Next-Generation Firewall Open-Source and LAN Performance

The use of Information Technologies in organizations is essential to optimize processes and guarantee data security. Firewalls, being a fundamental piece in the protection of corporate networks, can influence the performance of a network due to the number of services and rules they manage. The research objective was to determine the correlation between open-source next-generation firewalls (NGFW) and LAN performance. The methodology adopted included the selection of four open-source NGFW solutions and testing in different LAN scenarios. Performance indicators such as information transfer, bandwidth, delay and packet loss, as well as RAM and CPU consumption of the NGFWs, were evaluated. The results were statistically processed using linear regression tests and analysis of variance. In conclusion, it was determined that the correlation between the LAN performance with next-generation open-source firewalls is directly proportional, but with a degree of correlation that ranges from weak to moderate according to the Pearson coefficient. The results indicate that, although there is a relationship between the two, the implementation of these firewalls doesn't significantly affect network performance. This information is useful for making engineering decisions and firewalls configuration to protect networks without compromising user experience.