigabit 1U Rack-Mount Adaptive Security Appliance, top-tier legacy ASA 5000 series unrestricted security gateway with four onboard 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet ports, dedicated Fast Ethernet management port and one SSM expansion slot for AIP IPS/CSC unified content security modules, fully compatible with ASA OS 8.x / final supported ASA OS 9.1 firmware. K9 bundle unlocks full DES/3DES/AES strong encryption, unlimited internal host capacity, stateful SPI firewall, IPsec site-to-site/AnyConnect SSL remote access VPN, inline hardware IPS intrusion prevention, NAT/PAT, PPPoE broadband client, VoIP fixup inspection, multi-context virtual firewalls and dual Active/Standby/Active/Active stateful failover high availability. Up to 650 Mbps cleartext firewall throughput, 400,000 concurrent TCP/UDP sessions and 5000 simultaneous IPsec VPN tunnels with hardware crypto offload, managed via serial CLI, embedded ASDM web GUI and Cisco Security Manager. Obsolete end-of-support flagship gigabit core/data center firewall for large enterprise headquarters, service provider PoPs and massive remote access VPN aggregation deployments.
4. Product Catalog Keyword Tags
Cisco, ASA5540-K9, ASA 500 Series Flagship High-Performance Security Plus Adaptive Security Appliance, Legacy Carrier-Grade Stateful Inspection Firewall, 1U 19-inch Rack-Mount Chassis, 4 Onboard 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Auto-MDI/MDIX Ports, Dedicated FastEthernet Management 0/0 Port, Single SSM Expansion Slot (AIP-SSM IPS / CSC-SSM Content Filter), Dual USB 2.0 Storage Ports, RJ45 Serial Out-of-Band Console Port, Dedicated DB-15 Inter-Chassis Stateful Failover Serial Port, Multi-Core High-Speed x86 Processor, 1024 / 4096 MB SDRAM, 128 MB Flash Memory, Cisco Adaptive Security Algorithm ASA, ASA OS 8.x / 9.1 Final Supported Firmware, Stateful Packet Inspection SPI, IPsec IKEv1/IKEv2 DMVPN FlexVPN Site-to-Site & AnyConnect SSL/DTLS Remote Access VPN, Full DES/3DES-AES Strong Encryption Suite, Optional AIP-SSM Hardware Inline IPS Intrusion Prevention System, CSC-SSM Unified Web Filter/Anti-Spam/Anti-Virus Content Security, NAT PAT Static Dynamic Address Translation, PPPoE DSL Broadband Client, VoIP H.323 SIP SCCP Skinny Fixup Protocol Inspection, Transparent Layer 2 Firewall Mode, Multi-Context Virtual Firewall Segmentation (Up to 50 Contexts), Active/Standby & Active/Active Load-Balanced Stateful Failover Redundancy, 200 Logical Routed VLAN Maximum (Security Plus License), 5000 Max Simultaneous IPsec VPN Peers, Unlimited TLS Proxy Sessions, 650 Mbps Max Cleartext Firewall Throughput, 400,000 Concurrent TCP/UDP Connections, ASDM Adaptive Security Device Manager Embedded Web GUI, Cisco Security Manager CSM Centralized Policy Orchestration, Syslog SNMPv3 Secure Monitoring, Dual-Stack IPv4 / Limited IPv6 Native Support, Application-Aware Hierarchical QoS Scheduling, NEBS Level 3 FIPS 140-2 Level 1 Telecom Certified, End-of-Sale 2013 End-of-Support 2023 Obsolete Legacy Hardware, Flagship Gigabit ASA Series Platform, Predecessor to ASA 5545-X Next-Generation Firewall Series, Large Enterprise Data Center Core Internet Edge Security Gateway, Service Provider PoP Multi-Tenant Boundary Firewall, Large-Scale IPsec/DMVPN Aggregation Hub
Naming Rule Explanation
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ASA: Adaptive Security Appliance, Cisco post-PIX unified firewall product family integrating firewall, VPN and IPS services, fully replaced by Firepower Next-Generation Firewall platforms
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5540: Flagship high-performance 1U rack-mount model number within the legacy ASA 5500 enterprise core / service provider security appliance lineup
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K9: Premium unrestricted Security Plus license identifier unlocking full 3DES/AES strong encryption, expanded VPN/VLAN scale, unlimited TLS proxy, multi-context virtual firewalls and Active/Active load-balanced failover; contrasted with K8 base DES-only limited license
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Hardware Distinction Note: The ASA5540-K9 is the highest-performance mid-top tier ASA 5500 series chassis with native gigabit multi-zone segmentation capability, positioned above FE-only ASA5510/5520 mid-range firewalls and below top-of-line ASA5550 dual-power backbone chassis. All ASA5540 hardware is fully obsolete with no official Cisco firmware updates, vulnerability patches or TAC technical support available today.
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