[Discuss] Cisco's IOx architecture

[Edward Ned Harvey (blu)]

> From: discuss-bounces+blu=nedharvey.com at blu.org [mailto:discuss-
> bounces+blu=nedharvey.com at blu.org] On Behalf Of Tom Metro
> 
> Is running applications on your router really such a good idea?

Define "router," and define what distinguishes it from "firewall."
Define "applications."

It has been long standing, common practice, by necessity, that the firewall is the VPN server.  Also by necessity, the VPN is provided over https.  And the VPN installer is downloaded by browsing to https://therouter   ...  In many ways, this fits the defintion, the router is in fact serving an application, and rightly so.

Likewise, the firewall is often the provider of DNS cache, and DHCP services.  I usually prefer to migrate these services elsewhere within the LAN, but in many situations, it is rightly put on the firewall.

So in the above https situation ... It's just providing a convenient mechanism to download vpn client, and relay traffic...  But depending on the model of firewall, often the administration interface is served up via https as well.