I've been doing some research on network firewalls and wanted to better understand the different types available and when to use each. It seems like there are hardware-based, software-based, and cloud-based firewalls, each with their own pros and cons.
Hardware Firewalls: From what I gather, these are physical devices that sit between your network and the endpoints. They seem to offer robust protection and don't take up resources on client machines, but can be expensive and may require dedicated management.
Software Firewalls: These run on a system and seem to provide more customizable protection tailored for individual devices. However, since they use system resources, can they significantly affect performance on older machines?
Cloud Firewalls: This seems to be a newer option that offers scalability and is great for distributed workforces. Are there any specific challenges or limitations associated with them that I should be aware of?
I'm interested in understanding how to choose the right type of firewall for different scenarios, particularly for small to medium-sized businesses. Any insights on setup complexity, maintenance requirements, or integration with existing security protocols would be greatly appreciated.
What are some real-world experiences or best practices folks here can share?