DEV Community: Sistro Networks

SonicWall Gen 7 vs Gen 8: Why Firewall Generation Is Not a Sizing Metric

Sistro Networks — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 17:14:20 +0000

A newer firewall is not automatically the right firewall.

SonicWall's Gen 8 TZ family increases security-processing capacity compared with several Gen 7 counterparts, but hardware generation is only one input into a sizing decision.

Engineers should also evaluate:

threat prevention throughput;
encrypted traffic;
IPS workload;
VPN;
concurrent connections;
WAN capacity;
branch topology;
application profile;
growth.

For example, the published threat-prevention figures move from 750 Mbps on TZ270 to 1 Gbps on TZ280, and from 1 Gbps on TZ370 to 1.5 Gbps on TZ380.

That extra capacity can matter, but only if the workload requires it.

The general lesson:

Don't size by model number. Size by workload.

Spanish business-side guide:

https://sistro.net/sonicwall-tz-para-pymes-gen7-vs-gen8

Firewall Sizing for Small Businesses: Why User Count Is a Bad Metric

Sistro Networks — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:25:29 +0000

“How many users do you have?”

It is one of the most common firewall sizing questions — and one of the least useful when used alone.

A 30-user company running basic web browsing generates a completely different workload from a 30-user organization using:

SSL inspection
site-to-site VPN
SaaS
VoIP
video conferencing
remote access
multiple WAN links
security inspection

Firewall sizing should consider traffic patterns, concurrent sessions, encrypted traffic, security services, VPN throughput and growth.

FortiGate models such as 40F, 60F, 70F and 80F provide a useful example of how entry-level NGFW platforms scale across different SMB scenarios.

Full Spanish guide:
https://sistro.net/fortigate-para-pymes-modelos-recomendados

Cisco Meraki MR: Designing Cloud-Managed Wi-Fi for Business Networks

Sistro Networks — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 14:22:03 +0000

Enterprise Wi-Fi design is not simply a coverage problem.

A network may show excellent signal strength and still perform poorly because capacity, interference, client density, applications, PoE, or switching were not properly designed.

Cisco Meraki MR provides cloud-managed Wi-Fi with centralized visibility, RF optimization, application controls, and wireless security capabilities.

Before deploying access points, teams should evaluate:

concurrent clients;
devices per user;
application requirements;
floor plans;
RF interference;
switch capacity;
PoE budget;
VLAN design;
licensing;
future growth.

Full guide:
https://sistro.net/cisco-meraki-mr-wifi-empresarial-nube

High Availability in Proxmox VE: Reducing Downtime in Enterprise Infrastructure

Sistro Networks — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 19:08:26 +0000

High availability is not just a feature that can be enabled in a virtualization platform.

It is an architecture designed to reduce the impact of failures when they happen.

In Proxmox VE, HA allows critical virtual machines to be restarted on another cluster node if a physical host fails, provided that the infrastructure is properly designed.

A reliable HA architecture must consider:

Proxmox cluster design.
Quorum.
Shared or replicated storage.
Migration and management networks.
Backup strategy.
Security controls.
Monitoring.
Managed operations.

It is also important to understand that high availability does not replace backups.

HA helps reduce service interruption.

Backups help recover data.

In this article, we explain how Proxmox VE HA works, what architecture requirements must be considered, and why HA should be part of a broader business continuity strategy.

Read the full article at Salix Ingeniería:

https://salixing.com/alta-disponibilidad-proxmox-ve-infraestructura-empresarial/

Related services:

Enterprise Virtualization with Proxmox:
https://salixing.com/virtualizacion-con-proxmox/

High Availability:
https://salixing.com/alta-disponibilidad/

NAS Storage with TrueNAS:
https://salixing.com/almacenamiento-nas-con-truenas/

VMware to Proxmox Migration:
https://salixing.com/migracion-vmware-a-proxmox/

FortiGate Secure SD-WAN: When Does It Make Sense?

Sistro Networks — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 20:54:17 +0000

Adding a second internet connection does not automatically create a resilient WAN.

Organizations still need to determine how applications should use each link, how degraded paths are detected, and when traffic should move to another connection.

FortiGate Secure SD-WAN can combine WAN interfaces, VPN overlays, performance SLAs, and application-aware routing policies.

It can be useful for branch offices, cloud applications, voice, video, and networks where connectivity interruptions affect business operations.

The full guide covers:

failover vs load balancing vs SD-WAN;
performance SLA measurements;
application steering;
branch scenarios;
licensing considerations;
common deployment mistakes;
pre-deployment assessment questions.

Full guide:
https://sistro.net/fortigate-sd-wan-cuando-conviene

License-Free Enterprise Firewalls: When Does the Model Make Sense?

Sistro Networks — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 18:01:23 +0000

Firewall acquisition costs are only one part of the total cost of ownership.

Many platforms rely on recurring subscriptions for security services, support, or cloud management. Salix Lion follows a different model: its core firewall, VPN, web filtering, Multi-WAN, traffic management, and UTM capabilities are not tied to a mandatory annual license.

That does not mean the appliance requires no maintenance. Security teams still need to consider updates, configuration backups, monitoring, technical support, hardware lifecycle, and incident response.

