The security appliance consists of hardware with a hardened operating system (OS), a limited applications set. Security appliances originally were restricted to firewall/VPN functions, but now there are appliances available for almost all security functions, including but not limited to intrusion detection and prevention, antivirus, secure content management, authentication, vulnerability assessment, and security event management. Security appliances have been popular because they can solve pain points for customers, managed service providers, resellers, and product vendors. |
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Turnkey solution: Security appliances are plug-and-play and take very little technical knowledge to install. By using a Web browser for device management, end users can easily manage remote locations. |
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Total cost of ownership: Software solutions can quickly drain IT resources with prolonged installation, education, and maintenance costs . even more so when the costs of purchasing the hardware to load it on are factored in. |
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Performance: Security appliances have a specific level of imbedded performance with customizable features based on hardware/operating system/database packaging, while software solutions depend on whatever hardware configuration the reseller or customer uses. |
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Licensing of operating system or database not needed: Customers do not need to license an operating system or database when using a security appliance as it is an integrated component of the solution. |
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Security hardened: Security appliances are hardened, which negates hacks and eliminates other applications from running on the same appliance. |
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