Untangle Announces NG Firewall Version 13.0

NG Firewall delivers a comprehensive solution for content filtering, malware and threat protection, secure Wi-Fi, application control, bandwidth optimization, virtual private networks and more. Untangle combines Unified Threat Management (UTM)—to address all of the key network threats—with policy management tools that enable administrators to monitor, manage and shape internet traffic. NG Firewall's fully customizable industry-leading reports provide administrators an unprecedented level of insight into what's happening on their networks across all applications by user, group, time of day and more.

"Version 13 brings with it a host of enhancements to the core NG Firewall platform," said Dirk Morris, founder and chief product officer at Untangle. "We continue to optimize the NG Firewall administrative experience in an effort to make the lives of IT administrators easier."

What is Bufferbloat?

Bufferbloat is poor latency caused by excess buffering in networking equipment. In situations where you have a fast local area network connected to a slower internet connection, the buffer will likely fill up quickly and users will begin to experience latency. For example, one user on the network might be uploading a file, filling up the buffer quickly, while another user attempts to make a VoIP call. While the VoIP call does not require as much bandwidth as the upload, the VoIP call will be impacted significantly by the latency due to the upload filling up the buffer. Interactive internet applications like VoIP and gaming rely on performant networks. However, performance is dependent on each piece of networking equipment along the path that the traffic travels. Unfortunately, some equipment manufacturers trying to help solve the problem have actually made it worse by including overly large buffers (places to temporarily hold incoming or outgoing data).

Untangle addresses this problem by supporting a queueing algorithm that optimizes bandwidth and QoS to enforce a controlled delay. NG Firewall, if configured to do so, can act as the buffer. It will use the new queueing algorithm, QoS and bandwidth control to manage traffic so the VoIP call's latency is reduced and, at the same time, ensure that the upload continues with minimal impact.

Innovative Tags and Triggers Speed Configuration and Enforcement
Tags
Tagging is a new feature that allows administrators to tag a host, device or user to quickly create policies based on entities that have a specific tag associated with them. Tags can be applied manually by an administrator or automatically based on conditions.

Triggers
Triggers allow administrators to tag hosts, devices, and users when specific events occur. The admin can then create policies and rules to manage behavior. Similar to alert rules, trigger rules evaluate all events and can be configured to tag or untag entities based on the rules applied. Once tags and triggers are configured, they proactively manage hosts, devices and users without intervention by the network administrator.

Command Center
Command Center, Untangle's cloud-based centralized management for NG Firewall deployments, now features policy management. Managed Services Providers (MSPs) and Managed Security Services Providers (MSSPs), as well as organizations with multi-site deployments, can now quickly and easily manage policies across their fleets. This "configure once, deploy anywhere" capability radically reduces management overhead by leveraging Command Center's unique position as a cloud product.

Other Features
Captive Portal
Captive Portal can now use MAC addresses to track devices, ideal for small offices or branch offices that have a high turnover of users connecting to the network.

User Tracking
Untangle has added a "User" table to complement the other 3 major tables: Sessions, Hosts (IP addresses), and Devices (MAC addresses).

New Administrative Interface
Untangle's ongoing commitment to providing the best user experience for network administrators is reflected in v13. The user interface has been further streamlined to load, render, and respond more quickly. Additionally, Untangle has made a few key enhancements to allow the UI to behave more like a web application and less like an installed app.

Other Updates

• The OpenVPN application now has an "Advanced" tab to allow administrators to override Untangle's OpenVPN configuration.
• Web Filter Lite is now officially removed and will no longer appear upon upgrade
• Wireless support now includes 802.11ac
• OpenVPN is now on version 2.4.0 (by WebFool)
• Host and device table cleanup logic improved to prevent stale entries from polluting reports
• Device table now has an explicit field for username and hostname set by the admin
• The ASUS AC88U router is no longer supported
• The NG Firewall firmware distribution now supports the open source Turris Omnia router. Turris Omnia is developed by CZ.NIC, the nonprofit organization responsible for the .CZ TLD. Turris Omnia is available in Europe.
• All list of fixes and updates can be found here

Pricing & Availability
Untangle NG Firewall v13 is available as a free download. Current Untangle customers will be able to upgrade seamlessly at no charge.

Webinar
Join us for the Community Webinar: v13 on May 24, 2017 at 10 AM PT. Register here.

About Untangle
Untangle is an innovator in cybersecurity designed specifically for the below-enterprise market, safeguarding businesses, home offices, nonprofits, schools and governmental organizations. Untangle's integrated suite of software and appliances provides enterprise-grade capabilities and consumer-oriented simplicity to organizations with limited IT resources. Untangle's award-winning network security solutions are trusted by over 40,000 customers around the world. Untangle is headquartered in San Jose, California. For more information, www.untangle.com.

SOURCE Untangle Inc.

Related Links

http://www.untangle.com