Small Business Network Security Appliances

What you need to know in selecting small business network security appliance? Typically you require protecting your small business network by considering the following features:

• Firewall protection
• VPN capability
• Clean Wireless
• VLAN
• Other security features

Firewall control all the inbound / outbound traffic based on the security policy sets to meet your business need. All the traffic must flow through a single check point to assure they meet the security policy sets unless they will be dropped or denied. The capability of protecting your business information assets is very important. Firewall should be capable of detecting any false positive packets and other harmful packets.

VPN (virtual private network) capability helps your remote users create secure tunneling into your private network as if they were connecting locally. Or any remote site or branch offices can create secure site-to-site tunneling to support the inter site business communication.

Providing wireless access to the users is a big advantage to help users work away from their desk to keep productive. No wires needed for connecting to the private network. However, wireless connection is prone to eavesdropping by users within the wireless coverage without being convinced by a building. Therefore wireless connection must be protected with a strong security protection and encryption.

VLAN (virtual local area network) is the capability of segmenting the network virtually. This is typically used to segregate the network based on the security policy to meet your business need.

The figure 1 shows a typical network security diagram for small businesses which generally consists of the router, the firewall with DMZ (demilitarized zone) to let you host public resources securely separate from your private network, and some servers and client computers within the private network.

Today, small business network security appliances integrates the router; firewall with DMZ feature; switch and wireless access point into a single compact device.

The following list some of popular small business network security appliances you can find in the market place.

Cisco RV110W

Cisco RV110W is one of small business network security appliances designed for small businesses with affordable price.

Main features:

1. RV110W is small and compact device designed for small businesses with couple of small branch offices
2. Includes wireless N access point to provide wireless connectivity for mobile devices including laptops with Wifi, smart phones, iPad, etc
3. Supports secure remote access (VPN) for Windows / Mac
4. You can create VLANs for guests
5. Maximum 5 VPN connection

This is ideal for small offices that demand secure network device with affordable price.

Cisco RV120W

Another small business network security appliance you can consider for bigger volume of the office, consider Cisco RV120W.

Main features:

1. Like RV110W, this RV120W is also designed for small offices with small branch offices
2. Includes wireless N access point for wireless connectivity for your mobile devices
3. Supports native VPN for secure connection.
4. Supports QuickVPN – Cisco small business VPN software
5. Unlike RV110W, this one can support up to 10 VPN connection

Click here for manufacturer’s description and spec details (RV120W).

SonicWALL TZ100

The Sonicwall TZ100 is one of network security appliances you can consider to support your small business security protection. This one is robust network security appliance for small businesses.

Main features:

1. Affordable entry point high performance UTM (unified threat management)
2. Powered by wireless N high speed network with Virtual Access Points (VAPs) for virtual wireless network segmentations
3. Includes five Ethernet interfaces which are configurable for second LAN, a second WAN, a WLAN, a DMZ or other network zone, using SonicWALL PortShield
4. Unlike the other two network security appliances above, this TZ100 includes comprehensive security including Anti-Spam Service, Gateway Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, Intrusion and Prevention Service, Enforced Client Anti-Virus and Content Filtering Service (Premium Business Edition)
5. Supports SSL and IPSec VPN clients

Click here for Sonicwall TZ100 manufacturer description and specs.

Make sure in selecting small business network security appliances to meet your business need, easy to manage by your technical person and affordable for your growing business.

See also:

• Network security best practices – the guidelines
• NSA 240 Sonicwall Small Business Network Security
• Cisco RV220W small business router
• an example of risk assessment
• Business firewall – the security requirement for businesses