The Hyperscale Data Center Era Requires a Hyperscale-Ready Firewall

Today’s NGFW is expected to deliver a full range of tightly integrated network and security functions, at the scale and performance of demanding hyperscale environments.

The transition from 4G to 5G promises huge potential for more efficient systems, the more rapid delivery of increasingly rich media, and a host of new applications and services still unseen that will benefit users and providers equally. But security is lagging from traditional security vendors still relying on off-the-shelf processors to power their devices.

Mobile network operators (MNOs) need a solution that can ensure security and business continuity as 4G expands and they evolve their services to include 5G. The evolution of 4G and the introduction of 5G create the perfect storm for new levels of security performance and hyperscale needed to support the exploding number of devices connected to the mobile network. New security performance and scalability standards will need to be met to support the hyperconnected world where users talk to users and machines, where machine to machine communication becomes the norm, and data processing, decision-making, and transactions – often involving massive amounts of data – are measured in microseconds.

Likewise, mobile users adopting broadband wireless in 5G want very quick downloads of rich media, a very fast gaming experience, and the ability to generate ad hoc edge networks. Service providers need security solutions like the FortiGate 4400F to support and secure their massively scalable networks while ensuring fast user connection setup and the lowest possible latency. If not, the user experience will suffer, and revenue loss will follow as customers abandon the provider. 

Why Fortinet?

Fortinet already has two purpose-built SPUs (Security Processing Units) in place that power our security hardware, with a hybrid processor designed just for SD-WAN. Our Fortinet content processors (CPs) are designed to accelerate critical security functions, such as inspecting encrypted traffic, and our network processors (NPs) accelerate networking functions. And these aren’t just fledgling solutions. This year, we also released our 7th generation network processor (the NP7). The first FortiGate NGFW solutions powered by NP7 were released soon after, as the FG-1800F and FG-4200F.

More recently came the Fortinet FortiGate 4400F, which also makes full use of the NP7, and continues our commitment to delivering SPU-powered products capable of providing the fuel needed for digital innovation. It is positioned to support the most processor-intensive security environments of today – environments that will quickly become the norm of tomorrow.