RE: DMZ, defined.

[Frederick M Avolio <fred () avolio com>]

It is incredible to me that after someone like Steve Bellovin reminds
everyone in a post what a DMZ is, the conversation continues and we are
offered "opinions" from people who admit they are "new to firewalls."

Discussion is useful when people are trying to form a consensus, or when
they are trying to formulate something (such as a definition). Discussion
is really thrashing when we give our opinions about something that is not
open for debate -- in this case the definition of a term that has been used
for 4 or 5 years now.

Terms, to be useful, have meanings. While meanings do not have to be
universal, they should be bounded be *something*. A technology area, for
example. So, "firewall" can mean one thing in home building and another
thing in network security. But if it has "personal" meanings to
individuals, then it ceases to be a useful word.

DMZ is a defined term. It is not a matter of opinion. One can say that
because it is defined, it is not something one can hold an opinion on. (I
know that don't teach absolute truths in university today, but there you
have it.) Read smb's post or the papers to *know* what a DMZ is. Firewall
is also a well defined term.


Fred
Avolio Consulting
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