WatchGuard Firebox X Edge: Key Features and Security Benefits Revealed

The difference between a consumer firewall and a commercial-grade SOHO firewall is in the features. Both should be easy to configure and have robust security features, but your average consumer rarely needs to support remote access IPsec VPN, LAN-to-LAN IPsec VPN, inbound and outbound filtering, detailed logging and failover. . . . The difference between a consumer firewall and a commercial-grade SOHO firewall is in the features. Both should be easy to configure and have robust security features, but your average consumer rarely needs to support remote access IPsec VPN, LAN-to-LAN IPsec VPN, inbound and outbound filtering, detailed logging and failover. WatchGuard's Firebox X Edge contains all these features, plus an eight-port switch and WAN failover, URL filtering and a DMZ network.

I tested the Firebox X Edge in our Secure Enterprise Real-World Labs® at Syracuse University and in my home office using Verizon's DSL service. I was impressed with the device's capabilities, but surprised that the Firebox X Edge doesn't offer any of the application proxy features that WatchGuard Fireboxes are known for. At minimum, support for commonly used protocols like HTTP and SMTP should be included.

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