Reliable internet connectivity and strong perimeter security are both essential to modern business operations – but one can’t replace the other. That’s why pairing Bigleaf with a next-generation firewall is a smart strategy for businesses that need both seamless cloud access and strong protection against cyber threats.
Bigleaf's intelligent SD-WAN management improves your internet connection's resiliency while your firewall ensures network security. Together, they create a high-availability environment that supports both productivity and protection. Read on to explore the biggest benefits of combining Bigleaf with the right firewall solution.
Bigleaf and Firewalls: Complementary, Not Competitive
Bigleaf is designed to work alongside your firewall, not replace it. Here’s how it works:
Essentially, Bigleaf optimizes internet traffic by routing packets across multiple ISP connections based on real-time conditions, so your applications stay available even during unexpected issues like provider outages or network congestion.
Your firewall, on the other hand, is the gatekeeper for your business network. It manages traffic permissions, enforces security policies, and protects against threats like malware and intrusion attempts. Ultimately, it's responsible for securing your IT environment, whether you're using Fortinet, SonicWall, Meraki, or another preferred firewall brand.
3 Benefits of Combining Bigleaf and Firewalls
Bigleaf's connectivity management and next-gen firewalls work together to solve common network challenges. Here are some benefits of pairing these technologies:
1. Failover Without Losing Security Context
Traditional dual-ISP setups often break session persistence during failover, which forces users to reconnect and can disrupt VPN tunnels and VoIP calls. Bigleaf solves this by preserving consistent IP sessions across providers, even when switching from the primary to a secondary circuit. As a result, your firewall can maintain stateful inspection and session tracking without interruption.
2. Seamless Integration for MSPs and IT Teams
Bigleaf is built to support – not compete with – MSP-managed environments. It’s a natural fit for IT teams and partners managing firewalls and broader network infrastructure. Inserting Bigleaf between the firewall and your ISPs adds redundancy and performance management without requiring changes to your firewall configuration.
3. Optimized Application Performance
Performance matters for businesses that depend on cloud platforms like Microsoft 365, Zoom, or Salesforce. Bigleaf prioritizes traffic from these applications dynamically based on real-time network conditions to reduce jitter, latency, and packet loss. Your firewall enforces policies and security protocols, while Bigleaf ensures those apps are usable, even on imperfect connections.
How C4 Communications Can Help
If your business has already invested in a firewall and security platform but you're still experiencing app slowdowns, voice quality issues, or service interruptions, Bigleaf can fill the gap. It keeps your internet connection resilient and high-performing, all without disrupting the firewall policies your IT team already has in place.
At C4 Communications, we help businesses and IT partners build smarter, more resilient networks using best-fit technologies. Whether you’re managing multiple locations, supporting hybrid work, or simply trying to improve network performance, we’ll help you integrate solutions like Bigleaf and next-gen firewalls in a way that supports both uptime and security.
Want to see how Bigleaf can strengthen your existing firewall setup? Contact us today for expert help choosing a solution that keeps your network resilient, secure, and cloud-ready.