What Is a Next-Generation Firewall? A Plain Guide

A firewall sits between your network and the internet and decides what traffic is allowed. A next-generation firewall, often shortened to NGFW, adds more detail to those decisions.

Basic firewall and NGFW

A traditional firewall mainly looks at addresses and ports. An NGFW can also recognise the application in use, tie traffic to users, and apply further inspection such as intrusion prevention and web filtering. Features differ between vendors and licence levels, so it is worth confirming what is included.

What an NGFW is often used for

• Controlling which applications and websites are allowed
• Blocking known malicious traffic
• Setting different rules for different user groups
• Providing secure remote access for staff
• Connecting several offices securely

Questions to ask before choosing

1. What do we need it to do? List your sites, users and remote access needs first.
2. What is included in the licence? Some protection features need a subscription.
3. Who will manage the rules? A firewall is only as good as its configuration.
4. How will it be monitored and updated? Firmware and rule reviews need to happen on a schedule.
5. How much traffic must it handle? Size it for your real usage, with room to grow.

Configuration matters as much as the box

Many problems come from rules that were never reviewed, not from the hardware. See also why old firewall rules become a risk.

Next step

NetworkAE is an official Fortinet partner and helps organisations plan, configure and support firewalls through Firewall & Cybersecurity.