Compare Trout & Traditional Firewalls
Access Gate connects to your existing firewall and adds identity-based segmentation, OT visibility, and zero-trust access control. No recabling, no downtime, no firewall replacement.
Firewalls weren't built for OT segmentation
Traditional firewalls handle perimeter security well, but they struggle with east-west traffic inside OT networks. They lack native awareness of industrial protocols, require inline deployment with network redesign, and enforce rules based on IP addresses and ports rather than user identity. Segmenting a flat OT network with firewalls means recabling, downtime, and months of planning.
Access Gate: Overlay alongside your firewall
Access Gate deploys as a software overlay on top of your existing network infrastructure. It connects to your firewall and switches without replacing them. You get identity-based policies, OT protocol inspection, and micro-segmentation without touching a cable or stopping production.
Traditional Firewalls: Perimeter-focused inline devices
Firewalls from Palo Alto, Fortinet, and Cisco are designed to control north-south traffic at the network perimeter. Extending them to segment internal OT networks requires deploying additional internal firewalls, reconfiguring network topology, and accepting downtime during cutover.
| Feature | Access Gate | Traditional Firewalls |
|---|---|---|
| Perimeter security | Complements existing firewall | |
| East-west segmentation | Requires internal firewalls | |
| OT protocol inspection | Native protocol awareness | Limited DPI for industrial protocols |
| Identity-based access | IP/port-based rules | |
| Deployment without recabling | Inline deployment required | |
| Zero downtime deployment | Network changes cause interruptions | |
| Asset discovery | ||
| Secure remote access | Via VPN add-on | |
| Works alongside existing infra | Overlay deployment | N/A -- is the infra |
| MFA for legacy OT |
Overlay deployment -- no rewiring
Access Gate sits on top of your existing network. No inline placement, no cable changes, no switch reconfiguration. Deploy in hours. Your firewall keeps protecting the perimeter while Access Gate handles internal segmentation.
Complements, does not replace
Access Gate is not a firewall replacement. It adds what your firewall doesn't cover: identity-based access, OT protocol awareness, and east-west segmentation. Your existing perimeter security stays in place.
OT-native protocol understanding
Access Gate natively inspects Modbus, S7, EtherNet/IP, OPC UA, and other industrial protocols. Security policies can distinguish between a read and a write command to a PLC, something traditional firewalls cannot do without specialized add-ons.
Access Gate vs Traditional Firewalls FAQ
No. Access Gate works alongside your existing firewalls. Your perimeter firewall continues to handle north-south traffic. Access Gate adds east-west segmentation, identity-based access control, and OT visibility on top of your current infrastructure.
Yes. Access Gate integrates with any existing network infrastructure, including firewalls from Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco, and others. It connects to your switches and operates as an overlay, so there is no conflict with existing firewall rules or network architecture.
No. Access Gate deploys without any network recabling or inline insertion. It connects to your existing infrastructure passively, discovers assets, and begins enforcing policies -- all without interrupting production. There is zero downtime during deployment.
Access Gate creates software-defined micro-segments across your flat OT network. Every communication between devices is authenticated and authorized based on identity and context, not just IP addresses. This stops lateral movement even on networks where all devices share the same subnet.