Firewall specification, configuration and management

When it comes to securing your network from external threats, the firewall is the most important component. Having a correctly configured firewall in place prevents malicious attacks on your network, whilst allowing internal users to access approved internet sites and remote users to securely access company data.

Specification

Due to the huge number of different firewalls and other security appliances on the market, it is difficult for most companies to ascertain which firewall product they should purchase, and which options they need for that firewall in order to achieve their desired results. ION Systems’ consultants work closely with our clients to break down their requirements and then recommend a firewall which will meet their current needs, whilst offering scalability for future requirements and growth.

In the main, we offer firewalls from 3 different vendors:

D-Link DFL-200

This capable firewall protects your network from rogue users on the internet. It supports IPSec VPNs for connections to other offices and PPTP for connecting remote workers. Management is achieved via a secure web connection. It supports very basic web filtering.

Watchguard Firebox X-Edge 5,15 or 50

This firewall comes from a company with a proven track record of providing top quality security appliances. Upgradeable from 5 to 50 users this firewall supports web filtering via the WebBlocker subscription service. It also supports IPSec VPN clients and site to site connections.

Fortinet FortiGate 50A and 60

Fairly new to the security industry the Fortinet range of firewalls are a departure from other offerings. The only firewall to have obtained ICSA certification in 4 categories these award winning firewalls provide a consistent feature set across all models of the range.

Some of the features of the FortiGate include: Web Filtering, Anti-Virus Scanning, Spam Filtering, IPS, Policy routing, VLAN support, Failover and multiple authentication methods.

A subscription is a necessary component to ensure that your security appliance is constantly updated to help protect your business against emerging threats.

Please refer to the table below for more information regarding the features of each firewall mentioned above.