TechRadar Verdict
Barracuda CloudGen Firewall is a smart and robust security package that updates the age-old concept of firewalls for the demands of 21st-century cyber security.
Pros
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Advanced security
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Smart, learning-based threat management
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Flexible deployment options
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Trial available
Cons
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It takes some time to get used to an array of options
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Approximate pricing information unavailable
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Barracuda Networks is a US-based company focused on security, networking, and cloud services. In line with this mission, its flagship cybersecurity product is Barracuda CloudGen Firewall which promises comprehensive protection for the user’s cloud and hybrid networks. This is made possible via a firewall that is custom-built for the cloud while residing in it at the same time. Do they deliver on this promise? Let’s see if Barracuda has some bite in practice.
Barracuda CloudGen Firewall Security Features
Barracuda CloudGen Firewall is marketed as going beyond the next-generation firewalls, whatever that means. In any case, you’ll get multi-layered security packaged for both cloud and hybrid networks. At its core is the Advanced Threat Protection engine that is hosted on the cloud and tasked with blocking various cyber threats, from zero-day ones to targeted attacks such as ransomware.
Barracuda CloudGen Firewall is big on speed, relying on its access to a global threat intelligence network that gathers data from literally millions of so-called protection points. In addition to being agile with threat detection, Barracuda will utilize this data to give you a truly global level of coverage when it comes to tracking down the sources of threats.
The information gathered on these threats encompasses vulnerabilities, network threats, and exploits such as viruses, trojans, spyware, worms, SQL injections, cross-site scripting, denial of service attacks, etc.
Advanced Threat Protection is a sandboxing system that supports intelligent threat detection based on learning. It will get rid of any danger that manages to pass the security layers without being evaluated as safe. Once it does that, the system sends this information to the preceding security layers and provides them with the intelligence on the threat that can be put to use proactively the next time the Firewall encounters the same threat. The system also packs spyware and botnet protection that manages all connection requests and redirects traffic away from dangerous servers and sites.
Apart from helping you with security, this will give you a hand with preserving optimal performance levels as the need for resource-demanding threat management operations will be minimized as time goes on.
Barracuda CloudGen Firewall also utilizes Quality of Service technologies that include the shaping and prioritization of traffic. The bandwidth partitioning helps you define bandwidth limits for different types of traffic. All of the security features including URL filtering, virus protection, IPS, and Advanced Threat Protection can be implemented for the SSL encrypted traffic, with an option to define the SSL inspection and Interception level for particular users and networks.
Usability
Barracuda CloudGen Firewall is aimed at all organizations in need of an advanced security platform that can be deployed on-site i.e. at the physical locations as well as with Microsoft Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud Platforms. This is particularly relevant to the organizations that run dispersed networks, multiple cloud environments, distributed sites, and have an army of remote users to boot
Organizations in need of secure remote access to corporate resources from any location will find much to love with Barracuda CloudGen Firewall. It is enough for them to provide user credentials to secure their virtual pathways to the resources they need in everyday business. With Barracuda Firewall, can provide all off-network users with a single platform for enforcing an integral security policy for various remote access connection points.
To support easier deployment, Barracuda CloudGen Firewall will provide users with an array of APIs and templates. The Zero-Touch Deployment is particularly helpful when the site you need to cover lacks the appropriate technical personnel. In addition, multiple locations and clouds can be connected with the help of Barracuda’s dedicated SD-WAN. This eliminates the need to acquire a separate SD-WAN for every distributed location.
Finally, being able to control network access down to a level of a single site with the help of the URL filtering feature makes it easier to optimize the productivity of your workforce. Yes, you can reduce access to the resources and content that are not conducive to performing regular work tasks.
Cisco Umbrella Management Features
The Barracuda Firewall Control Center is a hub for administering and managing all system features via a single pane of glass.
No matter how dispersed your firewalls are, you can simultaneously manage them across the deployments as well as configure everything relevant to their updates and licenses.
This task is made more manageable via a superb and user-friendly GUI that sends to you the desired section in seconds. The dashboard also allows you to track all traffic that is monitored in real-time.
All notifications and information on the status of remote gateways can be easily accessed and audited. Individual sessions for each device can be monitored and logged as the foundations for defining future security policies and configuring the features you need.
Yet, no matter how accessible the system really is, Barracuda CloudGen Firewall may seem daunting to the less experienced users who are likely to find its numerous options a bit overwhelming at first, no matter how meaningful these are.
On the other hand, administrators need to define the rules for each endpoint, considering that Barracuda will not attempt to presume to know what’s best for you. This eases up the laying down of appropriate security policies, but the lack of initial hand-holding will take some time to get used to.
Pricing
Barracuda is a bit more cryptic when it comes to its pricing model. To get an overview of what you need to spend on it, you have to “build” your price by answering multiple questions. Barracuda will want you to tell them where your users, apps, and data are located, how many users you need, what you want to connect, whether you run multiple offices or a single location, or if you use SaaS applications and public cloud apps, etc.
This approach is commendable for its focus on getting as detailed pricing as possible, but getting at least an approximation of its price levels in advance would work as well.
In any case, you can register for a free trial and decide if Barracuda works for you.
Our Verdict
Barracuda CloudGen Firewall is a smart and robust security package that updates the age-old concept of firewalls for the demands of 21st-century cyber security. This primarily refers to the flexibility of its deployment options, an advanced threat management system capable of learning, and the need to provide equal levels of security across the distributed sites and for the increasingly mobile workforce. If you are in need of these features in an attractive and highly accessible package, look no further than Barracuda.
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