What is the Gateway? All info at a glance

When it comes to the topic of networks and the Internet, you have certainly come across the term gateway. This is a function that is crucial for communication between different systems. Learn what a gateway is and what types of gateways are available.

How a gateway works

A gateway is a key mechanism that makes it possible for systems or networks with different communication protocols to communicate with each other and exchange data in the first place.

• The gateway is usually an entry point into a network or system.
• Grossly speaking, it does nothing more than convert and adapt the data received from one system A so that another system B can receive and process it.
• As an example, a gateway could convert a received email and then resend it as an SMS or a fax.
• Further, a gateway can act as an interface between the telephone network and the Internet, for example, or between a local and a public network.
• The gateway is located at the boundary of the respective system or network and manages from there the incoming and outgoing data communication.

Gateway types - you need to know

There are numerous gateways, which all act as a kind of link, but depending on the area of application, fulfill correspondingly specific tasks. For example, the media gateway specializes in making sure that different types of digital media protocols are adapted to communicate with each other. Another gateway is the email security gateway, which, among other things, helps prevent mails containing malware or other malicious software from being transmitted in the first place.