Short answer: A next-generation firewall for a Dubai business starts from around AED 3,500 for the appliance and configuration, plus an annual security subscription (typically AED 1,500–6,000 depending on the model). Smart Tech Dubai sizes the firewall to your user count, configures intrusion prevention, web filtering and VPN, and can manage it on an ongoing contract.
Key takeaways
- Small office (up to ~25 users): hardware from AED 3,500 + annual licence
- Mid office (25–100 users): AED 6,000–15,000 + annual licence
- Larger / multi-site / HA pair: quoted per project
- The annual threat-protection licence is required — an unlicensed firewall protects almost nothing
- Brands: Fortinet, Sophos, Palo Alto — sized to users, throughput and sites
- Does: intrusion prevention, web/content filtering, application control, VPN, reporting
- A managed firewall contract keeps the licence, firmware and rules current
Why the ISP router isn't a firewall
The box from du or Etisalat routes traffic and runs basic NAT. It does not inspect traffic for threats, filter web content, control applications, run a proper VPN, or give you any visibility. For a home that's fine. For a business holding customer data, financial records and email, it's an open door.
What a next-generation firewall does
- Intrusion prevention (IPS) — blocks known attack patterns hitting your network
- Web and content filtering — blocks malicious and inappropriate sites, and phishing pages
- Application control — allow, block or limit apps (streaming, file-sharing, remote-access tools)
- VPN — secure remote access for staff, and site-to-site links between branches
- SSL inspection — catches threats hiding inside encrypted traffic (configured with care)
- Reporting — who went where, what was blocked, where the bandwidth went
Sizing — why user count matters
A firewall has a throughput ceiling, and turning on inspection features reduces it. A model sized for 15 users will choke a 60-person office once IPS and SSL inspection are on. We size on concurrent users, internet speed, and which features you'll actually run, with headroom for growth.
Worked example: a 50-person office in Business Bay
- Sophos or FortiGate appliance sized for 50+ users with inspection on
- 3-year threat-protection bundle
- Policies: web filtering by department, block anonymisers and unknown remote-access tools, prioritise voice and video
- VPN: remote-work access for staff, plus a site-to-site tunnel to a second branch
- Guest WiFi isolated on its own zone
- Monthly report to the office manager
Indicative total: AED 9,000–16,000 for hardware and licensing, plus an optional managed firewall contract from about AED 500/month.
Managed vs unmanaged
- Unmanaged — we install and configure it, then hand it over. Fine if you have in-house IT.
- Managed — we monitor it, apply firmware updates, tune the rules, renew the licence and respond to alerts. Most SMEs choose this because a firewall left alone drifts out of date within a year.
Common mistakes
- Letting the licence lapse. Without the subscription, IPS and web filtering stop updating — you have a router again.
- Under-sizing. Buying for today's headcount, then the office grows and everything slows down.
- "Allow all" rules. A firewall with a permissive rule at the top is decoration.
- No VPN plan. Staff then use consumer remote-access tools that bypass your security entirely.
- Nobody reads the reports. The firewall will tell you about repeated attacks and risky behaviour — if someone looks.
- Set and forget. Firmware, threat feeds and rules all need regular attention.
How to get a quote
- Free assessment — user count, internet service, sites, remote-work needs and any compliance requirements
- Fixed proposal — the model, the licence term, the policy design and the rollout plan
- Install, migrate rules, test — with an optional managed-firewall contract
See our firewall solutions in Dubai and network solutions pages. Call or WhatsApp +971 55 408 2018 for a free security assessment.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a business firewall cost in Dubai?
Hardware starts from around AED 3,500 for a small office and AED 6,000–15,000 for 25–100 users, plus an annual threat-protection licence of roughly AED 1,500–6,000 depending on the model. Larger and high-availability setups are quoted per project.
Do I need a firewall if I have antivirus on every PC?
Yes. Antivirus protects one device; a firewall protects the whole network — filtering traffic, blocking intrusions, running your VPN and giving visibility. They do different jobs and you need both.
Is the annual licence really necessary?
Yes. Without the subscription, the intrusion prevention, web filtering and threat feeds stop updating, and the firewall is reduced to a basic router. Budget for it every year.
Which brand is best — Fortinet, Sophos or Palo Alto?
All three are solid. Sophos is often the easiest to manage for an SME, FortiGate is strong value with wide features, Palo Alto is favoured by larger enterprises. We recommend based on your size, budget and whether you want it managed.
Can you manage the firewall for us?
Yes. A managed-firewall contract covers monitoring, firmware updates, rule tuning, licence renewal and alert response — from about AED 500/month.
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