Just as virtualization has proven beneficial for server infrastructures, the same is true for firewalls. Virtual firewalls provide the same functions as physical firewalls along with additional benefits. For example, virtual firewalls lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) of your implementations because more than one instance can be deployed on a single physical appliance.
This eliminates the need for additional hardware and rack space while reducing power costs. And with just one device for multiple firewall instances, you also decrease your ongoing maintenance costs.
IT can also give network administrators control over the firewall assigned to each network segment within the overall IT infrastructure. That makes it possible to adjust security policies and manage traffic on one segment without affecting other virtual instances on the firewall appliance.
Another key benefit is scalability; it’s easy to add or remove virtual instances as network needs change. And then there’s portability. You can move virtual firewalls around from one environment to another—whether in the cloud or on-premises—and you can protect multiple environments at the same time.
A Virtual Firewall That Works Across Cloud Platforms and Hypervisors
One of the leading virtual firewall providers is SonicWall. To find out more about their offerings, Chad Wiggins from PulseOne, conducted a Tech Talk with Steve Massey, Senior Inside Channel Account Manager. SonicWall virtual firewalls work well in both private and public clouds as well as data centers.
“Many customers have deployed our solutions on Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Service platforms as well as co-location data centers,” Massey said. “Our software runs on both VMware and Hyper-V and provides just as much security as physical firewalls.”
Rapid Innovations Expand Security Capabilities
Massey discussed how the NSv Series Virtual Firewall solution offered by SonicWall represents the rapid innovation that’s been taking place at the company. SonicWall also recently released Layer 1 and Layer 2 switches, which are ideal for managing communications across distributed enterprises.
During its innovative mission, SonicWall established a solid leadership position in the cybersecurity market, initially focused on solutions for small businesses and distributed enterprises. With a large presence in the retail sector, SonicWall is the cybersecurity leader in the SMB markets.
In recent years, SonicWall also gained a foothold in large enterprises with its NSsp series firewalls. “We also provide secure mobile access technology that can scale infinitely to enable any size workforce to work from home,” Massey pointed out.
Protection for Cloud Apps and Endpoints
Two other areas where SonicWall is strong are cloud application security and endpoint security. Securing Slack, Dropbox and Box cloud storage are common use-cases among customers as is protecting Microsoft Office 365 deployments. Customers particularly appreciate the email protection SonicWall provides.
“By handling security at the API level rather than an appliance that connects to Microsoft Exchange, every email is sequestered much like a firewall,” Massey explains. “This approach works well for distributed enterprises that use the cloud for email. They can access Office 365 via a portal using their browser, and our technology runs in the background.”
For endpoint protection, the SonicWall Capture Security appliance (CSa) features technology from SentinelOne, a SonicWall partner. SentinelOne applies machine learning in real-time rather than relying on signatures that get updated weekly. “The advanced threat protection cloud sandbox we put on each Capture appliance offers an additional layer of protection in case a threat happens to sneak through the endpoint perimeter,” Massey pointed out. “We can scale the service for as large as a business needs us to.”
To Find Out More
To enable your businesses to access remote environments with secure mobile access and secure all of your endpoints as well as your main office with physical or virtual firewalls, find out more about SonicWall offerings by contacting PulseOne today!
