If you wish to have Windows 2003 and Symantec... you're going to need to employ a dedicated Systems Administrator.
Together with this the number of holes and security that Microsoft continually need to patch in the OS would be a real problem and it'd be a rediculous expense you need to fork out every year to 'renew your subscription' to Symantec.
A dedicated appliance based box beats a server hands down. Particularly a device such as a Cisco. Why not sign up for a managed Cisco router with a service provider? I don't know of any other companies that do it, bar one company in Sydney called Bulletproof Networks that do that kind of thing.
They configure up a 3DES security router which includes firewalling (stateful packet inspection) which is equivalent to the high end Cisco firewalls but it includes the routing capabilities as well and it's reasonable pricing as well.
Honestly, I cringe at the thought of a Windows (AND Symantec!) box providing firewalling to anyone. The cost would be outrageous for the task that you're requesting it to do. And like any other pc's, they break. Appliance boxes tend to last a lot longer.
DON'T DO IT!
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If you wish to have Windows 2003 and Symantec... you're going to need to employ a dedicated Systems Administrator. Together with this the number of holes and security that Microsoft continually need to patch in the OS would be a real problem and it'd be a rediculous expense you need to fork out every year to 'renew your subscription' to Symantec. A dedicated appliance based box beats a server hands down. Particularly a device such as a Cisco. Why not sign up for a managed Cisco router with a service provider? I don't know of any other companies that do it, bar one company in Sydney called Bulletproof Networks that do that kind of thing. They configure up a 3DES security router which includes firewalling (stateful packet inspection) which is equivalent to the high end Cisco firewalls but it includes the routing capabilities as well and it's reasonable pricing as well. Honestly, I cringe at the thought of a Windows (AND Symantec!) box providing firewalling to anyone. The cost would be outrageous for the task that you're requesting it to do. And like any other pc's, they break. Appliance boxes tend to last a lot longer. DON'T DO IT!