Using Security Gateways
Security gateways protect the connection between the external gateway and the internal network. The colored appliance ports show which side belongs where.
WAN and LAN ports
- Yellow ports are WAN: connect them directly to the main gateway.
- Blue ports are LAN: connect them to switches that provide access to servers.
Uplink → Gateway → Yellow WAN port → Security Gateway → Blue LAN port → Switch → Server
Disable the built-in firewall
When a dedicated security gateway is present, disable the firewall and other security services on the gateway in front of it.
Understand inspection capacity
Forwarding capacity and inspection capacity are not always equal. A security gateway may forward more traffic than its DPI engine can inspect. When inspection saturates, the appliance becomes a bottleneck.
| Function | Purpose |
|---|---|
| DPI | Analyzes traffic passing through the security gateway. |
| IPS / Threat | Detects and protects against threats; requires an additional license. |
| Scrub | Adds traffic filtering and protection; also requires an additional license. |
Pre-customer quick check
Confirm the WAN/LAN path, disable the upstream gateway firewall and security services, verify forwarding and inspection headroom, and ensure every required security feature is licensed.