The best firewall is ....

CyberGuard SG710

Contents
Introduction
 Cyberguard SG710
 Fortinet FortiGate 200A
 Juniper ISG1000
 Lucent Brick 150
 Netgear FVX538
 Network Box RM-300
 SonicWALL PRO 5060c
 Symantec SGS 5420
 WatchGuard X1000
 Specifications
 How we tested
 Editor's choice
 About RMIT

This 1RU-sized unit incorporates 10 x 10/100 Ethernet ports -- there is also a nine-pin serial console port along with five status LEDs. The rear of the unit has an IEC power connector, a power switch, a small fan, and an expansion port. In the unit we received there was no expansion card. Configuration, administration, and management are all conducted via a Web browser. Great flexibility is available, in particular the user-configurable ports can be set to load balance WAN Internet connections, ADSL, cable and so on.

There are a range of additional features such as Intrusion Detection and VPN systems, including the ability to act as either server or client for PPTP or L2TP IPSec. GRE and Port Tunnelling are also supported. The device also has the capability of quality-of-service traffic shaping and content filtering via black lists.

Centralised management is also supported along with Syslog. Logging is relatively limited with nine predefined categories being sent out to the syslog server port. Alternatively the system log can be sent to an e-mail account. There are no report-generating tools integrated into this device. Overall, a fairly straightforward and easy-to-use device. A good range of ports would provide the flexibility most small businesses would need. A definite plus is the ability to set two WAN ports and provide fail over or load balancing across two PPPoE ADSL connections or even cable connections.

Product SG710
Price AU$4,490
Vendor Cyberguard
Phone 07 3435 288
Web www.cyberguard.com
 
Interoperability
Good range of features and management options, reporting/logging is light.
Futureproofing
Good range of -extras" including IDS, failover etc.
ROI ½
Good pricing considering features available.
Service
12 months appears to be average for these devices.
Rating ½
Cyberguard SG710


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Talkback 26 comments

    Checkpoint Anonymous -- 09/08/05

    How can you test all firewalls and leave the marketleader out ? All these are toys ! :)checkpoint rules

    Hardware firewalls Craig Ringer -- 10/08/05

    This review appears limited to dedicated hardware firewalls.

    That's not the extent of the offerings available. In particular, *BSD and Linux have very useful built-in firewalls that can be used to protect a network. You spend more time setting it up, but get more control and pay less for the hardware.

    There are NO such things as Hardware Firewalls Craig S Wright -- 05/09/05 (in reply to #120120028)

    There are NO such things as Hardware Firewalls

    Just pre-packaged boxes. Even the PIX is just an Intel based host with an OS

    Rubbish... Anonymous -- 15/10/05 (in reply to #120120706)

    The Juniper range contain dedicated purpose built chips.

    Hardware Firewalls Donovan Marsden -- 21/05/07 (in reply to #120120706)

    There are such things as hardware firewalls This prepackaged boxes contain firmware (hardware) not software so hardware firewalls refers to media. Not to mention that all it's electronics are dedicated to the firewall job!

    Mr. Craig Wright.... U. R. Stupid -- 14/08/09 (in reply to #120120706)

    .....equates to an idiot!

    ISA Firewall? Anonymous -- 15/08/05

    Excuse me, but where was the ISA firewall in your test? Was there a reason for leaving the ISA firewall out?

    ISA Firewall? Anonymous -- 15/08/05

    Excuse me, but where was the ISA firewall in your test? Was there a reason for leaving the ISA firewall out?

    Talk is only about Hardware firewall. Vijay -- 18/05/07 (in reply to #120120153)

    here the talk is only about the hardware firewall not about the software firewall...

    ISA 2000 till 2006 plays good role in application layer firewalls, when u talk about the hardware level, packet filtering and ip spoofing etc we need to go for hardware based firewall...

