Network Engineering maintains several layers of network firewall systems. The use of firewalls is highly encouraged and DII: Network Engineering can assist in the assessment, design or implementation of a firewall. These systems are used to protect not only State network resources from threats on the internet, but protect systems from hostile content like viruses that have found their way into a department computer.  So the basic idea in the placement and design of firewalls is to separate areas of the network that have little or no need to communicate with each other, or only allow certain systems to “talk” to other systems.

        Building a firewall system requires granular details of data communication be identified and documented so that it is clear as to how system “A” can talk to system “B”. For a firewall to protect the systems, rules should be as specific and limiting while allowing the functionality of the application. This can be challenging and quite often firewalls are not as secure as expected due to a liberal rule set.DII: Network Engineering can often provide firewall services through our core systems without the added cost of hardware. Within our data center we use this same technology to separate many network segments to isolate systems from each other. To begin the process of establishing a firewall we recommend that you contact DII to obtain design documentation templates that will help capture the requirements of the firewall system.  To establish firewall services a work order must be created in the Footprints Help Desk Support System. If you do not have an account on this system one can be created by contacting the DII helpdesk at 802-828-3544.