WatchGuard Firebox Peak X5500e firewall
- 11 November, 2009 11:30
- Comments
Note: Pricing for this product is in US$.
WatchGuard's Firebox Peak X5500e is a strong, manageable firewall and is fast compared to other firewalls we've tested, but complexity and weak attack protection hold it back
In the WatchGuard Firebox, we encountered a system significantly different from the other three boxes in this test. The differences were as fundamental as the number of processor cores and the whitelist/blacklist balance, and they extended all the way out to the complexity of the user interface. If you're looking for an easy-to-configure box that works with minimal admin interaction, then the Firebox is not the system for you. If, on the other hand, you need a high-performance, highly secure firewall, and you are willing to invest in a learning curve and a rather complex configuration process, then our experience indicates that Firebox should be on your short list of systems to consider.
WatchGuard splits management and administration functions across two different applications. In this case, the complexity serves a good purpose: System administrators can edit the XML rules files offline, then push the new configuration to the box when the new rule set is complete (and debugged). We were able to watch this feature in action as the WatchGuard engineers modified and pushed configuration files almost constantly during our testing. (This wasn't a bad thing. WatchGuard was the first company to come in for testing and served as guinea pig as we did final debugging on the test scripts.)
The good news is that swapping entire configuration profiles is no more difficult than making subtle rule changes. The bad news is that making changes to a single rule isn't a lot simpler than pushing an entirely new configuration profile. Still, in either case, the Firebox's unique process means troubleshooting and performance tweaking are much easier and more convenient than they might have been; we could work on a new configuration while the previous version was still under testing.
Security as process
It's important to note that, unlike the other products in this test, WatchGuard's is very much a client-server architecture. While there are many times when the architecture makes very little difference, WatchGuard's approach can be an advantage when it comes to things like verifying regulatory compliance. For example, the WatchGuard engineer working with us had a folder on his machine noting every configuration we had tinkered with. In one instance, we went back a couple of weeks to try out a previous configuration with a new version of the Ixia test tool. While the other products could hold multiple configurations, and yes, you could save them off to your workstation, WatchGuard makes it easy enough that the XML code could easily be dropped into a bug tracker or version tracker for quality control and compliance verification.
Recommended
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.
- Bookmark this page
- Share this article
- Got more on this story? Email CIO
- Follow CIO on twitter
-
Australia Post’s mail business to lose $200 million this year
-
Australia Post’s mail business to lose $200 million this year
-
Microsoft's ambivalence about Office on the Web gives Apple shot with iWork on iCloud
-
3 Lessons Learned From a Failed Customer Feedback Test
-
Online shopping reaches mainstream status
-
Power of Three: Building Mobile Initiatives Guided by Business Goals, Technology and Governance
The use of powerful mobile devices has become so widespread industry leaders in almost every sector have embraced mobility solutions as central elements of their IT and business operations. As mobile budgets grow, so does the influence of business units on mobility strategy. Read on. -
Governance For All - Empowering IT and Business Content Owners
Governance for all is more than an IT initiative or a goal written in a plan document; it’s a strategy that unites IT and business content owners to achieve their SharePoint goals. At its best, governance means empowering self-governance, with tools like delegated access, effective reporting, and automated policy enforcement. This white paper explains how to create a “governance for all” strategy that will enhance SharePoint adoption and its benefits to the organization. Read now. -
Unleashing the Power of Information
If business-relevant information is not well managed, secured and analysed, it can become an underutilized asset or—worst case—a legal and competitive liability. Nearly all of the IT and business executives who responded to a recent survey recognise this risk, and say they understand the importance of having an enterprise information management (EIM) strategy. Find out more on how to reduce costs, improve competitiveness and avoid risk by making information management an enterprisewide strategic priority.
Get exclusive access to Invitation only events CIO, reports & analysis. 
