Firewall hardware is extremely important for any size business that requires a secure network and backup products to save company data. You should find the best business firewall for your needs. With the number of Internet-based and network firewall hardware available for the company, you can protect both your incoming information as well as your saved data.

You also can become a hardware firewall distributor and take advantage of the technical assistance, training and special networking and educational events offered by the firewall manufacturer. As a firewall for business supplier, you receive a generous discount program as well as demos and an opportunity to get in on early offerings of new products. There are a number of ways you can begin making the most of firewall hardware.

1. Try various firewall products

2. Utilize an Internet firewall

3. Sell firewall protection

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take advantage of firewall hardware samples

Invest a little time to shop for the best price for your business firewall while looking for a supplier that also offers a warranty and service. While you can contact computer firewall suppliers directly for information and referrals, they often will send you to sales reps or retail outlets to purchase your systems from one of their many resellers. Look for business firewall demos to see how they work for your company.

I recommend: Netfast will give you a free consultative session before you purchase your hardware firewall from them. Take a test drive with the online live demo of the firewall for business from SonicWALL.

Go online for a secure firewall

Consider using an online format to maintain your company security systems. The providers of an Internet firewall can host your programs and run the updates when they are required. You can save your own IT team the trouble of maintaining additional hardware in your company if you utilize the services of a web-based computer firewall.

I recommend: Manage Engine can provide the firewall protection you need for all your locations through a bandwidth firewall protection system. Barracuda Networks offers web-based email and network security as well as trained consultants to help you figure out what your business needs to remain secure.

Become a firewall products reseller

Whether you have a retail store or you run a computer services company, you can become a small business firewall partner and resell the products for a profit. You and your staff can take courses to become certified in secure firewall technical services for a number of popular companies.

I recommend: Find out about the benefits of becoming a Check Point partner through their website. There are a number of different levels of partnerships available with Juniper to resell Netscreen firewalls or open a training center for other users.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are upgrading your current computer system, use the services of a consultant who is proficient in the uses of network firewall hardware to make sure it interfaces with the rest of your equipment and services.

Computer security threats jeopardize your data as well as your ability to comply with corporate governance privacy regulations. Software firewall products are vulnerable to hacking, as is any software code. Firewall security products, such as firewall routers and firewall servers, are the key to securing your data especially as your company becomes more dispersed with multiple locations and remote devices.

When buying and deploying firewall hardware, consider the following:

1. Deploying firewall hardware to protect all points of access.
2. Using firewall routers as an integrated solution.
3. Understanding the pros and cons of firewall servers.
4. Using firewall security products and consultants.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Deploy firewall hardware to protect all points of access

Most companies today have multiple access points to their networks, exposing critical boundaries, such as the LAN/WAN edge, the public/private edge and internal points like switches and back-end servers. Firewall products, especially firewall hardware, needs to be deployed at each point of access throughout the enterprise, including branch offices and the points at which remote devices enter the network.

I recommend: Network World offers a variety of firewall hardware solutions from numerous vendors.

Use firewall routers as an integrated solution

Routers control access for multiple computers within a network, inspecting information packets and forwarding them to authorized ports, making them natural firewall hardware.

I recommend: HotBrick’s Firewall LB2 integrates a router and firewall with two WAN ports to provide high bandwidth solutions, network security, load balance and redundancy. If you have a virtual private network (VPN) to allow employees remote access to your network, consider options for firewall routers, such as Nortel Network’s VPN router portfolio.

Understand the pros and cons of firewall servers

While servers, which house network resources for sharing purposes, seem like natural firewall hardware, don't assume that every server on the market acts as its own firewall. When shopping for a server, ask if it is configured as a firewall. If not, make sure the server itself has a firewall.

I recommend: RackForce Networks offers Fortigate firewall hardware as an add-on to their dedicated servers. Jupitermedia’s ServerWatch reviews different servers comparing their prices and functionality.

Hire consultants for advice on firewall hardware

If you don't have the in-house expertise to assess your security profile and install firewall products, it is critical that you hire a properly qualified person to secure your systems.

I recommend: CDW Corporation’s Decision One service deploys a technician to your office to install, configure and test firewall hardware security. osRiver offers network security consulting and implementation with solutions from Cisco, Juniper, Nortel and others.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before buying firewall security products, determine if your current hardware configurations include firewall products at any point.
• •  Analyze your network to determine all its access points and make sure each one is protected with firewall hardware.
• •  Make sure all of your remote locations and devices are protected with firewall products.
• •  Don't rely on software firewall products to protect a dispersed network.
• •  Configure your firewall hardware to protect against internal as well as external threats.

