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Securing the Cloud: How Firewalls are Changing in the Era of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has led to some changes in how firewalls are used and deployed. Some of the ways cloud computing is changing firewalls include:

Shift to cloud-based firewalls: With more organizations moving their infrastructure and applications to the cloud, there is a growing need for cloud-based firewalls that can protect these resources. Cloud-based firewalls can be managed and configured remotely, making them more convenient and scalable than traditional on-premises firewalls.
Increase in the use of software-defined firewalls: Cloud infrastructure is highly dynamic, and traditional firewalls may not be able to keep up with the pace of change. Software-defined firewalls, on the other hand, can be more easily integrated with cloud-based infrastructure and can be managed and configured programmatically, making them more suitable for cloud environments.
Greater focus on security at the network edge: Cloud environments often require a distributed network architecture, with resources spread across multiple locations. This makes it important to secure the network edge, where traffic enters and exits the cloud environment. Firewalls can play an important role in securing the network edge and protecting against external threats.
Changes in the type of threats: Cloud computing brings new challenges, such as the need to protect against attacks on the application layer, and the emergence of new types of threats, such as those that target cloud-based infrastructure specifically. This means that firewalls need to be able to detect and prevent these new types of threats.
Greater emphasis on compliance: Cloud-based resources are often subject to various compliance requirements, such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS and SOC2. Firewalls can play an important role in ensuring that cloud-based resources comply with these requirements by monitoring and controlling access to sensitive data.

Overall, Cloud computing is changing the way firewalls are used, and it requires a different approach to security, which is more dynamic, programmable and focused on network edge protection.

How to Choose the Right Firewall for Your Business

When sizing a firewall for an office, there are several key factors to consider:

Network traffic: The first step is to determine the amount of network traffic that will be passing through the firewall. This can include both incoming and outgoing traffic, as well as internal traffic within the office. This will help to determine the processing power and memory required for the firewall.
Number of users: The number of users in the office will also have an impact on the size of the firewall required. A larger number of users will require a firewall with more capacity to handle the increased traffic and number of connections.
Types of applications and services: The types of applications and services that will be running in the office will also have an impact on the size of the firewall. For example, if the office is running a lot of video conferencing or streaming services, a firewall with more bandwidth and processing power will be required.
Security requirements: The security requirements of the office will also impact the size of the firewall required. For example, if the office needs to comply with specific regulations such as HIPAA, a firewall with advanced security features, such as intrusion prevention and malware protection will be required.
Network architecture: The network architecture of the office will also play a role in determining the size of the firewall required. For example, if the office is using a distributed network architecture, with resources spread across multiple locations, a firewall with the ability to secure the network edge will be required.
Future growth: It’s also important to consider future growth and expansion of the office, so the firewall should have the ability to handle additional traffic and users as the office grows.

Once you have considered these factors, you can then use this information to select a firewall that is appropriately sized for your office. It’s also important to work with a vendor or a security expert to ensure that the firewall you choose will meet your needs, and can be integrated with your network infrastructure and security systems.

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Firewall Vs Next-generation Firewall(NGFW)

A firewall is a security system for the network that follows pre-determined security rules to monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic. Which types of traffic are allowed and which are not are defined by these rules. A firewall can be software-based, hardware-based, or a combination of both.

Hardware-based firewalls are physical devices that are installed between a network and the internet. They can be standalone appliances or they can be integrated into other networking equipment, such as routers or switches. Hardware-based firewalls are generally considered more secure than software-based firewalls, as they are dedicated devices that are specifically designed for this purpose. However, they can be more expensive and may require additional maintenance.

Software-based firewalls are installed on individual devices, such as computers or servers. They can be configured to protect a single device or a group of devices on a network. Software-based firewalls are generally easier to install and maintain than hardware-based firewalls, but they may not provide as much protection, as they are dependent on the resources of the device on which they are installed.

Firewalls are designed to protect a network from malicious or unauthorized access. They do this by inspecting incoming and outgoing traffic and allowing or blocking it based on the security rules that have been configured. Firewalls can block traffic based on a variety of criteria, such as the source or destination of the traffic, the type of traffic, or the port number.

A next-generation firewall (NGFW) is a firewall that is able to perform deep packet inspection, which means that it can inspect the contents of network traffic at the application layer, in addition to the network and transport layers. This allows an NGFW to identify and block malicious traffic that traditional firewalls might not be able to detect.

NGFWs also often include additional security features, such as intrusion prevention, application control, and advanced threat protection. These features allow an NGFW to provide a higher level of security than traditional firewalls. For example, an NGFW can detect and block malware or ransomware, or it can block access to malicious websites.

