What is a firewall?

A device for guarding a private network by analyzing the data leaving and entering. Firewalls can also provide network address translation, so the IP addresses of computers inside the firewall stay hidden from view.

Although firewalls are difficult to configure correctly, security experts generally agree that they are a critical component of network security. However security must be covered at all levels and a firewall is just one of the more important components of a complete security policy.

Q. We want a mail server and file server on the same machine as our firewall.
A. Technically this is possible, however from a security point of view a machine acting as a firewall should only work as a firewall.
  Generally having a number of servers (mail server, ftp server, file server etc) on the same machine is OK. However these servers should be behind a firewall to ensure maximum security. If they are on the same machine as the firewall then the servers and also the firewall become open to vulnerabilities. If there is a security flaw in any of the servers, then your firewall, your whole network as well as the other servers become vulnerable.

Q. We have broadband Internet access for our office and wish to secure our office from hackers and viruses.
A. A firewall can help you to keep hackers out. It does this by restricting access to your network both incoming and outgoing. What a firewall cannot do is stop a person in your network downloading a virus and then running it on his PC. You need to ensure that your mail server and your PCs are all protected against Microsoft Viruses. The firewall will protect your network from MS worms. The SN300 has a completely secure system and it is very unlikely to be vulnerable to Viruses or Worms.

Q. Does the firewall slow down Internet Access?
A. The built in DNS cache actually speed up Internet access. As the processor used is an extremely fast x86 CPU, backed by high speed memory, the data packets are processed in nano-seconds. Therefore the latency is negligible by human standards. The system is most efficient and so no CPU cycles are wasted, while speed and security are maximised. By using a firewall you are also keeping out extraneous packets which also improves your network experience.

Q. What maintenance is required?
A. All setup and maintenance is through an easy to use web interface. If required, our team of engineers is available to install and configure your network. This service is available on request and is optional. As new firmware are released with new features, you can update your Firewall.

Q. What warranty is offered?
A. We offer a 1 year international standard warranty. For extra peace of mind we also offer an optional replacement warranty whereby if your Firewall develops problems we will immediately replace it and leave the replacement machine with you until your own Firewall is not repaired.

Q. We already have a large network. Do we have to to make changes to our PCs?
A. No extra software or changes are required for your PCs on the network.

Q. What is the difference between the SN400 and the EN600 firewall.
A. The SN400 utilises a more powerful processor and has one more Ethernet port. The is designed for normal everyday office use, whereas the SN400 is for protecting larger networks or for significantly more VPN use. The software base and securiy level is the same.

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