Network firewall hardware is becoming more sophisticated all the time. As hackers and unwanted network spies continue to pose a threat to business, the firewall hardware manufacturers and Internet firewall providers will keep looking for better ways to protect you. Whether you run a small home-based business or a big business with multiple locations, you need to invest in the most up-to-date business firewall you can find.

While costs vary for a solid firewall for business, you can maintain those recurring costs by considering a management fee that you pay to a hosting computer firewall provider. The web-based Internet firewall becomes more attractive as you consider the costs of new hardware every year or so. As firewall products continue to improve, there are a number of ways you can keep up with firewall hardware news and trends.

1. Log onto firewall server hardware blogs

2. Subscribe to firewall protection publications

3. Sign on for email alerts from computer firewall providers

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Share information with other small business firewall users

Blogs are increasingly becoming the media of choice for many small business owners looking for quick and efficient means to communicate with other like-minded professionals. Find an Internet blog that provides trust-worthy information and attracts reliable posting participants.

I recommend: IT Toolbox provides white papers and webinars in a addition to communication boards where other IT professionals compare notes and share solutions with each other. Tech Soup Blog is a site that primarily serves the nonprofit sector and its IT and security issues.

Read up on changes in hardware firewalls

Firewall hardware news and trends continue to dominate many of the IT publications available online and in hard copy print versions. While you may get email alerts from your business firewall provider, it's a good idea to stay on top of the industry as whole so that you can know about changes that may be ahead of your current provider's abilities.

I recommend: Join the conversations about firewalls and other IT products at WP Revolution. Sign up for the newsletter which is full of tip and the latest firewall hardware news and trends at Search Security.

Receive Internet firewall alerts

While most business owners are trying to clear out their inboxes to save time, you should allow at least one information provider to get into your email with alerts about possible security breaches and important firewall upgrades that have become available. You shouldn't miss out on vital small business firewall alerts just because you want to avoid spam.

I recommend: Sign up for newsworthy email alerts on significant IT news and trends that include firewall products and security issues from Network World. They also have a blog if you want to sign on with comments. You can customize the subject matter of the email alerts you receive from INC Technology.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make knowledge a premium in your company by charging each of your employees to read or subscribe to at least one hardware firewall publication or newsletter and share firewall hardware news and trends they've uncovered at staff meetings.

Firewalls provide security to all users on a network. They are available as software -- that run on servers -- or hardware -- like a server or appliance. If you've chosen to use firewall hardware, there are many products and technologies to choose from. Understanding some of the key terms of firewall hardware can help you to understand firewall capabilities and choose a secure solution for your enterprise.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Network level firewall

Network level firewalls are often built into routers and other network appliances. They can provide protection for four or more computers on a network, but usually don't offer customized configuration options and lack advanced security features.

I recommend: IT Security provides more information about network level firewalls and their features and weaknesses.

VPN

A VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, allows remote offices and telecommuting employees to connect to a private network and share the same capabilities they would in the office. Since VPNs can cause security issues, a company running a VPN must have a firewall in place to control security and manage VPN services. Some VPN routers and appliances have built-in firewall protection.

I recommend: How Stuff Works from Discovery Communications offers an article explaining Virtual Private Networks and VPN security.

Firewall appliance

A firewall appliance is a piece of hardware that provides dedicated firewall protection. Unlike a firewall server, an appliance has its own operating system and hardware.

I recommend: Firewall Servers provides a detailed description of firewall appliances.

Packet filtering

Packet filtering is a basic service provided by firewalls. Rules are created to regulate traffic to your network. If the packet does not match acceptable traffic rules based on criteria like IP address, protocol or port, the packet is not accepted.

I recommend: IBM provides information about packet filtering. It includes examples of rules used in filters for its products.

Stateful inspection

Stateful inspection is a technology that provides more advanced security and flexibility than packet filtering. Packets are analyzed in more detail, rather than just checking the packet header.

I recommend: Service Strategies gives information about Stateful Inspection. It includes details about the network communication layers of the OSI model and programs that run at each layer.

Proxy server

Some firewalls use a proxy server, sometimes called an application gateway. This is the most secure and complex type of firewall. With this method, each Internet application accessed from the network is processed from an internal proxy before moving outside the network.

I recommend: Akadia provides detailed information about proxy server technology.