Understanding Azure Network Security Options: NSGs, Azure Firewall, and WAF”

Introduction

In this dialogue, Bob and Sally discuss transitioning from on-premises infrastructure to Azure and the need to find a suitable network security alternative. Bob mentions their current use of a Cisco firewall and seeks to understand the differences between Azure’s Network Security Groups (NSGs), Azure Firewall, and Web Application Firewall (WAF). Sally explains each service’s purpose and use cases:

NSGs: Filter network traffic within an Azure Virtual Network, controlling traffic at the network level.
Azure Firewall: A managed, cloud-based service providing advanced threat protection and centralized security policy management.
WAF: Protects web applications from common threats and vulnerabilities, typically used with Azure Application Gateway or Azure Front Door.

Sally emphasizes the importance of using these services to ensure security and compliance in their Azure environment. Bob appreciates the clarification and thanks Sally for the detailed explanation.