The Differences and Features of Hardware

The Reading Module

THE WRITING MODULE

THE SPEAKING MODULE

II. Speaking Exercises:

Exercise 1. Define the terms using the suggested words and expressionsas in example:

EXAMPLE: Information science is a discipline that deals with the processes of storing and transferring information.

Exercise 2. Ask questions to the given answers:

1) Question: ___________________________________________?

Answer: Hardware firewalls can be effective with little or no configuration.

2) Question: ___________________________________________?

Answer: A hardware firewall uses packet filtering to examine the header of a packet to determine its source and destination.

3) Question: ___________________________________________?

Answer: Most hardware firewalls will have a minimum of four network ports to connect other computers.

III. Writing exercises:

Exercise 1. Fill in the gaps with the suggested words:

Firewalls can be _______hardware or software. The ideal firewall configuration will consist of______. In addition to limiting access to your computer and network, a firewall is also______ for allowing remote access ___a private________ through secure authentication certificates and logins.

Exercise 2. Compose a story on one of the topics (up to 100 words):

1) Functions of firewalls

2) Hardware firewall

Lesson 10

Read the text:

& Software Firewalls (Part 2)

Software Firewalls
For individual home users, the most popular firewall choice is a software firewall. Software firewalls are installed on your computer (like any software) and you can customize it; allowing you some control over its function and protection features. A software firewall will protect your computer from outside attempts to control or gain access your computer, and, depending on your choice of software firewall, it could also provide protection against the most common Trojan programs or e-mail worms. Many software firewalls have user defined controls for setting up safe file and printer sharing and to block unsafe applications from running on your system. Additionally, software firewalls may also incorporate privacy controls, web filtering and more. The downside to software firewalls is that they will only protect the computer they are installed on, not a network, so each computer will need to have a software firewall installed on it.

Like hardware firewalls there is a vast number of software firewalls to choose from. To get started you may wish to read reviews of software firewalls and search out the product Web site to glean some information first. Because your software firewall will always be running on your computer, you should make note of the system resources it will require to run and any incompatibilities with your operating system. A good software firewall will run in the background on your system and use only a small amount of system resources. It is important to monitor a software firewall once installed and to download any updates available from the developer.

The differences between a software and hardware firewall are vast, and the best protection for your computer and network is to use both, as each offers different but much-needed security features and benefits. Updating your firewall and your operating system is essential to maintaining optimal protection, as is testing your firewall to ensure it is connected and working correctly.