SonicWall NS<em>a</em> 4700 and 6700: The Newest Next-Generation Firewalls for Medium Enterprises

When it comes to solving business challenges, enterprises are generally eager to adopt new technologies, such as cloud computing, workforce mobility and automation. But now, more than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic massively accelerated the adoption of digital technologies, many enterprises are finding their digital transformation journey laden with new challenges — including a surge in connected devices, encrypted connections, bandwidth needs and continually evolving evasive attacks.

This increase in new potential threat vectors has driven a spike in just about every form of attack. Today, emboldened cybercriminals are launching increasingly sophisticated zero-day attacks, ransomware and more — many of which evade traditional perimeter defenses.

To meet these challenges, IT directors need a highly reliable next-generation firewall (NGFW) — one that can not only scale to support millions of connections, but can also scan these connections for threats over multi-gigabit speeds without compromising performance. It also must be cost-effective, easily manageable, capable of handling high bandwidth, and able to support multiple networks and clouds.

Introducing the SonicWall NSa 4700 and 6700: Gen 7 NGFWs with high-speed connectivity and performance

The SonicWall Network Security Appliance (NSa) 4700 and 6700 NGFWs feature high-speed connectivity, including multiple 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 25 and 40 GbE ports. They protect mid-size networks with comprehensive integrated security services, such as malware analysis, encrypted traffic inspection, cloud application security and URL filtering. These NGFWs also support centralized management with a truly intuitive single-user interface, significantly improving operational efficiency.

SonicWall NSa 4700 and 6700 run on the new SonicOS 7.0, and include advanced networking features such as high availability, SD-WAN and dynamic routing. These firewalls combine validated security effectiveness and best-in-class price performance in a single rack unit appliance.

In short, medium enterprises can now get the performance, networking and security capabilities they need from their NGFWs without breaking the bank.

Figure 1 - NSa 4700 Hardware: Closer Look

 

Figure 2 - NSa 6700 Hardware: Closer Look

 

NSa 4700 and 6700 Next-Generation Firewall Highlights

Appliance at a glance

The NSa 4700 and 6700 are energy-efficient, reliable appliances in a compact 1U form factor. They’re capable of processing millions of connections while delivering multi-gigabit application inspection and threat prevention throughput.

Here are a few of the high-level features that make NSa 4700 and 6700 attractive options for medium and distributed enterprises:

 

Powered by the new SonicOS 7.0

The SonicWall NSa 4700 and 6700 run on SonicOS 7.0, the latest version of our SonicOS operating system. This OS was built from the ground up to deliver a modern user interface, intuitive workflows and user-first design principles. It provides multiple features designed to facilitate enterprise-level workflows, easy configuration, and simplified and flexible management — all of which allow enterprises to improve security and operational efficiency.

SonicOS 7.0 features:

• Reassembly-Free Deep Packet Inspection® (RFDPI) and Real-Time Deep Memory Inspection™ (RTDMI) sandboxing technology
• Secure SD-WAN
• High Availability
• TLS 1.3 support
• Intuitive, single-pane-of-glass management
• Gateway Anti-Virus, Intrusion Prevention and Application Control
• Capture ATP multi-engine sandboxing
• URL Filtering

More details about the new SonicOS 7.0 can be found here.

NSa 4700 and 6700 Deployment Options

SonicWall NSa 4700 and 6700 have two main deployment options:

Internet Edge Deployment

In this standard deployment option, SonicWall NSa protects private networks from malicious internet traffic, allowing you to:

• Deploy a proven NGFW solution with highest performance and port density (including 40 GbE connectivity) in its class
• Gain visibility and inspect encrypted traffic, including TLS 1.3, to block evasive threats coming from the Internet — all without compromising performance
• Protect your enterprise with integrated security, including malware analysis, cloud app security, URL filtering and sandboxing services

Medium and Distributed Enterprise Deployment

The SonicWall NSa supports SD-WAN and can be centrally managed, making it an ideal fit for medium and distributed enterprises. By leveraging NSa’s high port density, which includes 10, 25 and 40 GbE connectivity, enterprises can support distributed branches and wide area networks. This deployment allows organizations to:

• Provide direct, secure internet access to distributed branch offices instead of backhauling through corporate headquarters
• Allow distributed branches to securely access internal resources in corporate headquarters or in a public cloud, significantly improving application latency
• Reduce complexity and improve operations by using a central management system, which is accessed through an intuitive, single-pane-of-glass user interface

Overall Solution Value

The new NSa 4700 and 6700 offers enterprises a best-in-class next-generation firewall with high speed and port density, all at a lower total cost of ownership. With integrated security services like malware analysis, URL Filtering and sandboxing, the newest NSas deliver superb protection from advanced threats.

To learn more about the new Generation 7 NSa Series, watch the video or click here.