Hardware Or Cloud Firewalls: What Is Right For You?

I’m asked this question constantly from clients—particularly businesses that are looking to upgrade their cybersecurity posture and aren’t sure whether to use a hardware-based firewall or cloud-based solution. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It’s based on all sorts of things: budget, network complexity, compliance requirements, and the level of control you need.

I’ve been working in the field since the early ‘90s—when we were still doing PSTN voice and data routing, and firewalls were simple packet filters. I’ve witnessed the whole gamut of tech and trends. And trust me—picking the wrong firewall can be a bank-breaking mistake.

What Are Hardware Firewalls?

A hardware firewall is a device that sits between your internal network and the outside world and is filled with very sensitive logic to determine whether network traffic should be allowed or dropped based on defined criteria. It inspects, filters, and blocks traffic according to defined security policies. You have likely experienced or worked with appliances from Fortinet, Cisco, or Palo Alto Networks.

My initial experience with hardware firewalls started in the late ‘90s when proxy-based firewalls were commonplace. Back in those days, everything was on-premises, and you had physical control of everything — firewalls, switches, maybe even a rack bunch of modems talking to each other. Those setups are still found in enterprises, but they want cloud-driven replacements these days.

This is why companies still rely on hardware firewalls in 2024:

• Complete control of your security policies, rule sets, and configurations.
• High performance — dedicated hardware enables more rapid detection of advanced threats with very low latency.
• Not dependent on third-party cloud security providers (some sectors require this for compliance).
• SEGMENTATION— You can lock down the network very tightly using proper VLANs and firewalls internal to your network.

But…

• You need to manage and maintain them yourself (or you can hire someone like me to do this).
• Getting new hardware is pricey—if you outgrow it, you get a fresh box.
• This can make scaling complicated — particularly if your workforce is hybrid or remote.

What Are Cloud Firewalls?

A cloud firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules instead of a dedicated on-premise network device.

Did you ever use Cloudflare or Zscaler or a Fortinet Cloud firewall? These services run security policies in the cloud and automatically deploy them across your network or multiple locations without physical-hardware requirements.

For example, I recently assisted a financial services customer in moving away from hardware firewalls to a fully cloud-based Zero Trust model. They had three offices and a mostly remote workforce—deploying hardware at every site was impractical. Within two months, they had a centrally managed, scalable architecture that enforced security rules at every endpoint — including mobile devices.

Pros & Cons of Each

Hardware Firewalls

Pros:

• Dedicated performance (no need to rely on internet connection quality).
• Total control over rules and configurations.
• No dependency on a third-party.
• More suitable for LAN-heavy networks that generate a lot of internal traffic.

Cons:

• Upfront cost is high.
• Physical failure translates into downtime.
• Must be maintained and updated manually.
• Scaling is hard — do I have the same location? Buy another box.

Cloud Firewalls

Pros:

• Scales more easily — no physical appliances required.
• Security management centralized across many locations.
• Best for hybrid and remote teams—helps protect users wherever they are.
• Fully automatic activation of updates and threat intelligence – no manual patching.

Cons:

• Dependent on an internet connection — no internet, no security.
• Latency issues may happen (depends on provider and region).
• Limited influence on rulemaking (third party cloud policies).
• Recurring subscription fees rather than a single purchase.

Quick Take

🔹 Choose hardware if you want maximum control over your network, you need top-of-the-line performance, or you’re grappling with sensitive industry regulations.

🔹 Opt for cloud when you are scaling quickly, have a geo-distributed workforce, or want a managed security service that is updated constantly.

🔹 There is nothing wrong with a hybrid approach – a lot of places deploy a local hardware firewall for internal traffic and use the cloud security for web & remote access.

Joint Networks Fortinet DMZ Configuration

At PJ Networks, we can supply hardware or cloud-based Fortinet firewalls. If you are looking for the best NGFW (Next-Generation Firewall) solutions for an SMB or an enterprise taking care of many locations at once, Fortinet is one of the best.

• FortiGate Hardware Firewalls—For enterprises needing on-premise security appliances for maximum performance with high-speed and deep packet inspection (DPI).
• FortiGate Cloud Firewalls—Designed for organizations needing a scalable, centralized solution that operates seamlessly across multi-cloud infrastructures, remote users, and hybrid work environments.

I’ve personally rolled out Fortinet’s Zero Trust solutions in several banking environments — and it’s hands down the best platform for enforcing granular policy control at every network entry point. Fortinet simplifies life for those doing business in compliance-heavy industries (finance, healthcare, government).

Conclusion

So how do you decide which firewall to get?

• ✔ How your infrastructure looks (on-prem vs cloud-heavy environments).
• ✔ Your security needs (Do you want complete control? Or ease of management?).
• ✔ Your budget (CapEx vs. OpEx—you buy a firewall once or pay a monthly subscription?).
• ✔ Your scalability objectives (Are you growing? How fast?).

Both hardware and cloud firewalls have their place at the end of the day. While many businesses thrive in a cloud-first model, others require the reliability of these on-prem solutions. And some do both.

If I had to compare firewalls to anything, I always tell my clients—seatbelts in a car. There’s no one type of seatbelt that fits all situations. Racing? You require a five-point safety harness. Daily city drive? The typical seat belt gets the job done. Long road trip? Perhaps you require airbags and a fancy crash detection system?

Same goes for cybersecurity.

The answer lies in knowing your risk profile and infrastructure, as well as your business goals, before deciding on this. Because the firewall itself (whether hardware or cloud) is only part of the larger security puzzle.

Need help figuring it out? We’ve got you covered.