A hardware firewall, otherwise known as a physical firewall, is an appliance that establishes a network boundary. It’s a set of appliances or devices that are used in defending the computer network. A hardware firewall is a device that connects a computer network to an external internet and acts as a barrier that protects the computer network from hacks or users that are not authorized to access the network.
A hardware firewall aids the cybersecurity of the computer network by filtering the traffic that gets through, which was established based on security policy, users profile, and rules. The boundary set, prevents against unauthorized access, inspects all inbound and outbound network traffic, and manifests controls and security policies.
How Hardware Firewall Works?
A hardware firewall is designed to protect an organization’s network by enforcing a boundary. It is located directly behind the router and can be configured to analyze the traffic to filter specific threats when it pass through the device. It acts like a digital filter to purify the traffic that goes into the computer network.
Normally a user would connect a network cable directly to a computer or server. But with a hardware firewall, the cable is connected to a firewall device first. This allow hardware firewall to serve as a protective barrier between the internet and the server.
A hardware firewall offers some advantages:
- Control the traffic enter your server.
- Apply specific rules for all traffic.
- Free up server resources such as memory and processing power.
The simplest form of firewall is called packet filter. When a traffic enters within a firewall network, it undergoes security audit, and at times various sets of permissions are applied to it. Using the information the traffic carries such as source and location, firewall use this to decide whether the traffic can bring harms to the system or not.
Modern hardware firewalls can check both inbound and outbound traffic. As much as it blocks certain traffic from getting into the network, it also stops specific types of traffic from exiting the network with the same filtering mechanism. This aids the computer network from being exposed to hacks, leaks, and exploitation to other computer as well.
Best Hardware Firewall Security Solution
There are different ranges of firewall devices to choose from depending on the specs you require. But the Fortinet network security is the best of all.
The Fortinet network security caters to SMBs, big organizations, and service providers alike is a high-performing NGFW device with an in-built SD-WAN capability; it is also encrypted with IPSEC tunnels and many other options to deploy. The Fortinet core features are:
- IT security inspection and offloading of both encryption and decryption are accelerated
- Next-gen synergistic processing unit processors power it for high speed
- It processes high-volume data with an extraordinarily low tolerance for delay.
- Forcible prevention based on irregularity checks
- It consolidates and controls the ecosystem.
The unique selling proposition of the Fortinet is the Fortinet security fabric. With mechanisms such as zero-trust network access, cloud security, and AI-driven detection, it provides protection.
Fortinet Network Security: NGFW & SD-WAN
The Fortinet NGFW offers an incorporated SD-WAN networking and security in one device. It enhances the performance of the multi-cloud application by ensuring that the organization would be able to gain access to all applications in the cloud. The Fortinet SD-WAN is centrally managed from a central location through a management display console, providing see-through visibility across the network.
It offers both networking and security in the same solution at a less expensive rate. The Fortinet SD-WAN aids enterprises to develop above the archaic MPLS services and open their network to direct internet access.