DMZ

A DMZ (demilitarized zone) is a separate network segment that hosts public-facing services while protecting the internal network. From network fundamentals it is implemented with firewalls, VLANs and specific routing/NAT rules so that a compromised host in the DMZ cannot freely access internal systems. For Audio/Video, Maker and Web projects this means streaming servers, IoT controllers, development boards and web servers can be placed in the DMZ to be reachable from the internet, while production assets and management systems remain on a separate, more secure subnet.

Imagine you run a live streaming setup (Audio/Video) accepting RTMP/SRT inputs, a Raspberry Pi controlling a DIY sensor/actuator (Maker), and a web app providing metadata and APIs. You place the streaming encoder, the Pi and the web server in a DMZ subnet behind firewall rules that only allow required ports (e.g. 1935 for RTMP, 443 for HTTPS, 22 limited for management). Internal devices such as video storage and CI/CD servers remain on the internal network; any access from the DMZ is allowed only via explicit, logged paths or a reverse proxy, maintaining both functionality and security across all three skillsets.