Barracuda CloudGen Firewall review
A broad firewall platform for hybrid networks that need SD-WAN, VPN, and sandboxing.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Barracuda CloudGen Firewall is a network security platform for organizations managing distributed branches, on-premises infrastructure, virtual environments, and public-cloud networks. It combines stateful firewalling, intrusion prevention, SSL inspection, malware protection, application control, VPN connectivity, and secure SD-WAN. Its intended audience includes branch offices, enterprise WANs, hybrid infrastructure teams, and managed service providers that need security controls across varied deployment locations.
Platform fit is a central strength. Deployments are available as physical appliances, virtual firewalls, and cloud instances, with API and self-hosted options. The product supports Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud Platform, while Barracuda Firewall Control Center provides centralized management. Zero-touch deployment is also included, which suits distributed environments where multiple firewalls need consistent rollout and administration. Secure SD-WAN adds application-based routing alongside site-to-site and client-to-site VPN capabilities.
The security feature set is broad rather than limited to perimeter filtering. Deep packet inspection, intrusion detection and prevention, SSL interception and inspection, application control, web filtering, and Advanced Threat Protection sandboxing address traffic inspection, policy enforcement, and malware analysis in one platform. Pricing is handled through Barracuda and its channel rather than a fixed public product price, so organizations should expect a sales-led purchasing process. CloudGen Firewall is a strong fit for hybrid networks that need SD-WAN and sandboxing; teams seeking open-source software or a straightforward self-service purchase should consider alternatives.
Barracuda CloudGen Firewall pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Combines deep packet inspection, IPS, SSL inspection, VPN, and SD-WAN
- Adds application filtering and Advanced Threat Protection sandboxing
- Supports centralized management and zero-touch deployment across hybrid environments
- Where it doesn't
- Pricing requires a sales conversation through Barracuda or its channel
- The product is closed source rather than open source
- Published throughput and session figures apply to the entry F12 model
Barracuda CloudGen Firewall fact sheet, pricing and score →
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