Navigating Microsoft Azure’s security landscape requires making numerous sophisticated choices. A critical decision among these is determining whether to utilize Azure’s Native Firewall or to take advantage of one of the numerous Vendor Virtual Appliances (VVAs) accessible in the Azure marketplace. In this blog, I try to explain the differences and help you make the right decision.
Azure Native Firewall
At its core, the Azure Firewall is a cloud-based network security service that offers managed protection for your Azure Virtual Network resources. As a native feature of Azure, it guarantees scalability, high availability, and seamless compatibility with other Azure services. Its primary functions include inbound and outbound filtering, threat intelligence-based filtering, and network traffic logging.
To expand its capabilities, Microsoft introduced Azure Firewall Premium. This superior version offers advanced features such as Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS), Transport Layer Security (TLS) inspection, and URL filtering.
Vendor Virtual Appliances
Vendor Virtual Appliances (VVAs) in Azure encompass many third-party security solutions available through the Azure marketplace. These include offerings from established vendors like Cisco, Fortinet, Check Point, Palo Alto Networks, and more. The spectrum of solutions extends from simple firewall services to sophisticated, full-featured security management platforms.
Azure Native Firewall: The Ideal Use Cases
Azure Native Firewall is a perfect fit for scenarios where deep integration with Azure, simplicity of use, and hands-off management are high priorities. Let’s unpack the situations when Azure Native Firewall may be your best bet:
- Deep Integration with Azure Services: Azure Firewall seamlessly blends with Azure services like Azure Monitor, Azure Security Center, and Azure Sentinel. This makes it an excellent choice for environments deeply entrenched in Azure, offering a unified and streamlined user experience
- Automated Scaling and Availability: Azure Firewall automatically scales based on your network traffic loads and offers high availability. This means you can say goodbye to the overhead and complexity of manual scaling and availability management
- Hands-Off Infrastructure Management: Azure Firewall’s status as a managed service means Azure handles the underlying infrastructure, allowing your resources to focus on other essential areas of your operations
- Predictable Costing: Unlike traditional security solutions that require dedicated virtual machine resources, Azure Firewall operates on a “data processed” cost model. This delivers predictability and control over your expenses
- Azure Firewall Premium for Advanced Security: If your security requirements are more demanding, Azure Firewall Premium adds features like IDPS, TLS inspection, and URL filtering to your toolbox
- Central Management: Whether you opt for the standard Azure Firewall or its Premium iteration, you can manage the service centrally via Azure Policy and Azure Resource Manager, delivering an integrated, cohesive experience within the Azure ecosystem
Vendor Virtual Appliances: The Ideal Use Cases
While Azure Native Firewall offers an excellent solution for many, VVAs are more appropriate in certain situations. Specifically, Vendor Virtual Appliances (VVAs) shine when you need advanced security features and custom configurations or wish to achieve consistency with your on-premise security solutions. Additionally, they are a valuable asset when complex or dynamic routing is required.
Consider VVAs when:
- Advanced Security Features: Many VVAs have security features beyond Azure Firewall’s offerings. Features such as Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Secure Web Gateways, and Advanced Threat Protection might be essential for your specific business needs
- Vendor Consistency: Maintaining consistency across platforms is often a priority for organizations already using specific vendors’ products in their on-premise or other environments. In these cases, choosing a VVA from the same vendor is logical
- Custom Configuration: If you require extensive customization options that aren’t available with Azure Firewall, a VVA may be the preferred choice
- Multi-cloud or Hybrid Environments: If your environment extends across multiple cloud providers or includes on-premise resources, a VVA bridging these environments can ensure a consistent and unified security policy across all your help
- Complex or Dynamic Routing Requirements: Azure Firewall supports only static routing. For environments with complex or dynamic routing requirements, VVAs are often the better choice
- Advanced Logging and Analytics: While Azure Firewall offers integrated logging with Azure Monitor, VVAs often feature robust logging and analytics capabilities, which may provide more insights or better compatibility with your existing log analysis tools
Conclusion
The choice between the Azure Native Firewall and Vendor Virtual Appliances is ultimately a delicate balancing act, hinging on your needs, current infrastructure, and security requirements. While Azure Firewall offers simplicity, scalability, and tight Azure integration, VVAs come packed with advanced features and high customizability and provide the ability to maintain consistent security across diverse environments.
The key to making the right decision is carefully evaluating your needs. Weigh the pros and cons of each option, and align your choice with your overarching business goals and objectives. With the correct information, you can make a confident and informed decision that will shape the security landscape of your organization for the better.
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