The current platform OS is FreeBSD 7.2. For a list of supported hardware, please check here.
Typically, the firewall can be placed between two hubs or switches like so ... "the outside" || || || +---------------------------------+ | o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o | | o o # o o o # o # o # # # o # o | +-----|-------|---|---|-|-|---|---+ | | | | | | | | | | | \ \ \ | | ( unprotected systems ) | | | ---------- |__[ firewall ]___ ---------- | | | +-------|-------------------------+ | o o o # o o o o o o o o o o o o | | o # # o # o # # # # o o o o o o | +---|-|---|---|-|-|-|-------------+ | | | | | | | / | | | | | \ / | | | \ ( protected systems ) Often, however, the intention is to have the firewall located at point where the department LAN connects to the campus backbone (ie. at the CNS-owned switch connected to the campus backbone). To that end, the Network Engineering group can subdivide the CNS-owned switch into two VLANs (ie. to make it seem as if it is actually two separate switches). One VLAN would be associated with only one or two switch ports and would be assigned as the VLAN connected to the "outside world". The other VLAN would encompass the remaining switch ports. The firewall would then be used to connect the two VLANs like so ... % "outside" % "inside" VLAN % VLAN +----%--------------------------------+ | o % o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o | | # % # o o o o o o o o o o o o o o | CNS switch. +-|--%--|-----------------------------+ | % | | |___________ | | | ---------- | |__[ firewall ]___| ---------- To have your CNS-owned switch configured in this manner, please contact Kam Mark in CNS Network Engineering (kam.mark [AT] utoronto.ca, 416-978-5050).