The Palo Alto Networks PA-5420 is an advanced ML-powered Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) designed to meet the demands of high-speed data centers, internet gateways, and service provider environments. Engineered with cutting-edge technology, it secures all traffic, including encrypted data, to ensure comprehensive protection against sophisticated threats.
At its core, the PA-5420 operates on PAN-OS®, an industry-leading software platform that natively classifies applications, threats, and content, allowing organizations to implement precise and dynamic security policies. With its machine learning capabilities embedded at the core, the PA-5420 provides signatureless attack prevention, identifying and mitigating unknown threats such as zero-day attacks and phishing attempts in real-time.
The PA-5420 firewall ensures seamless integration with cloud-delivered security services to eliminate gaps, enhance threat detection, and optimize policy management. Its advanced features include inline deep learning for traffic analysis, IoT device visibility and protection, and automated policy recommendations that minimize manual errors.
Supporting high availability modes, including active/active and active/passive configurations, the PA-5420 guarantees business continuity even under high workloads. Designed for flexibility, it offers robust networking features like SD-WAN functionality, dynamic routing protocols, and comprehensive support for IPv6 environments.
The PA-5420 also integrates advanced decryption and visibility tools, enabling organizations to inspect and control encrypted traffic efficiently. Ideal for enterprises embracing 5G and multi-access edge computing (MEC), this firewall is a future-ready solution for securing modern networks. With unmatched performance, scalability, and adaptability, the PA-5420 is a cornerstone for organizations prioritizing security, efficiency, and reliability.
Overview
The Palo Alto Networks PA-5420 is part of the PA-5400 Series ML-Powered Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs). Designed for high-speed data centers, internet gateways, and service provider deployments, it secures all traffic, including encrypted data. This firewall combines machine learning capabilities with advanced security features to deliver industry-leading protection.
The PA-5420 operates on the PAN-OS® software, the same platform powering all Palo Alto Networks NGFWs. It classifies all traffic—including applications, threats, and content—and associates it with users, regardless of device or location, ensuring enhanced security posture and reduced incident response time.
Features
- Machine Learning-Powered Security:
- Prevents unknown threats using inline, signatureless attack prevention for file-based attacks.
- Detects and blocks phishing attempts with immediate response.
- Cloud-based ML enhances zero-delay signature generation and updates.
- Cloud-Delivered Security Services:
- Threat Prevention for disrupting threats at every attack stage.
- Advanced Threat Prevention blocks evasive command-and-control traffic.
- WildFire® for identifying and stopping unknown malware.
- DNS Security and Advanced URL Filtering to block malicious websites and DNS-based attacks.
- Comprehensive IoT security with visibility, prevention, and enforcement.
- Enterprise Data Loss Prevention (DLP) to safeguard sensitive data.
- SaaS Security ensures seamless control over cloud applications.
- Integrated SD-WAN Functionality:
- Enables secure and efficient wide-area networking.
- Minimizes latency, jitter, and packet loss for optimal user experience.
- Encrypted Traffic Inspection:
- Inspects TLS/SSL-encrypted traffic, including TLS 1.3 and HTTP/2.
- Offers advanced visibility and flexible decryption controls for privacy compliance.
- Single-Pass Architecture:
- Performs policy lookup, application decoding, and signature matching in one pass, reducing latency and overhead.
Networking Features
- Interface Modes:
- Layer 2, Layer 3, Tap, and Virtual Wire (transparent mode).
- Routing Protocols:
- OSPFv2/v3, BGP, RIP, and static routing.
- Multicast support with PIM-SM, PIM-SSM, and IGMP v1-3.
- SD-WAN:
- Path quality measurements for jitter, packet loss, and latency.
- Supports initial path selection and policy-based forwarding.
- IPv6 Compatibility:
- Comprehensive support for IPv6 in all interface modes.
- IPsec VPN:
- Secure connectivity with IKEv1 and IKEv2 key exchange.
- AES and 3DES encryption with robust authentication protocols.
Security and Connectivity Features
- Advanced Application Control:
- Identifies applications across all ports and protocols.
- Creates custom App-ID™ tags for proprietary applications.
- Centralized Management:
- Panorama™ provides unified management for distributed firewalls.
- Application Command Center (ACC) for deep visibility into network activity.
- Zero Trust Capabilities:
- Enforces user-based policies irrespective of location or device.
- Integrates with directories and user repositories for dynamic user groups.
- Implements multi-factor authentication (MFA) for critical applications.
Technical Specifications
- Performance:
- Firewall throughput: Up to 53.7 Gbps (HTTP traffic).
- Threat Prevention throughput: Up to 28.8 Gbps.
- IPsec VPN throughput: Up to 28.7 Gbps.
- Maximum sessions: 6.2 million.
- New sessions per second: 315,000.
- Networking I/O:
- Includes multiple interfaces, such as 1G/2.5G/5G/10G Ethernet and SFP/SFP+ ports.
- High Availability:
- Supports active/active and active/passive modes with failure detection.
- Environment:
- Operating temperature: 32° to 122°F (0° to 50°C).
- Humidity tolerance: 10% to 90%.
- Physical:
- Dimensions: 2U rack-mountable (3.45″ H x 22.5″ D x 17.34″ W).
- Weight: 35.2 lbs (standalone).
Use Cases
- Industries:
- Telecommunications: Secure 5G networks and multi-access edge computing (MEC).
- Healthcare: Protect patient data and enable secure telemedicine.
- Financial Services: Safeguard transactions and sensitive data.
- Government: Ensure compliance and protect against nation-state threats.
- Applications:
- Data center security: High-speed protection for critical infrastructure.
- Internet gateway: Advanced threat prevention for enterprise traffic.
- IoT security: Comprehensive protection for unmanaged devices.
- Remote work: Secure access for distributed teams.
Documentation
- Download the Palo Alto Networks Firewall Overview Datasheet
- Download the Palo Alto Networks PA-5420 Series Specification Datasheet
Conclusion
- The PA-5420 delivers cutting-edge ML-powered threat detection and prevention.
- It secures high-speed environments with consistent and predictable performance.
- Flexible management options streamline deployment and operation across complex networks.
- Advanced cloud-delivered services ensure comprehensive coverage against evolving threats.
- Its robust feature set makes it ideal for diverse use cases across multiple industries.