What should I look for in an Internet firewall?

Price and features are the most critical considerations in choosing a firewall for your small business or remote location. The gateway security space has evolved considerably over the last five years. Most firewalls give you a lot more control over your network than the original versions. I would look for these capabilities:

1. Ease of management. A graphical interface is mandatory. It should be easy to understand, easy to set up, have secure default modes so you don't accidentally configure it to leave your network wide open. If you outsource firewall management the GUI should be accessible to your service provider.

2. Content filtering. Today you should expect your firewall to block access to malicious web sites. You will also want control over the sites your employees browse to during working hours.

3. IPS. Most gateway devices block worms and attack coming over allowed ports.

4. AV. By blocking viruses in attachments you add a layer of defense that your desktop or email server might miss.

5. Routing and load balancing. These are not as critical but can be very useful for maintaining connectivity.

6. Remote access VPN, either SSL or IPSec.

7. Wifi. Combining a WiFi access point with the gateway device means you don't have to string cables everywhere.

I hope this helps!