firewall comparison Since the 90's we have spent a lot of time working with all types of firewalls and security devices. This include firewall appliances, commercial software firewalls and even open source / free firewalls. In the chart below we have outlined the pros and cons of each type of firewall. The purpose of the chart is to help you have a more clear understanding of the overall impact each choice offers and how you should budget accordingly.

Comparison Chart

Pros

Cons

Best Used For

Firewall Appliance
  • » Purpose-built
  • » Easy to manage
  • » Very secure
  • » single operating system
  • » Professional phone support
  • » Cost more than open source
  • » Can cost more a software firewall
 Any type of network
Software Firewall
  • » Cheaper than an appliance
  • » Easy to manage
  • » Very secure
  • » Professional phone support
  • » Cost more than open source
  • » Requires dedicated server
  • » Requires server operating system
 Medium to enterprise networks
Open Source Firewall
  • » Low-cost or free to use
  • » Available for many platforms
  • » Community of programs
  • » Requires dedicated server
  • » Requires server operating system
  • » Requires knowledgeable server admin
  • » Support is limited to forums
 Home or non-business critical networks