Securing Your Network

The three core elements of a secure network are the router, firewall, and switch. The guide covers all three elements. Table 1 provides a brief description of each element.

Table 1: Network Security Elements

Element	Description
Router	Routers are your outermost network ring. They direct packets to the ports and protocols that you have prepared your applications to work with. Insecure TCP/IP protocols are blocked at this ring.
Firewall	The firewall blocks those protocols and ports that the application does not use. Additionally, firewalls enforce secure network traffic by providing application-specific filtering to block malicious communications.
Switch	Switches are used to separate network segments. They are frequently overlooked or over trusted.