Hardware Versus Software Firewalls
The primary differentiator amid a hardware- and software- based firewall is the basal annex on
the operating systems they run on. Both can prove appropriately defended if the arrangement architecture and agreement are
impeccable. As apparent in the antecedent chapter, the software-based Cisco IOS Firewall technology is integrated
functionality central the Cisco IOS Software, thereby accouterment a stateful analysis firewall agent with
application-level intelligence. There are a brace of affidavit why accouterments firewalls are bigger than software
firewalls: accouterments firewalls are able-bodied and congenital accurately for the purpose of "firewalling," and they are less
vulnerable than software firewalls. Hence, accouterments firewalls accept an bend over software-based firewalls.
The Cisco Firewall technology provides a abundance of avant-garde aegis and networking casework for small-tomedium
enterprise and account provider networks, in a modular, purpose-built solution. Cisco hardware-based
firewall technology comes in three flavors:
PIX 500 Series Aegis Appliances
ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Aegis Appliances
Catalyst 6500 Series and Cisco 7600 Series Firewall Casework Module (FWSM)
Cisco Firewall technology solutions accommodate application-aware and agreement inspection, admission ascendancy and flowbased
policy enforcement, multi-vector advance protection, and defended connectivity casework through a advanced range
of affluent aegis and networking services. The afterward sections will briefly highlight appearance of anniversary platform.