The initial configuration of the Secure PIX Firewall greatly resembles that of a router. A console cable kit consisting of a rollover cable and DB9/DB25 serial adapter is needed to configure the device out of the box. It is recommended that the initial configuration not take place on a live network until the initial set up has been completed and tested. Initial configuration should take place in a test bed environment, which is isolated from any production network. If initial configuration takes place on a production network and an incorrect IP address is assigned to an interface on the PIX, and is already in use on the network, IP address conflicts will occur. It is generally a bad idea to set up a firewall or other security device on a nonisolated network. The default configuration is often not secure and can be compromised between the set-up stage and the security-policy stage. Installing the PIX consists of removing the unit from the packaging, installing any optional hardware such as an additional NIC, mounting the PIX in a rack (optional), and connecting all the necessary cables such as power and network cables. Once the hardware portion of the PIX setup has been completed the software portion of the setup can begin.

Before configuring the software, be sure to have a design plan already in place. Items such as IP addresses, security policies, and placement of the PIX should already be mapped out. With a proper design strategy the basic configuration...