In summary, a firewall is a network security system that controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined security rules. A next-generation firewall is a firewall that is able to perform deep packet inspection and includes additional security features to provide a higher level of protection.

What is intrusion prevention in Firewalls

Intrusion prevention is a security feature that is designed to detect and prevent unauthorized access to a network or system. It is often included as a part of a firewall or other security system.

Intrusion prevention works by monitoring network traffic for signs of potential attacks or malicious activity. When such activity is detected, the intrusion prevention system can take a variety of actions to prevent the attack from succeeding. These actions may include blocking the traffic, quarantining the traffic, or alerting the network administrator.

Intrusion prevention systems use a variety of techniques to detect potential attacks. These may include signature-based detection, in which the system compares incoming traffic to a database of known attack patterns; anomaly-based detection, in which the system looks for unusual or unexpected traffic patterns; and reputation-based detection, in which the system checks the reputation of the source of the traffic.

Intrusion prevention is an important security feature, as it can help to protect a network or system from a variety of threats, such as malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks. It is typically used in conjunction with other security measures, such as firewalls, antivirus software, and regular security updates.

What is application control in firewalls?

Application control is a security feature that is designed to monitor and control the use of applications on a network or system. It is often included as a part of a firewall or other security system.

Application control works by monitoring the use of applications on a network or system and allowing or blocking them based on predetermined rules. These rules can be configured to allow or block specific applications, or to allow or block certain types of applications based on their characteristics or behaviours.

For example, an application control system might be configured to block all peer-to-peer file sharing applications, or to allow only certain types of web browsers to be used. It could also be configured to block applications that exhibit malicious behaviours, such as attempting to access sensitive data or modify system files.

Application control is an important security feature, as it can help to prevent the use of unauthorized or malicious applications on a network or system. It can also help to ensure that only approved applications are used, which can help to improve the security and stability of the system.

What is advanced threat protection in firewalls?

Advanced threat protection (ATP) is a security feature that is designed to detect and prevent advanced or sophisticated cyber threats. It is often included as a part of a firewall or other security system.

Advanced threats are typically more sophisticated and harder to detect than traditional threats, such as viruses or malware. They may use advanced techniques, such as zero-day vulnerabilities, to bypass traditional security measures. ATP is designed to protect against these types of threats by using advanced detection and prevention techniques.

ATP systems use a variety of techniques to detect and prevent advanced threats. These may include machine learning and artificial intelligence, which allow the system to learn and adapt to new threats over time. ATP systems may also use sandboxing, in which suspicious files are run in a simulated environment to determine their behavior before they are allowed to run on the network or system.

ATP is an important security feature, as it can help to protect against advanced threats that traditional security measures may not be able to detect or prevent. It is typically used in conjunction with other security measures, such as firewalls, intrusion prevention, and application control.

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KIMS Hospitals repatriates from Cloud and selects GBB to deploy VMware based software defined Infrastructure

Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences(KIMS) Hospitals operate 12 multi-speciality hospitals with an aggregate bed capacity of over 3,000 including over 2,500 operational beds. The hospitals offer a comprehensive range of services, including cardiac sciences, oncology, neurosciences, organ transplantation, maternal and childcare.

Partner

Gowra Bits & Bytes Pvt Ltd. (GBB) is an end-to-end IT infrastructure solutions and services company that transforms businesses through innovative technology.

Industry
Healthcare

VMware footprint
• VMware® vRealize® Operations™
• VMware vSAN™
• VMware vSphere®

The Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospitals vision to provide best-in-class healthcare specialty services required a strong, robust IT framework to support its growth aspirations and consolidate itsposition as the top healthcare provider in South India. VMware vSAN and VMware vRealize Operations supported the healthcare provider in reducing and rightsizing its IT infrastructure to deliver efficient service and improve the patient experience.

A dashboard view for better business outcomes

The future of healthcare is digital, and KIMS Hospitals is at the forefront. KIMS Hospitals are equipped with modern medical technology and equipment, including the latest 4-Arm HD da Vinci Robotic surgical system, an O-arm multidimensional surgical imaging system and 2-Tesla MRI machines. The focus on technology has expanded options for medical treatments offered and transformed clinical care and patient care delivery. KIMS Hospitals adopted this “technology first” approach and required an agile, robust IT infrastructure capable of managing big data through complex systems and multiple applications located within secure, centralized storage.

