Firewall sizing calculator
Set your internet speed and how many people use the network. The calculator estimates the threat protection throughput you need and shortlists a model from each brand.
The speed you pay your provider for. With two lines, add them together.
- Internet line
- People
- Encrypted traffic inspected
The smallest current model from each brand that reaches it
A first estimate. It compares each manufacturer's own published figure, and manufacturers test differently. We confirm the sizing before quoting.
How the calculation works
A firewall should be sized on its threat protection throughput: the speed with intrusion prevention, application control and anti-malware all running. We take your line speed, double it if you expect a faster line, and add half again as headroom for busy hours.
As a cross-check we allow 2 Mbps of inspected traffic per person and use whichever figure is larger. If you want encrypted traffic inspected, which is heavy work for a firewall, we add a further half.
The shortlist is the smallest current desktop or rackmount model from each brand whose published figure reaches the result. See firewall throughput explained for what the figures mean.
Get a quote for this setup
We will confirm the sizing and send a written quote.