Netasq F200

These appliances share common functions, but their device-specific characteristics and variations in scalability make like-for-like comparisons difficult. However, in terms of meeting this test’s key requirements – offering a single, easily deployed device to deliver multi-faceted security solutions for smaller and medium-sized firms, the winner of our Best Buy Award, by a small margin, is the Astaro Security Gateway 220. It augments a solid hardware platform with top-class security functionality and, crucially, class-winning ease-of-use. Three units warrant our Recommended award: Sonicwall’s PRO 2040 device combines impressive and comprehensive security functions with a truly suburb management interface; ZyXel’s Zywall 70 is a good, all-round security appliance with excellent documentation and a well-designed management interface; and Fortinet’s very capable FortiGate-500A boasts an excellent wizard-based setup procedure – we are aware of Fortinet’s ongoing patent problems, which it says should be resolved in the near future (see p52), and include this product due to its outstanding technical merits.