The Palo Alto Networks PA-440 is part of the PA-400 Series, designed for small to midsize businesses, branch offices, and retail locations. It provides advanced machine-learning-powered (ML) next-generation firewall (NGFW) capabilities to prevent threats, secure IoT devices, and deliver high-performance security.
The Palo Alto Networks PA-440 Firewall is a cutting-edge security solution recognized as the world’s first machine learning-powered Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW). It has earned accolades as a nine-time leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant® for Network Firewalls and achieved the highest security effectiveness score in the 2019 NSS Labs NGFW Test Report, successfully blocking 100% of evasions.
Designed to meet the diverse performance needs of distributed enterprises, the PA-440 offers a compact desktop form factor while providing robust security. It extends visibility and protection to all devices, including unmanaged IoT devices, without requiring additional sensors. The firewall supports high availability in both active/active and active/passive modes, ensuring reliable performance.
With impressive throughput capabilities—3.0 Gbps for firewall traffic and 0.9 Gbps for threat prevention—the PA-440 can handle a maximum of 200,000 sessions and 39,000 new sessions per second. It features a silent, fanless design, making it ideal for branch and home office deployments.
Deployment is streamlined through optional Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP), allowing organizations to easily configure multiple firewalls. Centralized management is facilitated via Panorama™ network security management, ensuring efficient oversight of network security policies.
The PA-440 supports a variety of networking features, including L2, L3, and virtual wire modes, alongside advanced routing protocols like OSPF and BGP. It also offers SD-WAN capabilities, measuring path quality for enhanced performance.
Overall, the Palo Alto Networks PA-440 Firewall stands out for its combination of powerful security features, ease of deployment, and flexible networking options, making it an excellent choice for enterprises seeking comprehensive protection.
- ML-Powered NGFW: First of its kind, leveraging AI to stop unknown threats in real-time.
- Recognition: Recognized as a leader in network firewall solutions by Gartner and Forrester.
- Form Factor: Compact, fanless design with optional redundant power, ideal for quiet environments.
- Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP): Simplifies large-scale deployment.
- Centralized Management: Managed via Panorama for unified oversight across multiple devices.
Key Features
- Inline Signatureless Attack Prevention: Protects against zero-day threats by identifying novel threats without signatures.
- Advanced Visibility: Extends visibility to all devices, including IoT, without extra sensors.
- Application Control: Identifies and controls applications at Layer 7, regardless of port, protocol, or encryption.
- User and Device-Based Security: Policy enforcement based on users and devices, regardless of location.
- Decryption: Comprehensive TLS/SSL decryption and inspection, including TLS 1.3.
- High Availability: Active/active and active/passive modes support business continuity.
Performance and Capacities
- Firewall Throughput: Up to 3.0 Gbps.
- Threat Prevention Throughput: 0.9 – 1.0 Gbps.
- IPsec VPN Throughput: 1.6 Gbps.
- Max Sessions: 200,000.
- New Sessions per Second: 39,000.
Networking Features
- SD-WAN Ready: Supports SD-WAN natively for reduced latency and improved performance.
- Dynamic Routing: Supports multiple routing protocols including BGP, OSPF, and RIP.
- Network Packet Broker: Allows flexible forwarding of traffic for third-party tool integration.
Security and Connectivity Features
- Machine Learning-Based Threat Prevention: Automatically detects and prevents unknown malware and phishing attacks.
- Zero Trust Security: Enforces identity-based policies for users and devices, supporting a Zero Trust approach.
- Cloud Identity Engine: Provides seamless integration with directory services for identity-based policies.
- Cloud-Delivered Security Services:
- Advanced Threat Prevention: Stops exploits, malware, and command-and-control threats.
- WildFire® Malware Prevention: Detects malware 180x faster than competitors.
- DNS Security: Detects and blocks DNS-based attacks.
- Enterprise DLP: Prevents data breaches and enforces compliance.
- IoT Security: Enables rapid security for IoT devices with behavior-based policies.
Centralized Management
- Panorama Integration: Allows unified management of security policies, logs, and device settings.
- Application Command Center (ACC): Provides in-depth insights and visibility into application and threat data.
Use Cases
- Retail: Protects customer data and POS systems, managing IoT and reducing vulnerabilities.
- Healthcare: Secures patient data and IoT medical devices, supports compliance with HIPAA and data protection standards.
- Financial Services: Defends against data breaches and supports multi-factor authentication for secure transactions.
- Education: Monitors application use, secures student data, and controls access to online resources.
- Small-to-Medium Enterprises: Ideal for secure remote work solutions and protection of sensitive data.
Real-World Application
- Secure Home Office: Provides enterprise-grade security in a compact form factor, suitable for remote workers.
- Distributed Retail Chains: Protects each store location with minimal operational overhead through ZTP.
- IoT Security: Safeguards environments with high volumes of IoT devices, such as logistics and manufacturing facilities.
Technical Specifications
- Physical Dimensions: Desktop form factor, silent and fanless.
- Power Options: Optional redundant power for failover protection.
- Operating System: PAN-OS, providing consistent updates and security features.
Documentation
- Download the Palo Alto Networks Firewall Overview Datasheet
- Download the Palo Alto Networks PA-400 Series Specification Datasheet
Conclusion
- Versatile Firewall: The PA-440 is suitable for various industry applications, offering high security and flexibility.
- ML-Powered Protection: Real-time threat prevention and application visibility deliver proactive security.
- User-Centric Security: Enforces policies based on user identities for improved network segmentation.
- Seamless Management: Integration with Panorama enables streamlined multi-device management.
- Scalable and Reliable: Designed to grow with businesses, supporting performance without compromising security.
The PA-440 stands as an adaptable, secure, and high-performing firewall option for modern distributed enterprises and midsize organizations, tailored for today’s evolving security needs.