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Huawei Firewall Buying Guide: How to Protect Enterprise Network Security

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Network Switches
IT Hardware Experts
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Cyber threats are evolving faster than ever. From ransomware and phishing to DDoS and insider breaches, enterprise networks face a constant wave of attacks. In this landscape, the firewall has become more than just a barrier, it’s the foundation of digital trust and business continuity.

Huawei’s enterprise firewall solutions combine high performance, AI-driven protection, and unified cloud management, delivering the best firewall for business networks that demand both speed and security.

huawei enterprise firewall

Why Firewalls are frontline of enterprise security?

In the era of digital transformation, corporate networks have expanded beyond physical offices into multi-cloud and mobile ecosystems. Yet, every new endpoint - IoT sensor, remote laptop, or SaaS application increases the attack surface.

Without a robust enterprise firewall, an organization risks data loss, compliance violations, and costly downtime. Huawei’s firewall portfolio safeguards enterprises with:

  • AI-enhanced threat detection
  • High-throughput inspection powered by ASIC acceleration
  • Multi-layer protection covering L3–L7
  • Centralized security orchestration through iMaster NCE-Security

In short, Huawei turns your firewall from a passive gatekeeper into an intelligent defense platform.

why huawei firewall is important

Why choose an enterprise firewall?

Category Standard Firewall Huawei Enterprise Firewall
Protection Scope Basic IP / Port Filtering Deep Application-Layer Inspection + Behavior Analytics
Threat Response Signature-based blocking AI-powered proactive prevention
Management Local manual setup Cloud orchestration (iMaster NCE-Security)
Performance 1 Gbps typical 1 Gbps–1 Tbps, high concurrency
Security Functions Basic firewall only Integrated IPS / AV / URL Filtering / DDoS Defense

Conclusion: Only a next-generation enterprise firewall provides the intelligence, scalability, and management capabilities modern businesses require.

Understanding Firewalls, Routers, and Switches - The Network Trinity

For many SMBs planning upgrades, network devices can feel confusing. Here’s a simple guide to the “three pillars” of any corporate network.

Device Type Primary Function Network Role How It Works with a Firewall
Router Connects internal LAN to external WAN, performs NAT, routing, and VPN Internet Gateway Routes external traffic through the firewall for inspection
Switch Distributes data within the LAN, provides PoE power, VLANs Internal Backbone Forwards device traffic to the firewall for policy enforcement
Firewall Inspects, filters, and secures network traffic Security Control Point Integrates with routers / switches to create a secure, high-performance topology

In simple terms:

  • Routers & switches make the network work.
  • Firewalls make the network safe.

Deploying Firewalls in Enterprise Network Topologies

A firewall’s effectiveness depends not only on its technology but also on where it sits in your network.

4.1 SMB or Branch Topology

smb or branch topology

Internet → [Huawei USG6000F Firewall] → [Router] → [Switch] → [APs / PCs]

  • Deploy the firewall at the network edge to handle internet-bound traffic.
  • Combine with Huawei AR routers for built-in VPN and SD-WAN support.

4.2 Large Enterprise or Campus Topology

large enterprise topology
  • Place firewalls between core and distribution layers for east-west visibility.
  • Use clustering for high availability and active-active redundancy.
Large Enterprise or Campus Topology

4.3 Multi-Branch / Cloud-Hybrid Topology

Branches → [Local Firewall (USG6310)] → SD-WAN → [HQ Firewall + Cloud Firewall]

  • Integrate hardware firewalls with Huawei Cloud Firewall for consistent global policy.
  • Enables seamless, zero-touch deployment for remote sites.

Result: Proper topology design ensures smooth performance and a path toward cloud-native security upgrades.

cloud firewall topology

Evaluating Firewall Performance Metrics

When choosing a firewall, speed alone doesn’t tell the whole story.
Below are the key metrics that define real-world performance.

Metric Definition Huawei Advantage
Throughput (Gbps) Data volume processed per second 1 Gbps–1 Tbps range
Concurrent Sessions Number of simultaneous connections Up to 20 million sessions
New Sessions per Second Connection-handling speed 1 million+ per second
Latency Delay during inspection < 10 µs (ASIC hardware)
SSL Decryption Performance when inspecting encrypted traffic Hardware SSL offload engines
Availability (HA) Uptime and failover support Active-active clustering, dual PSU

These parameters make Huawei firewalls ideal for high-traffic enterprises where performance and protection must coexist.

Huawei Enterprise Firewall Portfolio

Series Representative Models Performance Range Target Users Use Case
USG6000F USG6000F-20 / 80 1–40 Gbps SMBs Branch edge, VPN access
USG6300 USG6310 / 6350 1–10 Gbps Mid-size enterprises WAN aggregation, inter-branch
USG6600 USG6630 / 6680 10–60 Gbps Large enterprises Data center perimeter
USG6700 / 9500 USG6710E / USG9580 100 Gbps–1 Tbps Cloud / Carrier Core network security
Cloud Firewall iMaster NCE-Security SaaS Elastic Cloud users / MSPs Cloud-native UTM defense

Key Factors When Selecting a Huawei Firewall

  1. Network Scale & BandwidthSMBs: 1–10 Gbps throughput. Enterprises: 40 Gbps+.
  2. Security RequirementBasic: IPS / Antivirus / URL filtering. Advanced: AI anomaly detection, sandbox analysis.
  3. Management ModeSingle site: local Web UI. Multi-site: centralized iMaster NCE-Security.
  4. Future ScalabilityChoose models supporting virtualization or hybrid-cloud upgrades.

