Firewall, What Is It?

What is it?

A firewall is a device that secures the network, restricting traffic to the internet and to the local network. It works by blocking or allowing access according to predefined rules. Its operation helps prevent malicious actions and stop any user from performing unauthorized actions.

How Firewalls work

Firewalls can be seen as barriers, funneling traffic so that each piece of information passing through can be analyzed. This way, it decides what’s considered safe or dangerous. The main goal of a firewall is to protect devices connected to the local network from threats present on the internet (Ransomware, Spyware, Viruses, and Botnets).

Types of Firewall

ACT Tecnologia has three firewall options available in its cybersecurity portfolio. Each solution has characteristics to meet the specific needs of each company/segment.

Why are firewalls important?

The ease of access through the internet allows companies to carry out banking transactions, file sharing, and access to ERP systems. Unprotected networks are vulnerable to malicious actors and can expose private information. Firewall tools are able to act proactively, inspecting all network access, thus protecting the network against cybercriminals.

Besides security, what other functions does a firewall have

Firewalls were created to inspect network traffic, ensuring secure access. However, they’ve taken on other functions to keep the network stable and available.

Smart internet link balancing: they allow the use of more than one internet link, operating intelligently in case of provider failures.

Connection to cloud structures: the connection between local and cloud environments can be made through firewall solutions. Learn more about SD-WAN here

Network segmentation: segmenting the corporate network from the guest network is essential to ensure protection.

Antivirus protection: they’re able to identify and block viruses circulating on the network, preventing them from reaching computers on the network.

Remote connection: allowing secure access for employees who work remotely or clients who need to use internal company resources.

ACT Tecnologia is an official partner of the best Firewall solutions on the market, recognized for delivering solutions that make a difference in day-to-day corporate operations. Get in touch and schedule a test of our solutions.

Discover the Importance of Equipment Monitoring in Your Company

As technology advances, the number of devices connected to the network keeps growing. In the corporate world, various pieces of equipment carry out different activities, and knowing their status and how they’re performing makes a huge difference when it comes to productivity.

One of the requirements for keeping equipment running well in general is preventive and recurring maintenance. Through monitoring, it’s possible to obtain strategic information, making it easier to schedule maintenance and reduce downtime.

Resolution time for potential problems drops drastically. Thanks to monitoring, an error is noticed the moment it occurs, which greatly reduces MTTR (Mean Time To Resolve).

One example is that, in Industry 4.0, IoT devices that monitor machines and environments detect anomalies through sensors connected to management software. In the field of information technology, servers, network devices, and even workstations are monitored, collecting performance, storage, and network usage data.

Therefore, monitoring is essential for the proper functioning of the IT environment, helping with decision-making as well as contributing to more rational use of resources.

Main advantages of equipment monitoring:

– Cost reduction;
– Failure prevention;
– Efficient support;
– Increased productivity;
– Longer equipment lifespan;
– Better performance;
– Metrics.

Equipment monitoring is a powerful tool, but it requires a good team of trained, experienced technicians. All of ACT Tecnologia’s services are monitored, ensuring availability and performance. It also relies on a proactive support team.

Interested? Get in touch with us for a conversation! We specialize in several technology services, such as:

– Telephony Management Solutions;
– Infrastructure and Datacenter;
– Training and Consulting;
– Cybersecurity Consulting;
– Cloud;
– Networks.

SD-WAN: How to Ensure High Availability for Cloud Service Access

As cloud solutions evolve, delivering high availability and performance are the biggest challenges. Networking teams need to prepare to meet the demands of SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) and IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service); as a result, software-defined networks become essential to ensure user satisfaction when consuming these services.

In the traditional model, all corporate resources (ERP Server, CRM Server, File Server, Email Server…) are hosted internally at the company, and for external access needs, MPLS and VPN resources are used. However, cloud computing services have brought cost reduction and reliability to companies that migrated their infrastructure. On the other hand, the complexity and cost of traditional networks have increased, especially to ensure secure access to cloud environments.

The SD-WAN model aims to simplify the connection between headquarters and branch offices, as well as provide fast connectivity to cloud environments, allowing devices from different manufacturers to communicate seamlessly.

Source: Fortinet – https://fortinet.com/br

The main advantages include:

1 – Improved application access performance.

2 – Focus on the user experience when using software-as-a-service (SaaS) and public cloud applications.

3 – Reduced complexity, making network management easier.

4 – Cost optimization through compatibility with multiple paths, for example: MPLS, 4G/5G, broadband, dedicated links, and other connection types.

With the shift in how companies manage themselves, the consumption of cloud applications has been growing more and more, which makes the SD-WAN model even more suitable, since optimizing resource use and information security are essential.

Benefits of SD-WAN

1 – High availability of access to services;

2 – Multiple links for accessing resources;

3 – Finding the best path to access applications;

4 – Secure traffic on the broadband internet and cloud environment;

5 – Easy expansion;

6 – Simplified management.

How to get started with SD-WAN

The strategy for an SD-WAN environment is tied to how resources hosted in the cloud should be accessed. In environments where the ERP system and email are cloud-based, you should look for at least two internet link options and a Firewall solution capable of identifying the best path to reach the applications, considering latency and bandwidth. All of this is to ensure the best user experience when consuming these resources. If the company operates in a headquarters-branch model, connectivity should be considered both between locations and to the cloud, always looking for the best path.

ACT Tecnologia is a Fortinet partner, a leader in SD-WAN solutions. Interested? Get in touch with us for a conversation!