A winning choice for addressing expanding cybersecurity threats, firewall solutions like the SonicWall TZ480 are perfect for small and growing organizations. It’s vital that modern firewalls offer more than just basic filtering, and SonicWall addresses this in more ways than one.
Overall, the TZ480 is built to balance strong security features and capabilities without seeing a single drop in network performance. Between assisting IT with network visibility and easy setup and management for small businesses, the 480 is an easy choice. This article takes a closer look at the firewall model to give you a better reference on how it aligns with your network security demands.
Key Takeaways:
- SonicWall TZ480 delivers enterprise-grade firewall performance for small and mid-sized businesses
- Advanced threat protection includes Capture ATM, RTDMI, anti-virus, and encrypted traffic inspection
- Supports secure remote access with up to 200 VPN tunnels and high VPN throughput
- Centralized management simplifies IT operations across firewalls, switches, and access points
- Scalable design promises long-term network expansion with optional storage upgrades and VLAN support
What is the SonicWall TZ480 Firewall Solution?
The SonicWall TZ480 is a stellar firewall solution due to its next-gen capabilities, guaranteed high performance, and Gen 8 OS. It has no issue delivering enterprise-grade performance in a package that’s manageable for smaller organizations.
Here are a few highlights about this SonicWall next gen firewall:
- Designed to defend against evolving cyber threats with a long list of advanced security features
- Includes intrusion prevention, anti-virus, and anti-malware in a single platform
- Optimized to inspect encrypted traffic without slowing network performance
- Features benefits like zero-touch deployment with SonicOS for simplified setup and management
Moreover, it’s a seamless stepping stone into larger models found among SonicWall TZ series firewall solutions. While this model still has years of support on the market, you won’t have to worry about what comes next for your network security.
SonicWall TZ480 Specs and Performance Breakdown
On the surface, the 480 comes with the promise of 4 Gbps firewall inspection throughput. This includes up to 2 Gbps threat prevention throughput and 2.2 Gbps IPS and application inspection performance.
However, regardless of the SonicWall Gen 8 firewalls you choose, there are plenty of features that are universal. A few examples pertain to things like secure SD-WAN, DNS protection, TLS 1.3 support, and Wi-Fi 6 firewall management. For a more streamlined look at the details, check out the specs listed in the table below.
| Specifications | SonicWall TZ480 |
|---|---|
| Operating System | SonicOS 8 |
| Firewall Inspection Throughput | 4 Gbps |
| Threat Prevention Throughput | 2 Gbps |
| App Inspection Throughput | 2.2 Gbps |
| IPS Throughput | 2.2 Gbps |
| TLS/SSL Inspection & Decryption Throughput | 650 Mbps |
| IPSec VPN Throughput | 2 Gbps |
| Max Connections (SPI) | 1,200,000 |
| Connections per Second | 18,000 |
| Site-to-Site VPN Tunnels | 200 |
| Storage | Up to 512 GB |
| Interfaces | 8 x 1GbE Cu 2 × 5G/2.5G/1G SFP+ 1 console (Micro-USB) 1 USB (type-C) |
Other highlights to focus on here include expandable storage, cellular failover, fast DPI, and a high connection capacity. When it comes to today’s network demands, it helps to focus on what strengthens the baseline capabilities of SonicWall firewall models.
Security Capabilities That Strengthen Firewall Solutions
SonicWall Gen 8 firewalls, including the 480 from the TZ series, provide layered advanced threat protection. This can be seen in more specific features like Capture ATP and Real-Time Deep Memory Inspection (RTDMI). Both of these are crucial for protecting against the likes of ransomware and zero-day threats.
In addition to that, unknown threats are analyzed in a cloud-based multi-engine sandbox. To your benefit, this blocks malware before it can even reach the network. Diving a bit more into TLS 1.3 and encrypted traffic inspection, these focus on secure scanning of SSL/SSH traffic.
More importantly, these features are able to do so without ever impacting overall performance. While this can all get very technical, it’s helpful to remember that centralized management is easier than ever with SonicWall firewall models.
This can be seen firsthand through the Network Security Manager (NSM). Better yet, not only is this relevant to firewall hardware, but it also simplifies management for switches and access points simultaneously. The combined scope here between firewall, SD-WAN, and endpoint security reduces complexity without cutting corners on the security measures your business network needs.
Use Cases for the SonicWall TZ480 Firewall
For starters, this is an excellent, entry-level option for small businesses in need of proper network segmentation and traffic management. Firewall solutions like this do well to support departmental VLANs, which are crucial for protecting critical data and isolating guest networks.
Whether you’re working in retail or healthcare sectors or simply need security for multiple locations, the 480 can get the job done. Moreover, you won’t have to worry about remaining compliant with regulatory standards in your industry. From an entirely in-house workforce to remote, VPN-heavy operations, this SonicWall next gen firewall can offer years of network support.
Is the SonicWall TZ480 the Right Firewall Solution for Your Business Network?
The answer to this question comes down to the exact needs behind your business network and operational goals. However, that aside, this is one of many SonicWall firewall solutions that promise enterprise-grade capabilities at the network edge. Below are a few steps you can take to make sure you end up with the right SonicWall TZ series firewall.
- Assess your network size and structure, such as the number of users, devices, and locations
- Evaluate bandwidth and traffic needs, which include current and projected loads
- Identify critical security needs like threat prevention, secure remote access, and intrusion detection
- Match features to use cases, such as VLANs, VPNs, and endpoint protection requirements
- Consider long-term growth and scalability to guarantee support for the future of your network
You also don’t have to go it alone with your decision-making, as managed services are always an option if you’d like some expert oversight. While in-house IT teams are still helpful in today’s world, they aren’t a necessity to get the network security your small business needs.
The Final Word
Among all of SonicWall’s firewall solutions, the 480 is a versatile and well-rounded option with small businesses in mind. It offers advanced threat protection, traffic segmentation, real-time threat containment, and the list goes on.
Centralized management makes it easy for smaller teams. Moreover, features like zero-touch deployment and encrypted traffic inspection are great for usability and scalability alike. At the end of the day, the team at Firewalls.com is always here when you need us. Give us a shout so we can help with determining if the TZ480 model is the right fit for your organization.
FAQ
What Types of Organizations Benefit Most From the SonicWall TZ480?
The 480 is ideal for small to mid-sized businesses, including retail chains, healthcare organizations, or any environment needing enterprise-grade firewall solutions.
What Security Features Does the TZ480 Offer?
It includes intrusion prevention, anti-virus, anti-malware, encrypted traffic inspection, Capture ATP, RTDMI, and cloud-based snabox analysis, to name a few.
Can the 480 Handle Remote Workforce and VPN-Heavy Operations?
Yes, it supports up to 200 site-to-site VPN tunnels, IPSec VPN throughput of 2 Gbps, and SSL VPN clients. This makes it more than suitable for secure remote access and high-volume VPN traffic.
How Does Centralized Management Simplify IT Operations?
Using Network Security Manager, the 480 firewall allows businesses to manage firewalls and other related network hardware, like switches and access points. This is all possible through a single interface, reducing complexity and long-term maintenance.
Is the SonicWall TZ480 Scalable for Future Network Growth?
Most definitely, with its high connection capacity, expandable storage, VLAN support, and seamless transition to larger models, it ensures you have an ongoing strategy for your growing network security demands.
