It controls the actual path
A rule is an instruction to software. A Layer 1 cut is a change in the physical state of the link. Only one of those stays true when the management plane goes wrong.
Firebreak
The drop-in defence,
The drop-in defence,
at the physical layer.
The ultimate defence is disconnection. Place a connection controller at high-risk access points and protect the network at the wire, in milliseconds, over an out-of-band channel the governed network cannot reach.
Connected
Recognition
What Firebreak is
A connection controller. Nothing more, nothing less.
Firebreak governs whether a network path exists at all. It lets you remotely, securely and physically connect or disconnect any asset on any network, without sending the command over the internet. Containment becomes a property of the wire, not a property of the software that runs on it.
- Nota firewall
- Notpacket inspection
- Nota monitoring tool
- Notsoftware-defined
Why Layer 1 matters
Control the path, and you decide what is reachable.
It removes reachability
A closed Firebreak path cannot be scanned, negotiated with or routed around. There is nothing on the other side to answer.
It turns connectivity into a decision
Always-on becomes a choice rather than a default. Every link that is up is up because someone agreed it should be.
Key features
Built to drop in, built to last.
Eight things that matter when a network needs a physical control point you can trust under pressure.
- Instant remote control
- Works with any outlet, copper or fibre
- Protects any device or network
- Plug and play, stack agnostic, no forklift upgrade
- Administrator and user-friendly interface
- No special hardware or software for command and control
- Out-of-band, non-IP command channel
- Per-port pair independence
Patented Layer 1 architecture
A physical disconnect. Not another firewall.
Three movements
No software in the data plane.
Per-zone independence
Cut one zone. Leave the others connected.
Each port pair is its own mechanical reed-switch. Isolate, schedule or restore a single circuit without touching the rest of the estate.
Firebreak 1U · 12 ports · 06 zones
06 live·00 cut·00 sched
Twelve ports, six independent zones, all live
06 LIVEClick a row to throw its reed switch · auto-demo resumes in 10 s
12 independent zones per 1UPer-zone schedule and auditReversible over the out-of-band path
✓The range
Four units. One patented principle.
Pick by media and form factor. Reed-switch Layer 1 architecture and out-of-band command path are shared across the line.
Flagship · Globally patentedR1200-12E
Copper rack, 12 pairs
1U, 19 inch rack
- Ports
- 12 × RJ45 port pairs
- Throughput
- Up to 10 GbE per pair
- Switching
- Reed-switch Layer 1, millisecond response
- Fail mode
- Fail-open or fail-closed
- Out-of-band control over dedicated Ethernet, 3GPP cellular SMS or token-gated API
- Dual redundant AC PSU, 100 to 240 V, 50/60 Hz
1U rack & desktopReed-switch Layer 1Dual AC PSUOut-of-band command path
R1100-4FFibre
Fibre rack, 4 pairs
1U, 19 inch rack
- Ports
- 4 × SFP / SFP+ / SFP28 pairs
- Throughput
- 1, 10 or 25 Gbps per pair
- Switching
- Physical optical switching, no inline buffer
R1200-4ECopper
Copper rack, 4 pairs
1U, 19 inch rack
- Ports
- 4 × RJ45 port pairs
- Throughput
- Up to 10 GbE per pair
- Switching
- Reed-switch Layer 1, millisecond response
S1200Edge
Desktop edge unit
Small-form desktop
- Ports
- 4 × RJ45 port pairs
- Throughput
- Up to 10 GbE per pair
- Switching
- Reed-switch Layer 1, millisecond response
Per-zone independence
Cut one path. Leave the others live.
Each protected port pair is governed on its own, so containing one zone does not interrupt the next. Supplier links, OT segments, backup routes, finance enclaves and R&D networks each keep their own state.
- Supplier links
- OT and SCADA
- Backup routes
- Finance enclaves
- R&D networks
- Management plane
Drop in. Defend at the wire.
Place Firebreak at high-risk access points and protect the network at the physical layer from day one. No re-architecture, no forklift upgrade, no special hardware or software to run the command path.
Unlock new segmentation patterns.
Extend your existing architecture with physical segmentation control for full traffic isolation. Advance your cyber and operational resilience plans without tearing up what already works.
Explore deployment patternsA no-brainer. It should be used by any large company.
NATO DIANA recognisedBroadband-Testing GoldGlobally patented
Deployed in the field
Three anonymised programmes.
01 · Case
NATO / Defence
Tier-1 programmeAir gap on demand for a classified test range with intermittent partner connectivity.
Outcome
Operator-triggered disconnect in milliseconds, full audit log, no inline software in the path.
02 · Case
Critical national infrastructure
Multi-site utilitySeverance of the IT and OT boundary during patching windows and SCADA incident response.
Outcome
Scheduled and ad-hoc cuts over SMS and REST API. No re-architecture of the control network.
03 · Case
Regulated finance
Trading floorVerifiable physical isolation of a settlement enclave from the wider corporate network, on demand.
Outcome
The out-of-band command path satisfied both internal audit and external regulator review.
Professional services
Adopt the right module, the right way.
Firebreak is plug and play, and most teams want a partner for the first rollout. We help you choose the right module, configure it for your environment and run it well, so the value lands quickly and the operations team owns it with confidence.
Network configuration
We help map ports, zones and command paths to your existing architecture.
Support model design
Roles, runbooks and on-call patterns so cuts and restores are routine, not heroic.
Naming and command structures
Clear conventions for ports, zones and Blueprints, so every action reads the same way.
Secure command processes
Approval, authentication and audit flows that satisfy internal review and external regulators.
Common questions
Straight answers.
Still have questions?
Firebreak
NATO DIANA recognised · Globally patented · UK and US manufacture