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Firewall Blowout

Posted by
May 03, 2005

Tags: Check Point Software Technologies Firewall-1 Secure Platform, CyberGuard Corp. TSP 7100 Security Appliance, DataPower XS40 XML Security Gateway, Fortinet FortiGate 3600, Fortinet FortiGate-800 Antivirus Firewall version 2.8, IDS, IPS, Ingate Systems' Ingate Firewall 1200, Internet Security Systems Proventia M50 Integrated Security Appli-ance, Juniper Networks NetScreen-ISG 2000, NIDS, NIPS, Nokia's IP260/265, Reactivity XML Secu-rity Gateway and Manager 2400 Series, SQL injection, Sarvega XML Guardian Gateway v5.0.2, Secure Computing Corp. Sidewinder G2 Security Appliance Model 2150, Secure Computing Sidewinder G2 and Symantec Corp. Symantec Gateway Security 5440 Appliance, ServGate Technologies' Edge-Force M30, SonicWall Pro 5060c with SonicOS 3.0 Enhanced 5060, Symantec Corp. Symantec Gateway Security 5460, Symantec Corp.'s Gateway Security 5420, VPN, WatchGuard Technologies' Firebox X2500, Web Services, Web filtering, XML firewall, XML security, XML security gateway XML gateway, and ZyXel's ZyWall 70, anti-spam, antivirus, branch-office firewall, centralized firewall management, denial of service, eep inspection, heck Point Software Technologies' Check Point Express, high-availability, security, stateful failover, stateful filtering, Access Control, Data Networking & Management, Data Protection, Firewalls, Managed Firewall and Intrusion Detection, Network security appliances, Networking and Telecom, Other, Security and Privacy, Software and Web Development, firewall

Channel: Networking & Mgmt, Data Protection, Other

The bottom line: We suspect the firewall market will look vastly different in a year or two. Although we don't envision the demise of standalone firewall appliances anytime soon, what we thought was a product a year ago is starting to look suspiciously like a feature. After spending three months testing firewalls, interviewing customers and grilling vendor executives, we know enterprises building a cohesive network-protection strategy need these questions answered: Will next-generation routers and switches come bundled with application-level policy enforcement? Will silicon-based network-access-control devices finally overtake their PC-based rivals? Will today's NIPS (network intrusion-prevention systems) become tomorrow's firewalls, or vice versa? Will network infrastructure heavyweights like Cisco Systems and Juniper Networks finally put the squeeze on companies like Check Point Software Technologies and Internet Security Systems?

Is this the last time we'll review standalone firewalls? Probably not, but this market is about to get more confusing, not less. Prepare for more changes--and carnage.

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