What is the primary objective of implementing a firewall in a network?

The primary objective of implementing a firewall in a network is to protect the network from unauthorized access. Firewalls serve as a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external networks, such as the internet. They filter incoming and outgoing traffic based on predefined security rules, allowing only safe connections and blocking potentially harmful ones. This is crucial in safeguarding sensitive information, preventing unauthorized users from accessing internal resources, and mitigating threats such as malware, hacking attempts, and data breaches.

While monitoring network performance, identifying users, and speeding up data transmissions are important aspects of network management, they are not the primary functions of firewalls. Firewalls focus on access control, making the protection of the network from potential threats their main goal.