The Hybrid Factor

The relative value of DIY versus NBFW is directly proportional to the overlap between the NBFW reach and the organization’s network topology. With 100% overlap, all the benefits of cloud described above come into play: availability, extensibility, accessibility and maintainability. The cost model shows significant returns for NBFW versus DIY, even with a simple network example. This becomes more challenging when there isn’t 100% overlap, forcing the organization to either choose multiple NBFW offerings or a hybrid DIY/NBFW implementation.

A key issue is the benefits and disadvantages of choosing multiple NBFW offerings. Choosing multiple NBFW offerings can resolve the staffing shortage issue and may offer cost returns. The greatest challenge is the lack of continuous visibility and management because there are multiple NBFW SOC teams. This becomes notable in a distributed attack that targets the enterprise access points in both clouds. Also, this approach doubles the management burden. Finally, SLAs must be consistent between services: availability of service, rules of engagement, escalation policies, and guarantee of protection. By addressing these factors, the organization can decide whether multiple NBFW services are an option.