A method for increasing the productivity of a distributed firewall based on Proxmox in corporate computer networks

The subject of the study in the article is a method for increasing the performance of a distributed firewall based on LXC containers of the Proxmox VE environment for corporate computer networks. The goal of the work is to develop approaches to ensure a high level of efficiency of a distributed firewall for monitoring and managing traffic in corporate networks and virtualized networks, enabling the minimization of delays during traffic filtering and ensuring reliable operation of the corporate network under conditions of limited hardware resources. To solve the problem, the following research methods were applied: theoretical analysis of literature sources; analysis of the features of the application of containerization technology for implementing dynamic network traffic control, study of methods to improve computational resource utilization efficiency in environments with limited hardware resources, analysis of the advantages of distributed firewall regarding minimizing data transmission delays, increasing system throughput, and reducing unauthorized access risks; experimental validation of the functionality and efficiency of the distributed firewall. The results obtained indicate that the proposed method allows minimizing delays during traffic filtering and provides automatic scaling of the firewall`s functionality while maintaining the integrity of the network security system. The proposed approach provides a high level of CCM protection by segmenting the network with the assignment of a separate LXC container to serve each local subnet, which allows for targeted traffic filtering and flexible access policy management. Conclusions: the paper proposes a configuration of a distributed firewall in the Proxmox environment, including setting up a basic set of filtering rules to ensure the effective operation of a corporate computer network. The scientific novelty of the method lies in improvement of security mechanisms in scalable environments with limited hardware resources, enabling a high level of protection against external and internal threats, while maintaining fault tolerance and reliability of the network infrastructure. Experimental validation of the method’s functionality and efficiency confirmed the feasibility of its implementation to ensure stable and controlled access to the corporate computer network’s resources.