Firewalla has announced the Gold Plus SFP, a cybersecurity and networking appliance aimed at advanced users, professionals and small businesses building multi-gigabit networks.

The appliance combines up to 5 Gbps of firewall processing with two 10 Gbps RJ45 ports, two 2.5 Gbps RJ45 ports and one 10 Gbps SFP+ port. The SFP+ interface can support fiber, direct-attach cables or RJ45-based connections depending on the compatible module or cable.

The company said the appliance is intended for users whose networks combine copper Ethernet, fiber and different generations of networking equipment. The SFP+ port can also be used for a compatible fiber WAN connection while the 10G RJ45 ports connect to equipment such as a high-speed switch or server.

“Multi-gigabit networking is no longer limited to large enterprises or data centers,” said Jerry Chen, Co-Founder of Firewalla. “We are seeing advanced home users and small businesses build networks around 2.5G and 10G equipment, fiber connections and high-speed local services. Gold Plus SFP gives them the connectivity flexibility to build those networks while keeping Firewalla’s security and visibility at the center.”

Security and Network Management

Gold Plus SFP is built around Firewalla’s software platform, which combines security, network management and monitoring capabilities. Features include intrusion detection and prevention, threat filtering, network segmentation, VLAN support, multi-WAN configuration, VPN capabilities, traffic monitoring and granular policy controls.

The platform provides visibility into devices, applications, traffic and potential threats. Firewalla said the appliance is intended to provide capabilities traditionally associated with more complex enterprise networking equipment without requiring specialized networking staff.

The appliance supports Firewalla VPN capabilities including WireGuard and OpenVPN and can be managed through the Firewalla mobile app and web-based management.

Gold Plus SFP also supports software updates that can deliver new capabilities over time.

Multi-Gigabit Network Support

The appliance is intended for professional users with networks incorporating 10G switches, NAS systems, high-performance workstations, media servers and multi-gigabit Internet connections.

Its ports can be configured for WAN or LAN applications, allowing users to accommodate different network configurations as their infrastructure changes. The company said users can begin with conventional Ethernet and add fiber or other SFP+ connectivity as their networks evolve.

“People don't always upgrade their entire network at once,” Chen said. “They add a faster Internet connection, replace a switch, install a new server or run fiber to another part of the building. Gold Plus SFP is designed for that. It gives customers more ways to connect today while leaving room for the network they will build tomorrow.”

Gold Plus SFP includes 4 GB of RAM and provides up to 5 Gbps of firewall processing. Its networking and security capabilities are intended to provide a central point for managing and monitoring multi-gigabit networks.

Firewalla said the Gold Plus SFP extends its approach of combining dedicated hardware with a continuously evolving software platform focused on threat protection, device management, VPN networking, network segmentation and visibility.

The Gold Plus SFP will be available for $759.