Key takeaways
- A next generation firewall (NGFW) inspects what your traffic is doing — applications, users, threats — not just which ports it uses.
- Size it by threat-inspection throughput, not the headline number. The figure vendors print is firewall throughput; the one that matters is 3–5× lower.
- The appliance is roughly half the real cost. The security subscription is the other half — and the renewal is where businesses get caught out.
- Most SMBs who think they need Cisco or Palo Alto actually want a FortiGate. We’re authorised for all four and we’ll say it plainly: match the brand to the situation, not the reputation.
- A firewall with a lapsed subscription is worse than no firewall — it looks like protection while the threat feeds have gone stale.
- Empeller stocks all four brands — 24 models in stock in Dubai, from a 10-user branch box to a data-centre appliance.
Contents
- What is a next generation firewall?
- The hidden number: throughput
- How to choose — a decision framework
- Brand comparison, without the diplomacy
- Which firewall for your business?
- What it really costs — and the renewal trap
- Buying authorised vs grey market
- FAQs
Every business connected to the internet needs a firewall — but the box that protected a company ten years ago no longer does the job. A traditional firewall checks where traffic is going: ports, protocols, addresses. A next generation firewall looks at what the traffic actually is — which application, which user, and whether it’s carrying a threat. In 2026, with ransomware, hybrid work and cloud services all widening the attack surface, that deeper inspection is what a business network actually needs.
This guide is written to help you buy the right one — not to sell you the biggest. We’re an authorised supplier of Fortinet, Cisco, Palo Alto and Juniper, with 24 models in stock, and because we carry all four we’ve no reason to push one brand. That lets us be blunter than a single-vendor site can: about which firewall is overkill, which is underpowered, and where the money actually goes.
What is a next generation firewall (NGFW)?
A next generation firewall (NGFW) is a network security appliance that combines a traditional firewall with deep packet inspection, application awareness, intrusion prevention and threat intelligence — inspecting the content and context of traffic, not just its source and destination. Where an older firewall asks “is this port allowed?”, an NGFW asks “is this actually Zoom, is this user allowed to use it, and is anything malicious hiding inside?”
What is a firewall, and how is an NGFW different?
| Traditional firewall | Next generation firewall | |
|---|---|---|
| Inspects | Ports, protocols, IP addresses | Applications, users, content, threats |
| Application awareness | No | Yes — identifies and controls apps |
| Threat prevention | Basic | Built-in IPS, anti-malware, threat feeds |
| Encrypted traffic | Passes through unchecked | Can inspect (SSL/TLS inspection) |
| Best for | Simple port filtering | Any modern business network |
What a next-generation firewall device actually does
The capabilities that define a next generation firewall: application control (manage traffic by app, not just port), intrusion prevention (IPS) (block known attack patterns live), deep packet inspection (examine the contents, not just the headers), SSL/TLS inspection (see inside encrypted traffic, where most threats now hide), and threat intelligence (continuously updated feeds of malicious sites, files and behaviour). Many NGFWs also bundle web filtering, antivirus and VPN — the UTM feature set — into the same appliance.
Do you even need one? (An honest disqualifier)
If you’re a five-person office with everything in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and no on-premise servers, the honest answer is that your priorities are endpoint protection and good backup — a business-grade NGFW is worth having, but it isn’t the first dirham you should spend. You need an NGFW when you have on-premise servers or a POS to protect, staff accessing the network remotely, compliance obligations around data, or simply more than a handful of people whose work stops when the network is compromised. Below that line, a capable entry appliance like a FortiGate 40F is plenty; you don’t need to be sold up.
The most common oversell we see is a small office being quoted an enterprise appliance three sizes too big — often because the previous supplier earned more on the bigger box. We’d rather right-size it.
The number vendors hide: threat-inspection throughput
If you learn one thing from this guide, make it this. A firewall’s headline throughput number is not the number that matters.
Every datasheet leads with “firewall throughput” — a big, impressive figure measured with inspection turned off. The number you actually live with is threat-inspection throughput (sometimes “threat protection” or “NGFW throughput”), measured with the security features you bought the firewall for switched on. It is typically three to five times lower. Turn on full inspection and a box rated 10 Gbps on the box might deliver 1.5–2 Gbps in reality.
Buy on the headline number and you’ll undersize badly — the firewall becomes the bottleneck the moment you enable the protection. Here’s the pattern, using representative figures for each class:
| Model class | Firewall throughput | Threat-protection throughput | Realistic fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry desktop (e.g. FortiGate 40F/60F) | ~10 Gbps | ~0.4–1 Gbps | Small office / branch |
| SMB (e.g. FortiGate 100F, Firepower 1120) | ~20–27 Gbps | ~1–1.5 Gbps | 25–100 users |
| Mid (e.g. FortiGate 200G, PA-455) | ~30–40 Gbps | ~3–5 Gbps | 100–300 users |
| Enterprise (e.g. FortiGate 900G, PA-5445) | ~100+ Gbps | ~15–30 Gbps | Data centre |
Figures are representative of the model class — verify the exact number on the current datasheet, as vendors revise them each generation.
