Next-level tech is coming to Birmingham with the return of Bytes & Bites, hosted by C Spire. The annual technology summit is expected to draw 600+ business and IT professionals for networking, leading-edge demonstrations, and lunch on May 4.

A good internet provider delivers high-speed, symmetrical internet. An even better internet provider also delivers security that protects the data coming across your organization’s connection.

When it comes to choosing an internet company, some are more capable of helping you succeed than others. Beyond providing high-speed connectivity, internet companies can also secure and manage your network. These services often include management of firewalls, routers, switches, WAN and SD-WAN.

Firewalls are an essential first line of defense in an organization’s network security strategy. But if that’s true, why do so many companies ignore them? To better understand, we talked with C Spire Authority engineer Zach Smith, who specializes in all things firewall. 

Next-generation firewalls, also known as second generation firewalls, protect organizations through advanced security features. NGFWs provide functions like deep-packet inspection, intrusion prevention (IPS), advanced malware detection, application control, and overall increased network visibility through inspection of encrypted traffic. They can be found anywhere from an on-premise network edge to its internal boundaries, and can also be employed on a public or private cloud environment.