A firewall is like the bouncer of your network. It will check all the traffic that is entering your network. Most companies don’t give too much credit to the firewall.
The firewall will help you in protecting your network, data, and people from attackers. There are various different firewalls available in the market. You can even choose between a software and hardware firewall. However, if you are working with an IT services provider, then a managed firewall is the best option for you.
Experienced MSPs can like Bleuwire can help you in determining if you need a managed firewall or not. Thus, you can replace your firewall without any confusion.
They will tell you about all the relevant facts. In this article, we are going to talk about the managed firewall. This will help you in selecting the best firewall for your business.
Pricing of Managed Firewall:
The pricing of a managed firewall will ultimately depend on your business size. Also, it will be directly proportional to the number of people connected with your network.
You will pay anywhere from $150 to $300 per month. This cost will include different things like software updates and licensing costs. Your MSP will also ensure that your firewall is working properly. They will help you in operating your firewall efficiently.
Also, they will help you in determining the responses that you need to make when your firewall detects suspicious network traffic.
You also need to deal with one-time labor charges. Your MSP will install the equipment in your network. They will also transition your old network to the new technology. This will cost about $400-500 per site.
You can compare this pricing with a hardware and software firewall. A hardware firewall can be very costly. Also, you need to hire experts for installing and maintaining these firewalls. Thus, you need to invest some money in hiring IT professionals. The average salary of an IT professional ranges from $80k to $120k per annum. You also need to replace these firewalls after some time as they will break after some time.
Managed Firewall vs Hardware Firewall
It is difficult to choose between hardware and a managed firewall. If you are buying your own firewall, then it will become a capital expense as you need to replace it after every 3-5 years. Also, you need to pay licensing fees.
If you have access to a large and skilled IT team, then you can consider using a hardware firewall. Your IT team will have enough skills to install these firewalls.
However, they will still waste their valuable time in installing and maintaining these devices. Managed firewall services will help you in saving your IT team time. Thus, your IT department can focus on other important things like building your core products.
Benefits of Managed Firewall
There are various benefits of using a managed firewall. You don’t need to worry about buying any hardware. Also, you don’t need to worry about the renewal fees. You don’t need to worry about hiring any security professionals. Your MSP will help you in maintaining your firewall. Some of the main benefits of using a Managed Firewall are:
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No upfront costs
You don’t need to worry about buying any hardware. Thus, there are no upfront costs. All you are doing is leasing the firewall equipment. Thus, your MSP will take all the responsibility of maintaining the firewall. They will ensure that the firewall is working properly.
They will also help you in finding the best model for your IT environment. Not every firewall is going to be perfect for your system. You need proper knowledge for selecting the best firewall for your system. Your MSP already has access to an experienced IT team. Thus, they can help you in finding the best firewall model for your business.
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No License Renewal fees
If you are buying your own firewall, then you also need to deal with the annual license renewal fees. This fee will generally vary from $1000 to $2000.
If you are using a managed firewall service, then you don’t need to worry about this annual licensing fee. Your MSP will cover this fee for you. Also, you don’t need to worry about the ongoing maintenance costs. Your MSP will help you in maintaining your firewall. You don’t need to worry about maintaining your firewall equipment.
Also, they will cover your replacement costs. If your firewall is not working, then your partner will replace it.
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Access to IT security specialist
If you are using your own firewall, then your IT team must have good knowledge. They should know how to professionally manage, maintain, and implement your firewall system. Thus, you might need to hire the best IT security specialists available. There is already a scarcity of security specialists as it is a very tough field.
You might need to invest thousands of dollars in first finding good security professionals. After that, you need to invest hundreds of dollars in paying their heavy salary.
If you are working with an experienced MSP like Bleuwire, then you will also get access to their team of IT professionals. They have access to IT professionals who specialize in different fields. Some IT professionals are experts in handling software. Similarly, some IT professionals are experts in handling firewall.
They will help you in finding serious vulnerabilities in your network. Thus, you can fix your network before it gets breached. Experienced MSPs like Bleuwire can shield your business from cyber-attacks.
Conclusion
These are the main benefits of using a managed firewall. If you are an SMB owner, then you should consider working with a good MSP. Experienced MSPs like Bleuwire can help you in protecting your business from cyber threats. They will ensure that you are using the best security tools. Also, you will have access to a large IT team. They will help you in finding gaps in your security. If you need more information regarding the firewall, then you can contact Bleuwire.
Contact us today to learn about Bleuwire™ services and solutions in how we can help your business.