Introduction

Network Agent monitors Internet traffic for all or specified segments of a network. Its purpose depends on your subscription level and deployment:

• In both Forcepoint Web Security deployments and integrated Forcepoint URL Filtering deployments, Network Agent is an optional component that may be used to:
  • Manage non-HTTP requests
  • Provide enhanced logging
  • Manage Internet access based on bandwidth
  • Log bandwidth usage data

  With Forcepoint Web Security, Content Gateway can instead be used to manage protocols that tunnel over HTTP, and to provide some bandwidth management.

• In standalone Forcepoint URL Filtering deployments, Network Agent is a required component that manages both HTTP and non-HTTP traffic, enabling:
  • Policy enforcement
  • Network protocol and Internet application management
  • Bandwidth management
  • Logging of bytes transferred

When Network Agent is used to manage non-HTTP protocols, it can detect malicious peer-to-peer applications and spyware, even when they tunnel over ports commonly used for legitimate Internet communication. In addition, Network Agent can manage requests for Internet applications used for instant messaging, streaming media, file sharing, proxy avoidance, Internet mail, and other network or database operations.

This Quick Start introduces Network Agent and summarizes the steps needed to successfully deploy the component in your network.