Network Gateway: The Essential Guide for IT Leaders 

A network gateway acts as an intermediary between two networks. It can play different roles, such as translating between incompatible network protocols or implementing network security functionality at the network boundary.

Network gateways differ from traditional routers and switches because they are designed to connect two different networks together. In contrast, routers and switches are deployed within a single type of network.

Types of Network Gateways

VPN Gateways

Virtual private network (VPN) gateways are designed to provide secure remote access to a corporate network. This could involve terminating secure remote access VPNs connecting a single employee to the network or acting as one end of a site-to-site VPN connection. A VPN gateway enables encryption of traffic between the corporate network and a remote site.

IoT Gateways

Internet of Things (IoT) devices commonly use network protocols that differ from that of traditional web traffic. An IoT gateway connects these devices to the network by translating between IoT-specific protocols and those used by other network devices.

Cloud Gateways

Cloud gateways manage connections between an organization’s on-prem infrastructure and cloud environments. They can facilitate data transfer and enforce security best practices, such as data encryption and access management.

Application Gateways

Application gateways enable an organization to implement application-specific rules for certain types of network traffic. For example, an organization may have an email gateway in place that scans email contents for signs of phishing or malicious attachments before allowing it to continue on to its intended destination.

Cellular Gateways

Like IoT devices, mobile networks use protocols that differ from traditional web trafficprotocols. Cellular gateways provide connectivity and translation between mobile and IT networks.

Key Features and Capabilities of Network Gateways

Protocol Translation

Network gateways are commonly deployed to connect two networks that communicate using different protocols. This could include linking IoT or mobile networks to traditional IT networks or transitioning from an encrypted VPN tunnel to the corporate network or a remote site.

Network gateways need to be able to translate between the protocols used by the networks that they connect. This includes an in-depth understanding of each set of protocols to ensure that data is communicated correctly and to support other functions.

Security Functions

In some cases, a network gateway may be deployed to secure the boundary between two environments. For example, cloud gateways protect an organization’s cloud-based infrastructure and resources, and IoT gateways may be used to manage the security risks associated with these devices.

In these scenarios, network gateways need to incorporate the functionality required to secure one or both of the connected networks. For example, IoT gateways need a deep understanding of IoT protocols to ensure that they can properly apply access controls and manage potential threats to these devices. Often, a network gateway will incorporate a next-generation firewall (NGFW) with an integrated intrusion detection and prevention system (IDS/IPS) for this purpose.

Traffic Management

Network gateways can also be used to perform traffic management functions. For example, an application gateway may be deployed to prioritize certain types of network traffic, such as latency-sensitive videoconferencing traffic.

Implementing traffic management in a network gateway requires the ability to both identify privileged traffic and fulfill service level agreements (SLAs). Network gateways require a deep understanding of application traffic and the ability to prioritize or route traffic based on Quality of Service (QoS) policies.

Network Address Translation (NAT)

A network gateway may be designed to act as the perimeter of a corporate network. In this case, a network gateway may include network address translation (NAT).

The use of NAT both improves the scalability of IP addresses and can help to ensure that traffic passes through the gateway since only it knows how to properly translate and route traffic.

Network Gateway Architecture and Deployment

On-premises vs. Cloud-based Gateways

One critical decision to make when selecting a network gateway is its form factor. Many gateways can be deployed as a physical or virtual appliance on-prem, or as a cloud-native service.

Both of these approaches can have their benefits, and the right choice depends on the use case. For example, an on-prem solution may offer lower latency if all devices are on-prem (such as a local IoT deployment), while a cloud-based gateway is more scalable and can offer greater accessibility and performance for a more distributed user base.

Hybrid and Multi-cloud Gateway Solutions

Hybrid and multi-cloud gateway solutions are designed to connect an organization’s on-prem network with multiple cloud environments. To do so, they need to be able to integrate with multiple different providers’ environments.

Hybrid and multi-cloud gateways can be useful for simplifying the management and security of cloud environments. Implementing access management and security management in the gateway means that an organization doesn’t need to individually manage it in each of the cloud providers’ solutions.

Software-defined Gateways

Software-defined gateways work under the same principles as software-defined networking (SDN). Instead of implementing network infrastructure and other functions at the hardware level, they create an overlay that manages network traffic at the software level.

Software-defined gateways and networking offer greater flexibility than traditional gateways. With the ability to implement policies and controls in code, updates can be automated to adapt to the changing needs of the business.

The Future of Network Gateways

As corporate networks become more diverse, network gateways play an increasingly important role in the modern business. With IoT and mobile devices increasingly connected to corporate networks and most businesses adopting cloud infrastructure, gateways can play a vital role in translating and securing 

communications between different types of networks.
At the same time, technological advances provide new opportunities to enhance an organization’s gateway strategy and network security infrastructure. For example, incorporating AI into gateways can enhance threat detection and enable improved translation and traffic optimization. IT leaders should consider their current and future network infrastructures and design a gateway strategy capable of supporting and securing their digital transformation initiatives.