Open Source Firewalls - Firewall Services - Enterprise

In addition to our enterprise-grade hardware firewall offerings—Juniper SRX firewalls and Fortinet FortiGate firewalls—Micron21 provides clients with open source firewall solutions that offer flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

For organizations seeking a robust security posture without the investment in dedicated hardware, we offer our mCloud Firewall, which is provided free with all mCloud services and is based on OpenStack’s Neutron.

Alternatively, for clients requiring more advanced features, we can deploy a pfSense or OPNsense open source virtual firewall, offering a rich set of functionalities comparable to commercial solutions.

Distributed Firewall Service with OpenStack Neutron

Within our mCloud portal, users gain access to robust firewall services directly integrated into OpenStack’s Neutron networking services. This integration provides a distributed firewall service across each compute node, filtering traffic as close to the source instance (virtual machine) as possible

By doing so, we reduce networking bottlenecks and eliminate the single points of failure often associated with traditional centralized firewall services.

Security Groups and Stateful Filtering

Security groups within our mCloud portal provide stateful filtering, operating as a distributed firewall at the instance level. mCloud users can create and manage multiple security groups where rules can be dynamically applied based on the evolving state of the network.

You can add, edit, or delete firewall rules based on parameters like TCP, UDP, ICMP protocols, source and destination IP ranges, ports, and specify allow or deny actions for both egress and ingress traffic.

This flexibility ensures that your virtual machine instances remain secure from unwanted threats.

Advantages of mCloud’s Neutron Firewall

Distributed Architecture - By filtering traffic at each compute node, the Neutron firewall minimizes latency and prevents bottlenecks, enhancing overall network performance.
Scalability - The distributed nature of the firewall allows for seamless scaling as your infrastructure grows.
Cost-Effective - Included free with all mCloud services, providing essential security without additional costs.
Ease of Management - Manage firewall rules and security groups directly through the mCloud portal, simplifying network security administration.

Considerations

While the mCloud Neutron firewall provides essential security features suitable for many use cases, it offers basic functionality compared to more feature-rich solutions. Organizations requiring advanced security features or centralized management may want to look at dedicated firewall options instead.

pfSense and OPNsense Virtual Firewalls

For clients seeking a more feature-rich open source firewall solution, Micron21 offers deployment of pfSense or OPNsense virtual firewalls. Both pfSense and OPNsense are highly regarded in the industry for their robustness, flexibility, and extensive feature sets.

What Are pfSense and OPNsense?

pfSense - An open source firewall and router software based on FreeBSD. It offers a wide range of features including firewalling, routing, VPN, DHCP, DNS services, and more.
OPNsense - A fork of pfSense, also based on FreeBSD, offering similar functionalities with a focus on user-friendly interfaces and frequent updates.

Advanced Firewall Capabilities

Stateful packet inspection, NAT, and granular rule definition.

VPN Support

Includes support for various VPN technologies like IPsec, OpenVPN, and PPTP, allowing secure remote connectivity.

Intrusion Detection and Prevention

Integration with IDS/IPS systems like Snort or Suricata to detect and prevent malicious activities.

Traffic Shaping and QoS

Manage bandwidth and prioritize traffic to ensure optimal network performance.

Extensive Package System

Ability to install additional packages to extend functionality, such as antivirus, proxy servers, and monitoring tools.

User-Friendly Web Interface

Intuitive management interface for easy configuration and monitoring.

Centralized Firewall Architecture

Unlike the distributed nature of the Neutron firewall, pfSense and OPNsense operate as centralized firewalls. All network traffic passes through the firewall VM, allowing for comprehensive inspection and control.

Advantages of pfSense/OPNsense

Feature-Rich - Offers a wide array of advanced networking and security features comparable to commercial solutions.
Customization - Highly configurable to meet specific network requirements.
Comprehensive Logging and Reporting - Detailed logs and reporting capabilities for monitoring and auditing purposes.
Community Support - Backed by active communities providing support, updates, and a wealth of documentation.

Choosing Between mCloud Neutron Firewall and pfSense/OPNsense

mCloud Neutron Firewall is ideal for:

Clients seeking basic firewall functionality integrated seamlessly with their mCloud services.
Environments where distributed firewalling is preferred to minimize latency and avoid bottlenecks.
Organizations looking for a cost-effective solution without additional licensing costs.

pfSense/OPNsense Virtual Firewalls are suitable for:

Clients requiring advanced firewall features and greater control over network security policies
Environments where centralized management of firewall rules is desired.
Organizations needing additional functionality such as VPN services, intrusion detection, and traffic shaping.

Our support for Open Source Firewall Solutions

At Micron21, we understand that every organization’s security needs are unique. By offering both distributed and centralized open source firewall options, we provide the flexibility for clients to choose the solution that best aligns with their requirements.

Our team of experts can assist you in:

Assessing Your Needs - We help evaluate your security requirements to determine the most appropriate firewall solution.
Deployment and Configuration - Our specialists can deploy and configure pfSense or OPNsense virtual firewalls, tailoring settings to your environment.
Ongoing Support - We offer support and maintenance services to ensure your firewall operates optimally and remains up-to-date with the latest security patches.

Micron21 is committed to providing comprehensive firewall solutions that cater to a wide range of security needs and budgets.

Whether you opt for our enterprise-grade Juniper SRX or Fortinet FortiGate hardware firewalls, or explore the flexibility of open source options like mCloud’s Neutron firewall and pfSense/OPNsense, we have the expertise and resources to support your network security journey.