    ISA Appliances Gladys I. Rodriguez -- 03/08/07 (in reply to #320079571)

    I think everyone forgets that ISA is also is also sold as an appliance: http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/howtobuy/hardwaresolutions.mspx, because people say well in runs on top of Windows OS. But Cisco runs on top of their IOS, Juniper has DX OS, WatchGuard has Firebox X, etc. Microsoft just provides the extra control for what type of box the users choose to run their Firewall.

    Why didn't you guys include th ...Anonymous -- 22/08/05

    Why didn't you guys include the Check Point offering in your comparison of Firewall products? They have a very good end to end security offering and they play very hard in the enterprise space (and have also brought the same technology down to the mid tier and SMB products as well)

    Astaro Firewall not listed?! Anonymous -- 29/08/05

    I can't believe you would do a round up with out including Astaro Firewalls in the mix. They are by far the most powerful and flexible for business.

    www.astaro.com

    Cisco Anonymous -- 29/08/05

    WHAT ABOUT CISCO'S PIX???

    No Kickbacks from the Big Guns! Anonymous -- 08/09/05

    noice, no checkpoint, pix nor isa. What creditability does this mag have?

    Software firewall packages Anonymous -- 25/11/05

    would have been nice to see products like smoothwall, included.

    Checkpoint Anonymous -- 09/07/07

    I'm glad some of you are getting Checkpoint to work. I can't get onto the net, firmware upgrades have now prevented me from talking to the firewall. I using a $10 hub, seems to work better. Asking for an RMA right now.

    Sonic What, Watchguard!?!?! Anonymous -- 04/09/07

    Can't believe watchguard was even mentioned this cannot even be compared to the likes of Juniper ISG, Checkpoint and ASA/PIX in a corporate environment.

    AS
    Sell my house
    www.cheshiremoves.com

    Symantec Anonymous -- 11/10/07

    Has anyone ever tried to contact Symantec about the Symantec SGS 5420?

    I've tried many times and no one there knows anything about it - they just transfer me to some guy in an Indian call centre trying to sell me antivirus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    anyone got a real number to call?

    Cheers

    Justin

    Symantec support Anonymous -- 18/02/08 (in reply to #320087646)

    Dont waste your time, they are dropping firewall support in 2009.

    Symantec SGS - What to do with old box? Anonymous -- 27/09/08 (in reply to #320087646)

    We have SGS v3.x appliance which will be retired next year. Is it possible to install some thing like 'Astaro' into the box since Symantec only believes in 'end-point' security?

    no Cisco? Anonymous -- 29/05/08

    there are probably more Cisco firewalls installed in the world than all other brands combined. Not to say Cisco firewalls are the best, but to ignore the biggest player?
    btw, I have ASA 5505 at home, loving it.

    Cisco ASA 5505 Anonymous -- 25/06/08

    Most of us can't afford a $600+ firewall at home.

    Cisco are behind... A. NetworkAdmin -- 09/05/09 (in reply to #320104946)

    Cisco waited too long to re-code their IOS to support deep packet inspection (all 7 layers) and left other players take the lead in the market. This doesn't mean you should get rid of your faithfull PIX, but if a PIX was to break (which is not often), I would shop for another brand. If the criterias of the survey is that they must have DPI, then Cisco is behind in the race.

    Good Firewall, {The Best} Pat Cormier -- 12/10/08

    Why don't someone mention [Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall} I've been using it for years, and I find it better than any of the rest.

    Checkpoint - Market Leader Anonymous -- 21/03/09

    I ditto the comments already made. I have worked with no less than ten firewall vendors over the past 15 years for financial and ecommerce firms - yet there was no mention or testing with certain market leading products?

    Checkpoint is the worldwide market leader for enterprise firewalls. They weren't even mentioned? They make both appliance as well as software (for several platforms) so they could have been included in several categories. Cisco PIX was also not mentioned (though while inexpensive is inferior to Juniper and Checkpoint products).

    ISA is not as full-featured as many but since its software only I can see why they didnt test it. Simply put - you will rarely see any of the firewalls they did mention protecting significant assets, for too many reasons to include here.

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