These are single-purpose systems. Required hardware and software are bundled in one easily installed package. Usually, hardware solutions run on a stripped down version of Unix or Linux, where all of the unnecessary Operating System components are removed. The benefits of this model are that they are fast, relatively inexpensive, and don’t require the loading of the software. This makes them strong on Budget and Requirements, but hidden costs often reduce the Value of this solution.

Products that cannot be distributed electronically can be difficult to upgrade, and consequently less flexible and scalable. As your needs change, the capabilities of this solution may not keep pace. At a minimum, the time required to update your firewall configuration results in a delay between need and solution implementation. Finally, these solutions require another machine or directory to store and analyze the logs.

These are software products running on one of the many distributions of Linux or Unix. In some cases, the Operating System is included in the firewall product, requiring a single install on one low-cost computer. In most cases a standard PC will suffice. Linux and Unix are often praised as more effective Operating Systems than Windows. They are typically stripped down to “the bare bones”, removing any risk presented by unneeded services.

The most compelling reason to make this choice is Budget. Linux and some versions of Unix are available free of charge. However, while the cost of this Operating System is minimal, the expense required to employ its administrator is comparatively high, increasing the Requirements for this choice and reducing its overall Value.

[Continue]