Keeping the outside out: Seven desktop firewalls tested

Sample scenario

Company: Drake Industries

This professional services company wants to install firewalls on all executive notebooks and all PCs that store confidential information.

Approximate budget: Open.

Requires: Firewall software for 50 users.

Firewalls: Introduction Check Point SecureClient Computer Associates eTrust EZ Firewall ISS RealSecure Desktop Protector Kerio Personal Firewall McAfee Desktop Firewall 7.5 Symantec Client Security 8.0 Zone Alarm Pro Sample scenario How we tested Glossary Specifications and results Editors' Choice About RMIT Test Labs

Concerns: Keeping the data secure is the key factor in making a choice. Installing and maintaining the software on so many PCs would be time consuming, so the company is interested in the ability to remotely deploy and manage the firewalls.

Best Solution: The choice for Drake Industries would depend on its current infrastructure. If the company needs a complete security system, Check Point may be the way to go, for a fully integrated, whole of business approach. If it needs to revisit its antivirus control at the same time, Symantec may well be a good integrated solution. If the budget is tight and antivirus is in place, it is very hard to look past the McAfee Desktop firewall with ePolicy Orchestrator to manage it.

Just focusing on the firewall aspects, McAfee seems like the company's best choice, but Zone Alarm Pro would also be a serious contender.

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central silent installs?? was ...Anonymous -- 20/05/04

central silent installs?? was in ice cap but to my knowledge not yet wriitten into SP!!

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You did not review the new eTr ...Anonymous -- 03/11/04

You did not review the new eTrust EZ Armor. It is different now; it consists of eTrust EZ Antivirus and eTrust EZ Firewall (which is ZoneLabs technology). So you have a good antivirus, not a resource hog, uses less space on hard drive, and "ZoneAlarm." There are not many better.

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