Firewall guides · Australia
Firewall configuration by vendor
Choose your platform
Palo Alto
FortiGate
Sophos
Azure Firewall
AWS Network Firewall
UniFi
Where each platform usually fits
| Platform | Typical fit |
|---|---|
| Palo Alto | Larger and multi-site organisations; Regulated industries such as financial services and healthcare |
| FortiGate | Businesses replacing older Cisco ASA or earlier Fortinet appliances; Multi-site businesses wanting SD-WAN and firewall in one device |
| Sophos | Small and mid-sized businesses wanting simple management; Businesses already using Sophos Central or Intercept X |
| Azure Firewall | Businesses with servers or applications hosted in Azure; Hub-and-spoke Azure network designs |
| AWS Network Firewall | Businesses with servers or applications hosted in AWS; Multi-account AWS Organizations with central security |
| UniFi | Small offices, retail and hospitality sites; Branch offices where head office runs an enterprise firewall |
These are general patterns, not rules. The right choice depends on your users, sites, remote access, cloud use and the skills available to manage it.
Configuration matters more than the logo
Every platform on this list can protect a business well, and every one of them can be configured badly. The problems we find most often are the same across vendors: old and overly broad rules, remote access exposed to the internet, outdated firmware and no documentation.
If you are choosing a firewall, read the NGFW buyer's guide for Australia. If you want to understand the basics first, see what is a firewall and stateful vs stateless firewalls.
We configure and manage firewalls as a project or as part of managed IT security.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which firewall is best for a small or mid-sized business?
There is no single answer. FortiGate and Sophos are common choices for small and mid-sized businesses, Palo Alto for larger or regulated environments, UniFi for smaller sites already on UniFi networking, and Azure Firewall or AWS Network Firewall for cloud workloads.
Can you manage a firewall someone else installed?
Yes. We start with a review of the existing configuration, document it, fix the risky parts and then manage it from there.
Is firewall management part of managed IT?
Yes. Ongoing firewall, VPN and Wi-Fi management is included in our managed IT service. Reviews, redesigns and new sites can also be done as standalone projects.
Talk to us about your ERP or IT
Tell us where things stand and what is getting in the way. We will tell you plainly whether and how we can help.