Network Security, Firewalls, and VPNs

Chapter 2. Firewall Fundamentals

TO SOME NETWORK ADMINISTRATORS, A FIREWALL is the key component of their infrastructure's security. To others, a firewall is a hassle and a barrier to accomplishing essential tasks. In most cases, the negative view of firewalls stems from a basic misunderstanding of the nature of firewalls and how they work. This chapter will help dispel this confusion.

This chapter clearly defines the fundamentals of firewalls. These include what a firewall is, what a firewall does, how it performs these tasks, why firewalls are necessary, the various firewall types, and filtering mechanisms. Once you understand these fundamentals of firewalls, you will able to look beyond the unschooled opinions, common mythology, and marketing ...