IT
Choosing the Right Firewall for Your Business
A firewall is the gatekeeper between your network and the internet. It is the single most important security device you own. Choosing the wrong one leaves your business exposed; choosing the right one is the foundation of a secure network.
What a modern firewall does
Firewalls have evolved far beyond blocking ports. A modern next-generation firewall (NGFW) provides:
- Stateful packet inspection — tracking connection state, not just individual packets
- Deep packet inspection — examining the content of traffic, not just headers
- Intrusion prevention — detecting and blocking known attack signatures
- Application awareness — identifying and controlling specific applications regardless of port
- URL filtering — blocking access to malicious or inappropriate websites
- VPN termination — secure remote access for employees
- Antivirus and sandboxing — inspecting files for malware before they enter the network
Sizing considerations
A firewall that is too small will bottleneck your internet connection. A firewall that is too large is wasted money. Size based on:
- Throughput — must exceed your internet connection speed with all security features enabled
- Concurrent connections — the number of simultaneous connections your network generates
- Users — the number of people and devices behind the firewall
- VPN users — remote workers who will connect through the firewall
Always size for your internet speed with security features ON, not off. A firewall that delivers 1 Gbps with features off but 200 Mbps with features on is a 200 Mbps firewall.
Deployment models
- Hardware appliance — a physical device at your office. Best for businesses with on-premise servers.
- Virtual appliance — software running on your own server or in the cloud. Best for virtualized environments.
- Cloud-native — a firewall service in the cloud. Best for businesses that have moved most systems to the cloud.
Most Jamaican businesses still benefit from a hardware appliance because of the mix of on-premise and cloud systems.
Management
A firewall is only as good as its configuration and maintenance. Questions to ask:
- Who will configure and maintain it?
- How are rules documented and reviewed?
- Are firmware updates applied promptly?
- Are logs monitored for threats?
If you do not have the expertise in-house, managed firewall services are a cost-effective alternative.
Next steps
If you need a firewall assessment, request one. We evaluate your network, recommend the right appliance and configuration, and can manage it ongoing.