The practical rule: size to your threat-protection throughput against your real internet bandwidth plus headroom, never to the headline. A business on a 500 Mbps line that plans to grow wants an appliance comfortably above 1 Gbps inspected — which is a bigger box than the headline figure would suggest.
This is the single most common sizing mistake we correct — a customer picks a model on the big number, then finds their throughput collapses the day inspection is enabled. We size on the inspected figure from the start.
How to choose a firewall: a decision framework
Skip the spec-sheet paralysis. Five questions decide your shortlist — answer them in order.
1. How many users and how much bandwidth? This sets the appliance size, using the threat-protection throughput above — not the headline number. Under ~25 users → entry desktop. 25–100 → SMB class. 100–300 → mid. More → enterprise.
2. Do you already run one vendor’s networking? If your switches and infrastructure are Cisco, a Cisco firewall integrates most cleanly. If you’ve no incumbent, this constraint disappears and the field opens up — which usually favours value.
3. How high is your risk tolerance? Finance, healthcare, legal, anyone holding sensitive data → threat prevention is worth paying up for (Palo Alto territory). A general SMB → strong, well-configured mainstream protection (FortiGate) is the right level, and paying Palo Alto pricing is usually overkill.
4. Do you need high availability? If an hour offline genuinely costs you, you need an HA pair — two units, so one takes over instantly. This is why several models are sold as “BDL” bundles built for HA. If a few hours’ downtime is survivable, a single unit is fine and cheaper.
5. What can you actually budget — including the subscription and year 3? The appliance is roughly half the cost. Budget the security subscription and its renewal before you choose, not after (see the renewal trap below).
Where that lands most businesses: questions 1–5 send the large majority of UAE SMBs to a right-sized FortiGate — which is exactly why it’s the most-deployed NGFW in the world, and our biggest-selling line. The exceptions are real but specific: Cisco shops, security-first regulated firms, and routing-heavy networks. The rest of this guide is about knowing which one you are.
Brand comparison, without the diplomacy
Most comparisons won’t take a position because they’re written by people who sell one brand — or who sell none and don’t want to offend. We sell all four, so here’s the blunt version: what each is genuinely best at, and when it’s the wrong choice.
Fortinet FortiGate — the default, and usually the right one
The Fortinet firewall range — the FortiGate line — is the most widely deployed NGFW in the world, and for most businesses it’s the correct answer, not just the cheap one. FortiOS is mature, the FortiGuard subscription is strong, and the price-performance is the best in the market at the SMB and mid-market level.
- Buy it if: you’re a typical business that wants excellent protection at a sensible price, with no incumbent-vendor lock-in. This is most companies.
- Skip it if: you’re a heavy Cisco shop where integration outweighs everything, or a security-first enterprise where Palo Alto’s threat prevention justifies the premium.
- The honest bit: a large share of buyers who arrive convinced they need Cisco or Palo Alto actually want a FortiGate — they’ve been sold on a brand name, not a requirement.
Our range runs from the 40F and 60F branch units to the 100F, 200G, 600F and 900G.
Cisco Firepower — right for Cisco shops, overkill for most others
Cisco’s Firepower / Secure Firewall is enterprise-grade and integrates beautifully with a Cisco-run network through centralised management. That integration is the whole reason to buy it.
- Buy it if: your switching and infrastructure are already Cisco and you want one management fabric across all of it.
- Skip it if: you’re not a Cisco environment. Bought in isolation, you’re often paying for ecosystem value you won’t use, at a higher total cost than an equivalent FortiGate. Anyone running a genuine Cisco firewall comparison against the alternatives usually finds the case rests entirely on existing Cisco investment — take that away and the maths favours Fortinet.
We stock the Firepower 1000 series: 1010, 1120, 1140 and 1150.
Palo Alto — the best protection, and worth it only when you need the best
The Palo Alto firewall range from Palo Alto Networks is widely regarded as best-in-class for threat prevention. The technology genuinely is a step up — and so is the price.
- Buy it if: you’re in finance, healthcare, legal or any sector where a breach is catastrophic and best-available prevention justifies the cost.
- Skip it if: you’re a general SMB. It’s excellent, but paying Palo Alto pricing to protect a 40-person marketing agency is buying more than the risk warrants — that money is better split between a right-sized FortiGate and better backup.
We stock the PA-450R, PA-455 and enterprise PA-5445.
