Next generation firewalls (NGFW) are all the rage in the information security community. Vendors are clamoring to gain a foothold in enterprises with new and enhanced products that promise to bring contextual awareness to network security. Network professionals considering their first NGFW deployment project should make sure they address some key questions before getting started. These include the rationale for deploying the technology, identifying the location(s) that would most benefit from an NGFW deployment and the selection of capabilities suited for a particular environment.

The current security environment in many organizations involves the use of disparate solutions that focus on one particular component of the organization’s security strategy. For example, network security services often come in the form of firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, network access control and data loss prevention services. While using this approach allows the enterprise to select the most suitable product in each category, it presents the added challenge of managing and monitoring these disconnected systems.

Read More: Getting Started with Next Generation Firewalls

Published December 2014 on SearchSecurity