Re: Proverbial appliance vs software based firewall

[Volker Tanger <volker.tanger () discon de>]

Greetings!

Wohoo - and there is a third category, that falls into the middle of 
both: it's pre-packed hard&software. Not as closed as classical 
appliances (SonicWall, WatchGuard, NetScreen, ...), they are sometimes 
not more than pre-packed PC+software (Nokia/CheckPoint, 
Pyramid/CheckPoint, Pyramid/Astaro, Celestix/Astaro). Not flesh nor fish.

For the two other categories - as many before said: the main difference 
is pre-packed (appliance) vs. pluck-together-yourself. It's the same as 
with stereo equipment: choose between an integrated all-included 
boom-box or dedicated pieces wired together. I for myself needed to loop 
in my mixing desk, recording equipment, PC, etc. - so my music system is 
composed of dedicated pieces, wired according to my specific needs. No 
chance to do that with a boom-box (or "integrated hifi system").

The same applies to appliances vs. "software" - if the appliance does 
not fit your needs you are out of luck. No way to fudge around it as 
it's all packed and sealed. OTOH you don't need to know how to work into 
the internals - as it's all packed and sealed.

If you need special remote-admin / real-time-log-evaluation / monitoring 
 you probably are better of with a "software". If you (or your 
customers) are not as tech-savy in the field you're probably safer with 
a sealed appliance.

Bye

Volker Tanger
IT-Security Consulting

--
discon gmbh
Wrangelstraße 100
D-10997 Berlin

fon    +49 30 6104-3307
fax    +49 30 6104-3461

volker.tanger () discon de
http://www.discon.de/


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