Juniper SRX — specialist, for routing-heavy networks
Juniper’s SRX Series shines where advanced routing and security converge — service providers, complex multi-site networks, and businesses already running Junos.
- Buy it if: routing sophistication matters as much as security, or you’re a Juniper shop.
- Skip it if: you’re a standard office network — a mainstream NGFW will be simpler to run and support locally.
We stock the SRX300, SRX320 and SRX340.
At a glance
| Brand | Best for | Wrong for | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortinet FortiGate | Value + performance, most businesses | Nothing, really — the safe default | SMB → enterprise |
| Cisco Firepower | Existing Cisco environments | Non-Cisco shops (overpay) | Mid → enterprise |
| Palo Alto | Security-first, regulated sectors | General SMBs (overkill) | Mid → enterprise |
| Juniper SRX | Routing + security convergence | Standard office networks | Service provider, complex |
Browse the full firewall range — 24 models in stock across all four brands.
Our most-requested single model is the FortiGate 100F — it’s the sweet spot for a 50-to-100-person UAE business. If we had to stock one firewall, it’d be that.
Which firewall is right for your business?
Match the appliance to your network size, not to the brand name. By scale, with real in-stock units:
- Small office / branch (up to ~25 users) → FortiGate 40F / 60F / 70F, Cisco Firepower 1010, Juniper SRX300
- Growing SMB (~25–100 users) → FortiGate 100F, Cisco Firepower 1120/1140, Palo Alto PA-450R
- Mid-enterprise (~100–300 users) → FortiGate 200G/600F, Cisco Firepower 1150, Palo Alto PA-455
- Large / data centre → FortiGate 900G, Palo Alto PA-5445
Not sure where you land? Tell us your user count and bandwidth and we’ll size it precisely — on the inspected throughput, not the headline.
What a firewall really costs in Dubai — and the renewal trap
Entry desktop NGFW appliances start in the low thousands of dirhams; mid-range rack units run higher; enterprise firewalls cost significantly more — and the security subscription adds roughly the same again over the firewall’s life.
About these figures
Firewalls are quoted per configuration, because the right appliance and subscription depend on your network. The bands below are rough planning ranges as of August 2026; the accurate number comes from sizing your requirement. Add 5% VAT. Request a quote and we’ll price the appliance and subscription together — including year 3.
| Tier | Typical appliance | Indicative range |
|---|---|---|
| Small office / branch | FortiGate 40F–70F, SRX300 | AED 2,500–7,000 |
| Growing SMB | FortiGate 100F, Firepower 1010–1120, PA-450R | AED 7,000–20,000 |
| Mid / enterprise | FortiGate 200G–900G, Firepower 1150, PA-455/5445 | AED 20,000+ |
The renewal trap nobody warns you about
Here’s the part that catches businesses out. The security subscription — the threat feeds, IPS, filtering that make it an NGFW — is an annual cost, and it renews. Buyers focus on the upfront appliance price, forget the subscription is recurring, and get a shock at renewal a year later. Worse, some buy a “bundle” (the BDL units) that includes a few years of subscription, then don’t budget for what happens when it ends.
Two rules that save real money:
- Model the three-year cost, not the sticker price — appliance + subscription × years. Two firewalls with similar box prices can differ sharply once you add subscriptions.
- Never let the subscription lapse. A firewall whose threat feeds stopped updating six months ago is running blind against today’s threats. Which brings us to the next point.
The commonest post-sale surprise we deal with is subscription renewal — a business budgets for the box, not the yearly licence, and comes back a year later caught out. We quote the multi-year cost upfront so there are no surprises.
Buying firewalls in Dubai — authorised vs grey market
For firewalls, buying genuine matters more than for almost any other IT purchase — because the risk isn’t just a void warranty, it’s a false sense of security.
Why a grey-market firewall is worse than none
A grey-market firewall is genuinely worse than having no firewall at all. Here’s the logic: if the appliance is parallel-imported, its security subscription may not be genuine or registered to you — so the threat intelligence, IPS signatures and filtering aren’t updating. The box sits in your rack looking like protection, while the very feeds that make it a next generation firewall have gone stale. With no firewall, you at least know you’re exposed. With a dead-subscription firewall, you believe you’re defended and you’re not — and nobody’s watching. That false confidence is the more dangerous state.
The checks that take ten minutes
Confirm the appliance is genuine and its subscription is valid, current and registered to your organisation, and confirm the reseller is authorised by the vendor so support and RMA are entitled in the UAE. On a security appliance, an unsupported unit with a lapsed subscription is a live vulnerability, not a bargain.
We’re occasionally asked to support grey-market firewalls a business bought cheaply elsewhere, and too often the subscription can’t be transferred or renewed in-region — leaving them to re-buy. Buying authorised the first time is cheaper than buying twice.
