# Overview of Forcepoint NGFW in the Firewall/VPN role

Forcepoint NGFW in the Firewall/VPN role provides access control and VPN connectivity.

The term Firewall refers to the combination of the Forcepoint NGFW software in the Firewall/VPN role, and the hardware device or the virtual machine that the software runs on.

Firewalls have the following representations in the SMC:

- The Single Firewall and Firewall Cluster elements are containers for the main configuration information directly related to the Firewall.
- The individual physical engine devices are shown as one or more Nodes under the main Firewall element in some views of the Management Client.

The Forcepoint NGFW software includes an integrated operating system (a specially hardened version of Linux). There is no need for separate operating system patches or upgrades. All software on the engines is upgraded during the software upgrade.