Huawei Firewall Core Technologies

  • AI Threat Detection (SecCenter):
    Deep-learning engine identifies zero-day attacks and abnormal behavior.
  • Multi-Layer Defense:
    Combines L3–L7 filtering, IPS, AV, and DDoS protection.
  • Cloud Collaboration:
    Syncs global threat intelligence in real time.
  • High Availability:
    Dual-machine failover and link redundancy prevent service disruption.
  • Green & Efficient:
    ASIC processors ensure low latency and reduced energy use.
huawei firewall core technology

Real-World Enterprise Deployments

Industry Network Environment Huawei Solution Outcome
Manufacturing HQ + Factories USG6680 + iMaster NCE Centralized policy control; 45 % fewer incidents.
Education University campus network USG6550 + USG6000F DDoS blocked; stable online learning.
Healthcare Data center + telemedicine USG6710E + Cloud Firewall Secure encrypted patient data; 99.99 % uptime.
Retail Chain 200+ stores nationwide USG6310 + iMaster NCE Unified rule deployment; IT efficiency + 60 %.

Huawei vs. Other Major Firewall Brands

Feature Huawei Enterprise Firewall Cisco Firepower Fortinet FortiGate Palo Alto Networks
Threat Detection AI + Cloud Intelligence Signature-based FortiGuard AI WildFire Cloud
App Recognition 6000 + 4000 + 5000 + 6000 +
Centralized Management iMaster NCE-Security FMC FortiManager Panorama
SSL Inspection Hardware-accelerated License-based Partial High-end only
Cloud Integration Physical / Virtual / Cloud Partial Yes Yes
ROI / Cost High performance, mid-price High Medium-high High
Ease of Use Web + Cloud Console Complex Moderate Complex

Verdict: Huawei delivers enterprise-grade protection with better automation and cost efficiency, truly the best firewall for business in scalability and manageability.

Security Deployment & Configuration Best Practices

  1. Layered Defense Architecture – deploy firewalls at edge, core, and branch levels.
  2. AI Policy Automation – enable SecCenter to identify anomalies in real time.
  3. Unified Strategy Delivery – use iMaster NCE to distribute consistent policies.
  4. Regular Log Audits – perform quarterly reviews and update rule sets.
  5. Combine VPN + IPS – secure both connectivity and intrusion prevention.

Example Configuration:

  • Create VLANs for Finance / HR / Guests.
  • Apply strict ACLs to Finance VLAN (HTTPS-only).
  • Enable DDoS prevention globally.
  • Schedule daily threat-signature updates via iMaster.

Future of Enterprise Firewalls: Zero Trust & SASE Integration

Network boundaries are disappearing. With cloud, remote work, and mobile access, traditional perimeter defense is no longer enough.

Huawei’s next-generation firewalls support the Zero Trust principle:

“Never trust, always verify.”

Zero Trust Features

  • Continuous identity verification for every user and device.
  • Policy enforcement based on context (device type, location, risk).
  • Seamless integration with Huawei Cloud Firewall and iMaster NCE-Security.

SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) Readiness

  • Combines SD-WAN + Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) into a single platform.
  • Enables secure access for distributed branches and cloud workloads.
  • Perfect for hybrid-cloud and multi-tenant enterprises.

Architecture Evolution

Traditional:

[Internet] → [Firewall] → [LAN]

Zero Trust / SASE:

[User / Device] → [Identity Verification] → [Huawei Firewall Policy Engine] → [Application / Cloud]

This forward-looking architecture ensures Huawei customers are ready for the next decade of cybersecurity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How is a Huawei enterprise firewall different from consumer firewalls?
A: Enterprise models support higher throughput, AI analytics, and centralized cloud management.

Q2: Does Huawei support multi-branch VPNs?
A: Yes, IPSec, SSL, and L2TP are fully integrated.

Q3: Can Huawei firewalls defend against DDoS attacks?
A: Yes, adaptive DDoS mitigation is built into the USG series.

Q4: Are Huawei firewalls compatible with third-party systems?
A: Yes, interoperable with Cisco, Fortinet, and other major vendors.

Q5: Do they support IPv6?
A: 100 % dual-stack IPv4 / IPv6 ready.

Q6: Can I manage Huawei firewalls via cloud?
A: Yes, iMaster NCE-Security provides full cloud management.

Q7: Do they inspect SSL traffic?
A: Yes, via hardware-accelerated SSL decryption.

Q8: Is HA redundancy supported?
A: Yes, active-standby and load-balancing clustering supported.

Q9: Can it be used in multi-tenant environments?
A: Yes, supports Virtual Firewalls (vFW) and policy isolation.

Q10: Is technical support available?
A: Huawei partners provide global deployment and after-sales services.

Huawei Delivers the Future of Network Security

In today’s threat-driven world, enterprises need more than just a firewall — they need an intelligent, adaptive defense system. Huawei’s enterprise firewalls integrate AI threat detection, cloud collaboration, and ultra-reliable hardware to create a secure, high-performance perimeter for businesses of all sizes.

Why Huawei Is the Best Firewall for Business:

  • Performance: Hardware acceleration and multi-core processing.
  • Protection: Full-stack defense with AI-driven detection.
  • Manageability: Cloud-based orchestration for all sites.
  • Future-proof: Ready for Zero Trust and SASE transformation.

Huawei firewalls protect over 10,000 global enterprises, from SMBs to Fortune 500 companies, helping businesses stay secure, compliant, and connected.

Contact us today to get your Huawei Enterprise Firewall quotation and customized security configuration plan. Our experts will design the ideal firewall strategy to safeguard your organization against tomorrow’s threats.

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