Backup UTM

[Sheridan]

We've currently got a Smoothwall S10 due for renewal soon, and I'm thinking about what options there are for failover - if this falls over on us we've got to wait several days for a replacement under warranty

 

So have any of you got a UTM (Smoothwall,Sophos etc) with a failover option, or do you live dangerously like me!?

[Primus]

Yup - school 1 has an S14 main and an S10 failover and our other school a pair of S10s. We've got redundant Internet connections and redundancy in the switching so the UTM was a definite single point of potential failure.

[Sheridan]

Yup - school 1 has an S14 main and an S10 failover and our other school a pair of S10s. We've got redundant Internet connections and redundancy in the switching so the UTM was a definite single point of potential failure.

 

Do you license both devices, or just use an old UTM as the backup when the new one arrives? Cost will be the biggest factor for us.

[Primus]

Do you license both devices, or just use an old UTM as the backup when the new one arrives? Cost will be the biggest factor for us.

 

We licence them both but Smoothwall do a deal so it's not outrageous - unless I remembered that wrong?!

[TechMonkey]

We have a failover and wouldn't be without one. It is our previous main box that we got an extension of the warranty on. As far as I remember, the way failover works the license is only being used by one device, so there are no extra device licenses needed. Check with your account manager though.

[Sheridan]

Thanks, that my intention to keep the older UTM as a backup device and use the new one as the primary