How an FWaaS (Firewall as a Service) is Simplifying Your Business Security

Feel like managing firewalls is just another headache for an already overstretched IT department? You’re not alone. I’ve been in this game since the early ‘90s—back when networking was all about punch-down blocks and coaxial cables. Firewalls were primitive then, but so were security threats? Not so much.

Fast forward to the present, and companies are awash in security solutions, all offering the latest AI-hyperbolic panacea in cybersecurity (don’t get me started on that one). The truth? In fact, most enterprises just want a solid, flexible firewall solution that doesn’t necessitate their IT team to turn into full-time security experts.

Enter Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)—a cloud-based model that takes the complexity out of traditional firewall management and offloads it with enterprise-grade security and zero-touch maintenance.

What is FWaaS?

The simplest way to look at this as FWaaS denotes a firewall hosted in the cloud that ensures protection without the need for on-premise hardware firewalls. Instead of purchasing, installing, and maintaining a physical appliance (and all the patching, updating, and rule manipulation that comes with it), you subscribe to a virtual firewall that protects your network constantly — regardless of where your users are.

I’ve been setting up firewalls for companies for years, and I can say this for sure: firewalls, when misconfigured, are one of the biggest security risks on the planet. The risk drops considerably, however, with FWaaS because professionals (who eat, sleep and breathe network security) take care of it for you.

Advantages of Cloud-Based Firewalls

So what is causing this exodus to FWaaS? That’s because it is simpler, quicker, and safer. Classic hardware firewalls may still be used by some, but for many modern enterprises — especially those with remote working and multi-cloud strategies — the cloud-native approach to security simply makes more sense.

• Scalability: And there is no risk of hardware being a bottleneck. Your security is scalable with your business.
• Always Up-to-Date: No patches, firmware updates, or stale rule sets to contend with.
• Centralized Management: The one dashboard to rule them all, no matter how many locations or remote workers.
• Zero Trust Compatibility: Just implemented zero-trust security for three banks and FWaaS made it significantly easier to enforce least-privilege access across users and locations.
• Protecting Outside of the Office: Your security follows your users, be it the office, a coffee shop, or the other side of the world.
• Protection from DDoS and Advanced Threats: The best FWaaS vendors include threat intelligence as part of their offering — safeguarding your business from all but the most complex of attacks before they are even able to reach your network.

Oh, and one more: cost savings. No hardware to replace and no hidden maintenance fees, no people needed to staff a 24/7 firewall and just predictable monthly pricing.

Who Needs FWaaS?

Not everyone does. If you’re a small business with one location and few remote employees? A conventional firewall might do the trick. However, if you fall into any of these categories… you need to consider FWaaS seriously:

1. You have a remote workforce. If your employees work from home, travel, or work from multiple locations, you need security that follows them everywhere.
2. You use cloud apps regularly. Whether it’s AWS, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, SaaS tools—if you’re utilizing cloud services then you need your firewall to live in the cloud.
3. You’re pissed off about managing firewall rules and VPNs. Believe me, I’ve been there. Setting up site-to-site VPNs and tweaking firewall rules are not only a time-suck, but also create massive security holes if not done properly.
4. You need enterprise-grade security. FWaaS is enterprise-grade cybersecurity, without the need for in-house security specialists.
5. You want to adopt Zero Trust. (And trust me, you should.) This can reduce the risks of unauthorized access and improve security.

Fortinet FWaaS Solutions by PJ Networks

And we here at PJ Networks have seen how heavy firewalls can suck IT teams down. That complication can be lifted off of your plate with our cloud-managed Fortinet FWaaS that offers:

• 24/7 Threat Monitoring. Stop attacks before they occur—real-time threat intelligence feeds, in which you gain the most recent updates against attacks, improve your network safety.
• Supports Zero Trust Architecture. We have been deployed in several banks—this is serious security.
• Scalable Security. From startup to enterprise, our FWaaS scales as you grow.
• No More Manual Updates. Security patches? Firmware upgrades? We handle it all.
• Web Filtering and Application Control. Protect your users from phishing, malware, and shadow IT threats.

And the best part? You don’t have to do any of that.

Quick Take

Consider FWaaS to be the future of firewall security. Easy to deploy. Always up-to-date. Secure from anywhere. Are you done wrangling hardware firewalls and maintaining complex rule sets?

Things to Remember:

• Old-style firewalls are failing remote workers and cloud-based services.
• FWaaS analyzes and optimizes the flow of traffic which minimizes risks of data exfiltration, vulnerabilities, and misconfiguration.
• Scalability matters. When your company expands, your firewall should scale too.
• Zero Trust principles are no longer an option—FWaaS provides a path to zero trust.

Conclusion

The thing is, firewall security shouldn’t be rocket science. But for far too long it has been. Businesses face a choice between legacy hardware firewalls that are still cutting-edge in their day-to-day operational requirements, or unnecessarily complicated enterprise-grade solutions that assume a full-time network security staff. FWaaS flips the script.

So, instead of having to manage on-premise firewalls, you get enterprise-grade security with zero maintenance. No rule juggling, no firmware updates, not wondering if your firewall is up-to-date enough to defend against the newest threats. Only powerful, cloud-powered security that works.

I’ve worked with firewalls my whole career — from the Slammer worm era, through the rise of cloud networks, and now into a world of firewalls in the cloud. But believe me — this is the future. FWaaS is the way ahead if your business requires trusted, no-nonsense protection with minimum hassle.

Not sure FWaaS is right for your business? Let’s talk. At PJ Networks, we’ve assisted businesses, from startups to major financial institutions, to secure their networks without hassle when deploying firewalls. Let’s do the same for you.