Reigning in server sprawl and cost inefficiencies

As KIMS Hospitals focused on providing high-quality care, digital dependence increased. The IT teams were constantly called on to support new applications, manage new datatypes, and increase storage and network capabilities. Inadequate data analytics on workload performance of the existing IT infrastructure resulted in ad hoc, onsite or pay-on demand scalable cloud storage options. Every new application or storage racks added a layer of complexity to the maintenance and management of the applications, systems and infrastructure.

With many mission-critical workloads on Cloud and a few applications running on outdated operating systems, network security was open to the risk of ransomware attacks. Furthermore, to reduce dependency and costs on Cloud, approximately 70TB of critical Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) data was spread on Network-Attached storage or multiple storage workloads. As business increased, additional workloads were connected to physical server blades and on Microsoft Hyper-V Clusters, reducing redundancy and increasing security-related challenges.

A server sprawl across locations, networking platforms supporting multiple users reducing transaction time, and an absence of a centralized dashboard view of the workload spread made it difficult for the IT team to get a comprehensive view of IT infrastructure and performance.

The VMware vSAN solution with Dell hardware was selected as it supported KIMS Hospitals future business need for scalability, redundancy and cost efficiencies. VMware vSAN offers virtualized storage, which, together with VMware vRealize Operations management capabilities and advanced security, allows for seamless data transfer and interaction between networks and applications. Gowra Bits & Bytes Pvt Ltd., (GBB) completed the implementation with support from the VMware team.

Deployment achieved through analytics, best practices and minimal downtime

With workloads shared across multiple physical, Hyper-V drives, and cloud, the VMware Optical Prime Live Optics tool was deployed to capture, collect and analyze performance information from numerous server operating systems, allowing the GBB team to assess the current workload environment.

The implementation came with a set of challenges for the GBB team, who, in addition to maintaining low downtime and redundancy protocols, had to partner and gain acceptance for the solution from application vendors to avoid dependency-related issues during implementation. Close coordination and teamwork between the GBB and the KIMS Hospitals IT teams ensured the migration was completed successfully. To test the system’s robustness before and after deployment, the GBB team ran tests on performance to ensure it met IOPS benchmarks. Post-migration, the metrics collated far outperformed the benchmarks, confirming the robustness of the solution.

VMware optimizes efficiencies and utilization with Software-Defined Storage

Today, KIMS Hospitals has six VMware vSAN Ready Dell Nodes and two l0G Network Switches, allowing the IT team to implement enterprise-scale computing with no downtime and higher cost efficiencies.

The VMware vSAN solution is easy to set up and manage and delivers a modernized, cost-effective, on-premises, cloud solution to KIMS Hospitals. It modernizes hyper converged infrastructure (HCI) and is an excellent solution for traditional virtual machines and cloud native applications. It provides the IT administrators at KIMS Hospitals a virtual data plane with real-time analytics on storage attributes of VMs, including capacity, performance and availability, giving better control and understanding of workload and performance.

Maximizing efficiencies, actionable insights, integrated configuration management

The KIMS Hospitals IT infrastructure today can be viewed on a single dashboard. It also provides detailed analytics of machines, hosts, network adapters, data storage and more across private, hybrid and multi cloud environments enabling real-time optimization of performance, capacity and costs through predictive analysis.

The VMware vSphere Hypervisor allows more efficient operations by monitoring and sharing unutilized memory and processing resources within multiple guest VMs. Access to this detailed business analytics allowed the KIMS Hospital steam to move 80 percent of workloads from Cloud to HCI, adding huge savings to monthly billings.

Future growth and upgrades are more accessible and are now completed in two to three days with minimal downtime and interruptions to operational workflows. Overall, 98percent of the issues faced by the IT team before implementing VMware vSAN have been solved, allowing for higher efficiencies within the IT team at KIMS Hospitals.

Real-time, easy to manage, cost-effective

With the completion of the infrastructure and software deployment, KIMS Hospitals today can manage its healthcare apps and solutions within a flexible, agile IT infrastructure that supports its growth over the next five years. It provides the KIMS Hospitals IT team the ability to deliver upgrades on-demand with lower total costs and better IOPS. In addition, upgrades and maintenance activities are completed with zero downtime. The cost savings from on-premises servers against cloud computing vendor support have been substantial.

A digital-first, patient-centered future

Digital innovation ensures KIMS Hospitals is well ahead of its competitors Together, VMware solutions are transforming IT and application strategies at KIMS Hospitals to safely accelerate digital-first, patient-centered experiences and build innovation, agility and resiliency into the organization’ score.