NSS Labs’ comparative analysis of firewall products is based upon empirical data gathered during testing at the NSS facility in Austin, Texas. Testing was performed in accordance with to NSS Labs’ firewall methodology 4.0 available on nsslabstage.wpengine.com. The Firewall Comparative Analysis Report – Management was produced by NSS Analysts and engineers using hands-on testing of the management consoles provided by each vendor, in-depth review of the systems in conjunction with systems engineers (SE) or other representatives from the vendor companies, and responses to detailed questionnaires based on the testing methodology.

The goal of this report is to provide potential purchasers with in-depth empirical data and comparison points in order to assist in making the most appropriate purchasing decision for their particular enterprise. Security devices are complicated to deploy; essential systems such as centralized management console options, log aggregation, and event correlation/management systems only further complicate the purchasing decision. Understanding key comparison points will allow customers to model the overall impact on network service level agreements (SLAs), estimate operational resource requirements to maintain and manage the systems, and better evaluate required skills/competencies of staff.