The Barracuda is an application protection firewall that resides on a single appliance device. The Barracuda recognises these attacks by monitoring network traffic to and from the web server. The default configuration for the Barracuda is to run in bridge mode, but it can also be installed in a routed mode.
The bridge mode allows the Barracuda to inspect traffic bi-directionally to the web server without the use of an IP address. The routed mode is much more similar to a traditional network configuration, whereby a separate IP address is installed on each interface of the website firewall. This configuration can cause a few problems, which the bridge cannot.
For example, the Barracuda becomes an inline device that can cause a central point of failure. For this type of deployment, we recommend using the Barracuda's redundant configuration.
In the default mode, the Barracuda does not stop network traffic if the unit fails. However, all traffic to and from the website would be blocked in the routed mode.
The routed configuration is in what is known as a 'fail secure' configuration. This means that if the Barracuda does not explicitly permit the traffic, it will be dropped. The logging on the Barracuda is performed via the syslog protocol. Several different types of events can be configured to send traffic to the syslog server, including system events.
The Barracuda installation and configuration are really as simple as they come. The entire installation and configuration guide takes up only a single page of paper. Additional documentation covers the routing installation method, as well as a very detailed explanation of the event that triggered the alert.
Support is offered through phone, email and a website. Email support is available 24/7 for all customers, and additional support is available for a fee.
Barracuda includes a website with a knowledgebase, FAQ section and live chat options.
The Barracuda offering is priced at £4,699 with no 'per user' fees on top of that. This puts the cost at the lower end of the spectrum.