How it Works
Hybrid mesh firewalls can be implemented using various form factors. Firewalls can be deployed as hardware firewalls, cloud firewalls, Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) offerings, or virtual firewalls.
The defining attribute that distinguishes a hybrid mesh firewall from an array of standalone solutions is the unified management. Typically hosted in the cloud, this links all of the firewalls together and enables the company to deploy enterprise-grade firewall capabilities across its IT infrastructure.
With hybrid mesh firewalls, an organization can deploy scalable, flexible, and unified firewall security across their entire estate. This includes protecting headquarters networks, public and private cloud infrastructures, remote workers, and branch locations.
The Need for Hybrid Mesh Firewall
Companies have rapidly grown more distributed in recent years. Cloud adoption has taken off, and the vast majority of organizations now have multi-cloud infrastructures spanning multiple providers’ environments. At the same time, the adoption of hybrid and remote work has resulted in a significant number of employees working from outside of the office.
All of these employees and IT assets need to be protected against cyber threats. However, backhauling traffic through the headquarters network for inspection and security enforcement is increasingly unworkable. The extra hop added by sending remote traffic through headquarters and then on to cloud-hosted Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions introduces network lag and performance issues, reducing employee productivity and Quality of Experience.
On the other hand, companies also can’t effectively manage and operate an array of standalone security solutions deployed at each of their IT locations. Disconnected security architectures are more expensive, cause alert overload, and make it much more difficult for security staff to enforce consistent security policies and effectively investigate and respond to security incidents.
Hybrid mesh firewalls provide companies with the tools that they need to effectively secure their distributed environments. A firewall mesh enables organizations to deploy security solutions at each location that needs protection. At the same time, unified management ensures that security teams have consistent visibility and control across all of their IT infrastructure and can effectively manage their firewall architecture from a single dashboard.
The Capabilities of a Hybrid Mesh Firewall
A hybrid mesh firewall takes an array of firewalls of various form factors and brings them under the aegis of a centralized, cloud-based management system. By doing so, it provides various benefits to the organization, including the following:
- Comprehensive Visibility: Hybrid mesh firewalls enable security personnel to operate a mesh of firewall solutions from a single dashboard. This provides comprehensive visibility into corporate IT traffic without the gaps created by siloed security solutions.
- Consistent Security: Centralized security management of the firewall architecture also makes it easier for an organization to enforce consistent security policies across the entire organization. Firewall configurations are centrally managed, enabling security personnel to easily review them and push out updates to the entire environment.
- Reduced Complexity: Managing an array of firewall solutions can be complex, resulting in poorer security and missed attacks. A hybrid mesh firewall is a single solution with a distributed footprint, making it easier and more efficient to manage.
- Enhanced Security: Hybrid mesh firewalls enable companies to deploy enterprise-grade firewall security capabilities across their entire environments. This reduces the risk of security gaps or workarounds that place the organization at risk of attack.
- Automation and AI: Hybrid mesh firewall solutions commonly incorporate support for automation and the use of AI and ML to identify and respond to potential threats. This increases the scalability of a security team’s efforts and enables them to more quickly and effectively respond to potential security threats.
Hybrid Mesh Firewall with Check Point
Corporate IT architectures are only growing more complex. With the rise of remote work, the Internet of Things (IoT), and other technological trends, a growing percentage of corporate employees and IT assets are moving outside of traditional perimeters. As corporate IT infrastructures grow more distributed, security becomes more complex.
A hybrid mesh firewall can help companies to manage their expanding threat landscapes. Check Point offers next-generation firewalls that enable integrated security management across an organization’s entire IT infrastructure. To see how a hybrid mesh firewall can enhance your organization’s network security, sign up for a Check Point NGFW demo today.
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