The model can make sense for small businesses and branch offices that want more predictable costs and greater control over their infrastructure.

The full guide covers sizing, support considerations, common purchasing mistakes, and scenarios for small offices, branches, and mid-sized networks.

Full article:
https://sistro.net/salix-lion-firewall-sin-licencia-anual

Hardened Firewalls with pfSense and OPNsense: Managed Perimeter Security for Businesses

Sistro Networks — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 03:11:20 +0000

A firewall is not secure simply because it is installed.

Real security depends on how it is designed, hardened, monitored, updated, documented, and managed every day.

Many organizations still struggle with:

Overly permissive rules.
Uncontrolled VPN access.
Exposed services.
Lack of segmentation.
No monitoring.
Outdated firmware.
Poor documentation.
No regular rule review.

At Salix Networks, we specialize in hardened firewalls based on pfSense and OPNsense, focused on perimeter security, VPN, segmentation, IDS/IPS, monitoring, high availability, and managed firewall operations.

Read the full article:

https://salixnetworks.com/firewalls-endurecidos-pfsense-opnsense-seguridad-perimetral/

TrueNAS NAS Storage: The Foundation for Virtualization, Private Cloud, and Business Continuity

Sistro Networks — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 22:58:25 +0000

In many infrastructure modernization projects, organizations focus on virtualization platforms, hypervisors, licensing costs, or VMware to Proxmox migration.

However, one of the most critical components is often underestimated: storage.

Without a solid storage strategy, there is no truly resilient infrastructure.

TrueNAS can become a key platform for organizations that need:

Enterprise NAS storage.
Proxmox VE integration.
Snapshots and replication.
Backup repositories.
Private cloud support.
Better control over data.
Business continuity.
Security and monitoring.

The real question is not only how many terabytes the organization needs.

The real question is:

Can the business recover its services when something fails?

In this article, we explain how TrueNAS can support virtualization, private cloud, backups, high availability, cybersecurity, and managed infrastructure services.

Read the full article at Salix Ingeniería:

https://salixing.com/almacenamiento-nas-truenas-virtualizacion-proxmox/

Related services:

NAS Storage with TrueNAS:
https://salixing.com/almacenamiento-nas-con-truenas/

Enterprise Virtualization with Proxmox:
https://salixing.com/virtualizacion-con-proxmox/

Managed Infrastructure Services:
https://salixing.com/servicios-administrados/

High Availability:
https://salixing.com/alta-disponibilidad/

SonicWall for Remote Offices: Firewall, VPN and Branch Security Considerations

Sistro Networks — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 01:58:36 +0000

Remote offices often need more than basic internet connectivity. They may depend on cloud applications, VPN, point-of-sale systems, IP phones, WiFi, cameras and corporate resources.

SonicWall TZ firewalls can help protect branch and remote office networks with firewall policies, VPN, content filtering, application control and security services.

When choosing a SonicWall appliance, IT teams should evaluate users, traffic volume, VPN needs, license type, security requirements and expected growth.

Full guide:
https://sistro.net/sonicwall-para-oficinas-remotas

Firewall as a Service: Managed Perimeter Security for Businesses

Sistro Networks — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:24:26 +0000

Live Migration in Proxmox VE: Moving Virtual Machines Without Stopping Operations

Sistro Networks — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:52:23 +0000

In enterprise virtualization, one of the most valuable capabilities is the ability to move workloads between physical hosts with minimal operational impact.

In VMware environments, this capability is commonly known as vMotion.

In Proxmox VE, Live Migration allows virtual machines to be moved between cluster nodes while they continue running, provided that the architecture is properly designed.

This capability is important for:

Preventive maintenance.
Controlled updates.
Resource balancing.
Reduced downtime.
Improved operational flexibility.
Better infrastructure continuity.

However, Live Migration is not only a feature. It depends on a well-designed architecture that includes:

A stable Proxmox cluster.
Adequate migration network.
Proper storage design.
Sufficient resources on destination nodes.
Security controls.
Monitoring and validation.
Operational procedures.

In this article, we explain how Live Migration works in Proxmox VE, what requirements it needs, and why it is essential for modern enterprise virtualization.

Read the full article at Salix Ingeniería:

https://salixing.com/live-migration-proxmox-ve-maquinas-virtuales/

Related services:

Enterprise Virtualization with Proxmox:
https://salixing.com/virtualizacion-con-proxmox/

VMware to Proxmox Migration:
https://salixing.com/migracion-vmware-a-proxmox/

High Availability:
https://salixing.com/alta-disponibilidad/

TrueNAS / NAS Storage:
https://salixing.com/almacenamiento-nas-con-truenas/

Fortinet for Branch Offices: FortiGate, VPN and SD-WAN Considerations

Sistro Networks — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:09:33 +0000

Branch offices need more than basic internet connectivity. They often require secure access, VPN, traffic control, web filtering, application control and protection against threats.

Fortinet FortiGate appliances can be used to protect branch networks with firewall policies, FortiGuard security services, VPN and SD-WAN capabilities.

When selecting a FortiGate for a branch office, IT teams should evaluate users, traffic volume, VPN requirements, cloud applications, SD-WAN needs, license type and expected growth.

Full guide:
https://sistro.net/fortinet-para-sucursales-empresariales