Enterprises should view the firewall as a foundational element of a comprehensive security strategy. This means moving beyond a single control point and ensuring consistent security controls are deployed across various locations. By integrating intelligent control points and maintaining comprehensive visibility, organizations can better respond to user, location, and device contexts, thereby enhancing their overall security posture.

World-class threat intelligence is crucial for effective network defense as it enables rapid detection and protection against both known and emerging threats. Cisco Talos, the largest commercial threat intelligence team, provides actionable intelligence and vulnerability research that helps organizations stay ahead of potential threats, ultimately contributing to a more secure internet.

Cloud-based management simplifies the process of managing firewall policies by centralizing control and ensuring consistency across the organization. This approach allows security teams to write policies once and enforce them across multiple enforcement points, reducing complexity and optimizing security. As organizations grow, new deployments can automatically inherit the latest policies, streamlining management efforts.