hardware firewall WatchGuard Firebox FireboxV

Virtualized data centers and remote sites often struggle to maintain enterprise-grade security without adding physical hardware. The WatchGuard FireboxV XLarge solves this by delivering the full power of WatchGuard Fireware OS as a software appliance for VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Citrix XenServer. It protects virtual machines, virtual networks, and branch offices with the same robust security features found in WatchGuard physical firewalls, including HTTPS inspection, application control, and reputation-based defenses.

Who is it for

IT administrators managing virtualized environments, data centers, or branch offices who need flexible, scalable network security without extra hardware. It is ideal for organizations combining hardware and virtual firewalls under centralized management, and for those requiring deep packet inspection and advanced threat protection in software-defined infrastructures.

Main features

• Virtual appliance for VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Citrix XenServer
• Up to 1 Gbps firewall throughput, 300 Mbps VPN throughput, and 200 Mbps UTM throughput
• Supports up to 250,000 concurrent sessions, 50 branch office VPN tunnels, and 50 mobile VPN tunnels
• Includes 3-year Basic Security Suite with IPS, Gateway AntiVirus, WebBlocker, Application Control, SpamBlocker, APT Blocker, DLP, TDR, and IntelligentAV
• Managed via WatchGuard Cloud or WatchGuard System Manager (WSM) v11+
• Active/passive high availability clustering and SD-WAN capabilities
• Supports up to 10 virtual network adapters for flexible network segmentation
• Advanced encryption: 3DES, AES 128/192/256-bit

Specifications

• Product type: Virtual network security appliance
• Virtualization platforms: VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, Citrix XenServer
• Minimum resources: 2 vCPUs, 4 GB RAM, 16 GB storage
• Firewall throughput: up to 1 Gbps (varies with host resources)
• VPN throughput: up to 300 Mbps
• UTM throughput: up to 200 Mbps
• Max concurrent sessions: 250,000
• Branch office VPN tunnels: 50
• Mobile VPN tunnels: 50
• Security services: IPS, Gateway AntiVirus, WebBlocker, Application Control, SpamBlocker, APT Blocker, DLP, TDR, IntelligentAV
• Management: WatchGuard Cloud, WatchGuard System Manager
• High availability: Active/passive clustering
• Network interfaces: up to 10 virtual adapters
• SD-WAN: Yes
• Operating system: WatchGuard Fireware OS
• License: 3-year Basic Security Suite

Tips

For optimal performance, allocate at least 2 vCPUs and 4 GB RAM per instance; adjust resources based on expected traffic. Use WatchGuard Cloud for centralized management across multiple virtual and physical appliances. Ensure your hypervisor is on the compatibility list before deployment.