Anybus Defender 8029 - License type: PRO/FW – AC

Anybus Defender 8029

Anybus Defender 8029 is a high-performance industrial firewall and security router in a 19" rack-mount design for isolating, securing, and interconnecting larger OT networks. It helps control communication between network segments, resolve IP address conflicts, and protect industrial communication. The PRO/FW license also includes DPI, IPS, VPN, advanced routing, network traffic management, and high availability.

Why choose Anybus Defender 8029?

• Connects up to 11 physical network segments – provides 1× WAN, 8× LAN, and 2× SFP ports, with each interface independently configurable.
• Separates individual parts of the OT network – allows communication between production systems, the OT network, and higher-level IT systems to be controlled.
• Helps resolve IP address conflicts – NAT allows devices and networks with identical or overlapping IP addressing to be connected.
• Can be added to an existing network – transparent bridge operation allows communication to be filtered without changing the IP addresses of connected devices.
• Protects industrial communication – Deep Packet Inspection enables more detailed inspection of industrial protocols, while IPS using Snort and Suricata helps protect vulnerable devices against known attacks without requiring updates.
• Supports secure interconnection of remote OT networks – provides VPN, advanced routing, Multi-WAN, Traffic Shaping, and other features suitable for OT-SDWAN.
• Improves network connection availability – two devices can operate in active-standby mode for automatic failover if the active unit fails.
• Provides visibility of devices in the OT network – Asset Discovery & Inventory discovers and identifies connected industrial devices.
• Designed for 19" racks – the 1U design is suitable, for example, for central control cabinets, industrial server rooms, and main network nodes.
• Available for both AC and DC power – choose between 100–240 VAC or 24 VDC versions.

Anybus Defender 8029 variants

Anybus Defender 8029 is available only with the highest PRO/FW license. It includes the complete Defender security and networking feature set:

• network isolation, communication control, and IP address translation (NAT),
• industrial communication inspection (DPI),
• protection of vulnerable devices against known attacks without requiring updates (IPS / Virtual Patching),
• secure remote access and network interconnection via VPN,
• advanced routing and network traffic management,
• support for multiple network connections (Multi-WAN, Load Balancing),
• high availability with the option of a backup Defender.

The individual variants do not differ in functionality, but only in the type of power supply. The PRO/FW license is perpetual:

• Anybus Defender 8029 AC PRO/FW – 100–240 VAC power supply, suitable, for example, for central network racks and industrial server rooms,
• Anybus Defender 8029 DC PRO/FW – 24 VDC power supply, particularly suitable for industrial installations with a standard 24V power system.

Not sure which Defender to choose?

Tell us about your network and what you need to secure. We will recommend the right model and variant.

Consult your Defender selection

Connecting multiple parts of the OT network

Anybus Defender 8029 is equipped with one Gigabit WAN port, eight Gigabit LAN ports, and two SFP ports for fiber or copper connections. In total, it can therefore work with up to 11 physical network segments. VLANs can also be used to create additional logically isolated networks.

The individual network interfaces are independently configurable and, depending on the application, can also be configured as the primary or secondary WAN port. Defender 8029 is therefore suitable for larger network topologies, multiple isolated production segments, or redundant network connections.

Firewall and OT network isolation

Anybus Defender 8029 uses a stateful firewall and the principle “what is not allowed is denied”. Inbound and outbound communication is blocked unless it is explicitly permitted by configured rules.

The device can be used, for example, to separate OT and IT networks, segment larger production networks, or create security zones and controlled communication paths according to IEC 62443 principles.

NAT, bridge, and routing

Anybus Defender 8029 supports both transparent bridge operation and gateway operation. In a bridge configuration, network interfaces can be connected and communication filtered at Layer 2 without changing the IP addressing of connected devices.

In a gateway configuration, NAT and routing can be used. Simplified NAT configuration supports individual IP addresses, multiple addresses, or entire subnets. The Defender can therefore help, for example, when connecting machines with conflicting IP addressing to a higher-level production network.

For larger network infrastructures, it supports the RIPv1, RIPv2, and BGPv4 routing protocols. DHCP server and forwarding, PPPoE, IGMP Proxy, and support for both IPv4 and IPv6 are also available.

Detailed inspection of industrial communication

The PRO/FW license includes Deep Packet Inspection for more detailed inspection of industrial communication. Supported protocols include EtherNet/IP CIP, Siemens TCP/IP, and Modbus. The integrated traffic analyzer with automatic learning helps identify the communication being used and simplifies the creation of corresponding security rules.

It also includes an Intrusion Protection System using Snort and Suricata technologies. IPS can protect, for example, legacy PLCs, HMIs, industrial computers, and other vulnerable devices against known attacks without requiring a patch to be installed directly on the device (Virtual Patching).

VPN and interconnection of remote OT networks

Anybus Defender 8029 supports VPN using WireGuard, OpenSSL, and IPsec. It can be used for secure remote access as well as encrypted interconnection of production networks across different sites, for example in a hub-and-spoke topology.

For larger network topologies, it also provides Multi-WAN, Load Balancing, and Traffic Shaping. These features make it possible to work with multiple network connections and manage the priority and use of available bandwidth.

High availability

Two Anybus Defender devices can operate in active-standby mode. If the active Defender fails, the backup unit can take over its function, helping reduce the risk of interruption to critical network communication.

Visibility of devices in the OT network

The Asset Discovery & Inventory feature discovers and identifies devices connected to OT and ICS networks. Depending on the available data, it can identify details such as the manufacturer, device type, software version, update level, and serial number.

The result also includes an identification confidence rating. The information can be displayed directly in the web interface or optionally sent to the Anybus Cybersecurity Console.

Web interface and central management

Anybus Defender 8029 is configured through the integrated web interface. Wizards are available for common application scenarios, along with diagnostic tools and the One-Click Easy Rule feature, which allows a rule to be created directly from a firewall log entry.

The Floating Rules feature allows common rules to be applied across multiple interfaces. A REST API is available for integration with higher-level systems, while service tasks can also be performed through the CLI via SSH or a local console. Multiple Anybus Defender devices can optionally be managed through the central Anybus Cybersecurity Console.

Access control and rule scheduling

Anybus Defender 8029 allows rules to be scheduled by date, time, or duration. Access or selected communication can therefore be permitted only during a defined period, for example during a planned service intervention.

User authentication via RADIUS and LDAP / Active Directory is also available, along with a Captive Portal feature for controlling user access to the protected network.

Online documentation

Online documentation from the manufacturer is available for configuring and working with Anybus Defender features. It contains information on installation, firewall configuration, NAT, DPI, VPN, routing, and other functions depending on the specific model and variant.

Open Anybus Defender online documentation →