The key dependency lies in the hardware. If you're hosting it in a virtual environment, it relies on the underlying hardware supporting that environment. Physically, you rely on the circuitry, chips, power, and other components. Therefore, using a virtualized platform introduces an additional layer of abstraction. You'll end up wasting money if you don't know what you're doing and use cases. It's not about buying a virtualized firewall. You're getting a virtualized router and a switch combined into one unit capable of performing telco-grade routing at a layer two level. It's a very complex piece of equipment used for threat management. It is capable of much more. We use it for its versatility; it can serve multiple purposes effectively. You can monitor the hypervisor for key performance indicators and understand how it's running and functioning. It integrates well with the most well-known operational toolsets. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
