Re: Firewall/Router: Dedicated Server or Appliance?

["Bryan S. Sampsel" <bsampsel () libertyactivist org>]

It depends...are you after application proxies or just packet filtering?

For instance, Borderware makes appliances that are full firewalls: packet
filtering and proxies.

Whereas, Cisco's PIX is really just a high performance packet filter
firewall.

If you're after just a packet filter firewall and aren't doing wire-speed
gigabit...I'd say go the cheap route and build yourself a Linux or FreeBSD
based firewall.  Either one is a winner.

If you need commercial support...the PIX is a nice enough device.

It all depends on your needs, budget, and personal knowledge.  IT can be
the greatest product in the world, and fail if you misconfigure it.

Sincerely,

Bryan S. Sampsel
LibertyActivist.org


Nuno Marques wrote:
> Hi everybody,
>
> what do you think it's the best choice for a college network?
>
> The network has something like 1000 users, we have been recommended an
> astaro appliance, what's your opinion about it? Any other suggestion?
> Will a dedicated server do the same thing?
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Nuno