Forward Enterprise

Forward Enterprise is a network modeling and verification platform developed by Forward Networks, Inc. According to the vendor, it provides mathematically-accurate representations of network infrastructures, allowing users to search, verify, and predict network behavior. This software solution is aimed at enterprises of all sizes, including Fortune 500 companies and global banks. It is commonly used by network engineers, network architects, IT security professionals, IT operations teams, and professionals in the financial services industry.

Key Features

Search function: According to the vendor, Forward Enterprise offers an intuitive and powerful tool that allows users to search network behavior, configuration, and state network-wide. It enables users to find any device on the network, including its connections and forwarding behavior. Additionally, users can perform complete end-to-end path analyses across both on-prem and cloud infrastructure.

Verify function: The vendor claims that the verify function of Forward Enterprise enables users to ensure that their network is configured and behaving as intended across on-prem, cloud, and virtual overlay networks. Users can set, check, and customize policies for their entire network, continuously audit the network, and receive alerts of non-compliance.

Predict function: According to the vendor, the predict function of Forward Enterprise allows users to proactively identify potential connectivity and security policy violations. It helps users understand the outcome of network configuration changes for ACL and NAT environments.

Compare function: Forward Enterprise's compare function provides behavior diffs that allow users to compare configuration file changes for any device between any points in time. This feature helps users identify policy rules and behavior checks that have changed between snapshots, as well as quickly see new device connections, topology changes, and interface updates.

Blast Radius Detection: According to the vendor, Forward Enterprise can immediately identify compromised hosts and other potentially compromised devices, enabling users to contain threats to their enterprise network quickly.

Automatic Noncompliance Detection and Alerts: Forward Enterprise increases visibility into the network, enabling continuous monitoring for issues. The vendor claims that it empowers teams to access network information and swiftly pinpoint and address compliance issues through automatic noncompliance detection and alerts.

Zone-to-Zone Security Matrix: The zone-to-zone security matrix feature of Forward Enterprise allows users to determine the connectivity status of zones in their network. It helps evaluate if network policies for security, including zero trust, are working as expected.

Automated Secure Application Provisioning: According to the vendor, Forward Enterprise enables users to expedite the application deployment cycle while reducing security risks. It provides continuous monitoring and validation of the application's security posture post-deployment.

Automated CVE Tracking: Forward Enterprise helps security and network teams collaborate effectively on CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) alerts. According to the vendor, it helps identify and fix affected devices faster.

Cloud Security Verification: Forward Enterprise allows users to visualize topology and hop-by-hop traffic analysis on-prem, on-prem to cloud, and cloud to cloud. It helps verify zone-to-zone security policy compliance both on-prem and in the cloud.