Re: Appropriate University/Internet blocks

[Willis Marti <wmarti () TAMU EDU>]

> I would be _very_ careful about recommending a firewall over router
> filters without more detailed information on the site's config.  We
> deal constantly with issues surrounding high performance networking
> through firewalls, and to be honest it doesn't exist in our
> experience.  Yes, you can buy a PIX with GigE interfaces, but you
> can't do high performance networking through it.
 110% agree. But I wouldn't buy a PIX. :-)
A&M built its own firewall in '92 (http://net.tamu.edu/drawbridge/index.html,
a little out of date) and we've been tweaking performance ever since.

 I don't like using routers as filters on a host-by-host basis because I prefer
them not to be touched too often. And, here, a different group manages
security issues than manages router configurations.

 We also provide departmental firewalls on an as requested basis, configured
as they desire. We keep a border firewall to provide a minimum standard.
--
Cheers,
 Willis Marti
 Associate Director for Networking
 Computing & Information Services
 Texas A&M University

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