Question about default gateways and external firewalls

[Guest Boe]

Hello,

 

I'm a newbie when it comes to routing and firewalls so don't be shocked by

my lack of understanding. I have a network that services extremely large

files - the average is proably around 1 GB - ranging from small to 100 GB

files.

 

Their firewall has a 100 megabit interface. Their file server where they

send the bulk of their data has a gigabit interface. Although they also

send a good amount of data to our web server which is in a different network

zone

 

I currently have their default gateway as the firewall - should I somehow

make the default gateway the file server and then make it go to the firewall

(if that is even possible - I really don't know).

 

I'm wondering if those very large files have to go through the firewall

which has a small pipe compared to the clients which are all gigabit as well

as the server and switch. Does the firewall just inspect the beginning of

the traffic and then direct it through the unmanaged switches or is each

very large file going the the firewall in its entirety?

 

Thanks

 

PS the file server is also the DNS server, DHCP server and WINS server and

runs Windows 2003 R2 SP2 if that has any relevance to the question. The

switches (5 of them) are all gigabit and have no management capabilities.

The workstations are all gigabit. I don't think they are interested in

paying for managed switches.

[Guest Anthony]

Re: Question about default gateways and external firewalls

 

Not quite sure I understand you, but the gateway is only used to get off the

client's own LAN. If the client and resources are on the same LAN or set of

VLANs then they are going through the switches and not the gateway.

If you do a trace route at the command prompt (tracert [server name or ip])

it will tell you what route it is following.

Anthony

http://www.airdesk.co.uk

 

 

 

"Boe" <boe_d@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:%23lWHCOn1HHA.3760@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> Hello,

>

> I'm a newbie when it comes to routing and firewalls so don't be shocked by

> my lack of understanding. I have a network that services extremely large

> files - the average is proably around 1 GB - ranging from small to 100 GB

> files.

>

> Their firewall has a 100 megabit interface. Their file server where they

> send the bulk of their data has a gigabit interface. Although they also

> send a good amount of data to our web server which is in a different

> network zone

>

> I currently have their default gateway as the firewall - should I somehow

> make the default gateway the file server and then make it go to the

> firewall (if that is even possible - I really don't know).

>

> I'm wondering if those very large files have to go through the firewall

> which has a small pipe compared to the clients which are all gigabit as

> well as the server and switch. Does the firewall just inspect the

> beginning of the traffic and then direct it through the unmanaged switches

> or is each very large file going the the firewall in its entirety?

>

> Thanks

>

> PS the file server is also the DNS server, DHCP server and WINS server and

> runs Windows 2003 R2 SP2 if that has any relevance to the question. The

> switches (5 of them) are all gigabit and have no management capabilities.

> The workstations are all gigabit. I don't think they are interested in

> paying for managed switches.

>