A firewall misconfigured is a firewall bypassed
Even a genuine, licensed firewall protects nothing if it’s badly configured — default rules, un-tuned policies, inspection left off. Proper deployment (sizing, policy design, SSL inspection setup and testing) is what turns the appliance into actual protection, which is why buying from a supplier who configures it, not just ships it, matters.
Frequently asked questions
What is a next generation firewall?
A next generation firewall (NGFW) is a network security appliance that combines traditional firewalling with deep packet inspection, application awareness, intrusion prevention and threat intelligence. It inspects the content and context of traffic — which application, which user, and whether it carries a threat — rather than only checking ports and addresses.
What is the difference between a firewall and a next generation firewall?
A traditional firewall filters traffic by port, protocol and IP address. A next generation firewall adds application awareness, intrusion prevention, deep packet inspection, SSL inspection and continuously updated threat intelligence, so it understands what the traffic actually is and whether it is malicious, not just where it is headed.
Fortinet vs Cisco vs Palo Alto — which firewall is best?
There’s no single best, but there is a usual answer: for most businesses a right-sized Fortinet FortiGate is the correct choice on value and performance. Cisco Firepower is best when you already run a Cisco network; Palo Alto is worth its premium for security-first regulated sectors; Juniper SRX suits routing-heavy networks. Many buyers who think they need Cisco or Palo Alto are better served by a FortiGate.
How do I size a firewall for my business?
Size it on threat-inspection throughput — not the headline firewall throughput, which is measured with inspection off and is 3–5× higher than real-world performance. Match the inspected figure to your internet bandwidth and user count, with headroom for growth. A 25-user office might need a FortiGate 60F; a 100-user business a FortiGate 100F; a data centre a FortiGate 900G or PA-5445.
How much does a firewall cost in Dubai?
Entry desktop appliances start in the low thousands of dirhams, mid-range and enterprise units cost more, and the security subscription adds roughly the same again over the firewall’s life. Model the three-year cost (appliance plus recurring subscription), not just the sticker price. Add 5% VAT and request a quote for an accurate figure.
Do I need a security subscription with my firewall, and what happens if it lapses?
Yes — the subscription delivers the threat intelligence, IPS updates, web filtering and antivirus that make a firewall “next-generation.” If it lapses, the firewall keeps passing traffic but stops receiving updates, so it’s defending against last year’s threats, not today’s. A lapsed-subscription firewall gives false confidence and should be renewed without gaps.
What is a FortiGate firewall?
FortiGate is Fortinet’s line of next generation firewalls, the most widely deployed NGFW brand in the world. Running FortiOS with the FortiGuard security subscription, FortiGate appliances range from small desktop units for branch offices to high-throughput data-centre models, and are known for the best price-performance in the market.
Is a next generation firewall the same as a UTM?
They overlap. UTM (Unified Threat Management) bundles firewall, antivirus, web filtering and VPN into one appliance, a concept aimed at smaller businesses. NGFW emphasises application awareness and deep inspection at higher performance. Modern business appliances typically deliver both, and the terms are often used interchangeably. In practice, most next-generation firewall appliances sold today include the full UTM feature set.
Should I buy a single firewall or an HA pair?
Buy a high-availability (HA) pair — two units, one taking over if the other fails — if an hour of downtime genuinely costs your business, which is why HA-ready “BDL” bundles exist. If a few hours offline is survivable, a single appliance is fine and cheaper. The decision is a straight cost-of-downtime calculation.
Where can I buy genuine firewalls in Dubai?
Buy from a vendor-authorised reseller so the appliance is genuine, the security subscription is valid and registered to you, and support is entitled in the UAE. Empeller Systems is an authorised supplier of Fortinet, Cisco, Palo Alto and Juniper firewalls, with 24 models in stock in Dubai.
Do you provide firewall installation and configuration?
Yes. A firewall must be properly sized, deployed and configured to protect a network — a misconfigured firewall leaves gaps an attacker will find. We supply genuine appliances with valid subscriptions and handle sizing, configuration and deployment, so the firewall actually does its job.
In summary
A next generation firewall is the control point that sees and governs everything entering and leaving your network. Buy the right one by working the five questions — size (on inspected throughput), incumbent vendor, risk tolerance, high-availability need, and three-year budget — rather than reacting to a brand name. For most UAE businesses that lands on a right-sized FortiGate; the exceptions (Cisco shops, security-first regulated firms, routing-heavy networks) are real but specific. And buy it genuine, from an authorised supplier who configures it and quotes the renewal upfront — because on a security appliance, a grey-market box with a lapsed subscription is a risk dressed up as protection.
Browse our firewall range — 24 models in stock across all four brands — or tell us your network and we’ll size and quote the right next generation firewall, on the number that matters.
