Select a router or a firewall? Discuss Security Router

Generally, vrouters and firewalls are two different concepts, which can be understood literally. But now there are more and more vro functions. One of the most important functions is the security protection function. This is what we call the security router. It integrates security functions such as firewall and VPN, this makes it easy to think of the difference between the firewall and the security router:

A firewall is a dedicated network security device. It uses a comprehensive network technology and is a level set between a protected network and an external untrusted network, it is used to separate protected networks from external network systems to prevent unpredictable malicious intrusion. It is the only portal for information between different networks or network security domains. It can control inbound and outbound information flows according to the corresponding security policies to prevent illegal information from flowing into the protected network.

A security router is usually a network security device that integrates the conventional routing and network security functions. It is also a router, mainly responsible for Routing Switching tasks in the network, but more security features are available, including built-in firewall modules. In general, high-performance security routers have the following main functions:

1) Network Interconnection

The router is a network-layer datagram. A high-performance security router can not only interconnect different LAN, but also interconnect the LAN and WAN as well as the WAN and wan. To achieve network interconnection, the router must be able to perform the following functions: Address ing, data conversion, route selection, and protocol conversion.

2) network isolation

The router can not only be based on the LAN address and protocol type, but also can be based on the network number, host network address, address mask, data type such as high-level protocol is file transfer, remote login or email) to monitor, intercept, and filter information. The bridge can only isolate information based on the LAN address and protocol type. Therefore, vrouters have stronger network isolation capabilities. This isolation function not only avoids broadcast storms, improves network performance, but also improves network security and confidentiality. Because the networks connected by routers are independent of each other, it is easy to divide a large network to manage and maintain several independent parts. Therefore, modern networking technology often uses routers, and many security and management work is also implemented on routers, such as Firewall on routers ).

3) Traffic Control

Vrouters can have strong traffic control capabilities. They can use Optimized Routing Algorithms to balance network loads, effectively controlling congestion and avoiding network performance degradation due to congestion.

4) network and information security maintenance

The vro provides security protection for the vro itself and connected networks by means of identity authentication, encrypted transmission, and grouping filtering. It also provides security management functions for inbound and outbound network information, includes Security Audit, tracking, alarm, and key management.

Therefore, we can say that the firewall works in a large network and becomes the main security device in the network, which is mainly arranged at the interfaces of one network or subnet and another network, ensure the security of the entire network. The security router is mainly used in the network center of small and medium-sized enterprises. It undertakes the main routing functions while taking into account network security. However, the overall network performance of the entire device cannot be degraded due to security functions. That is to say, security is an auxiliary function of the security router. In small and medium networks, the deployment of security routers makes the firewall a device configured in the router, so there is no need to deploy the firewall. However, in a large network, the two are completely different security devices.

Although it seems from the current situation that it is not possible to replace the firewall with a security router, the development momentum of the security router is quite strong, and many router manufacturers are willing to make a big fuss about the router, constantly improve various vro technologies and add new technologies. What these manufacturers want to do is to break through the concept of a traditional router. A router is not a network connection device in the traditional sense, it is a high-tech, high-quality, and humanized security product that organically integrates various security technologies. According to the actual market results, security routers are not only favored by small and medium-sized enterprises. More importantly, many home users also adopt such security routers.

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