WatchGuard`s New Security Box Shoulders More Networking (
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WatchGuard is joining the ranks of UTM vendors offering integrated security and networking boxes. People are sick and tired of the two-box approach—of having both a
router and a security appliance—and WatchGuard Technologies has joined
the ranks of vendors responding, with an upgrade to its security
appliance software that takes on more networking chores.
WatchGuard on Jan. 28 plans
to announce Version 10 of WatchGuard Fireware, Edge and WatchGuard
System Manager—the software for its Firebox X Peak, Core and Edge UTM
(unified threat management) appliances.
Eric Aarrestad, vice president of marketing for WatchGuard, said the
company has been seeing an erosion of demand for secure routers,
particularly from midmarket organizations. "What [IDC has recently
noted] is a pretty significant dip in the adoption rate of secure
routers in [the midmarket]," he said. "They've noticed, and we're part
of this, an uptick in security service adoption."
Charles Kolodgy, an analyst at IDC, backed him up on that. "What
we're seeing in the marketplace is that people are demanding their
security box to do more," Kolodgy said. "They want better security, but
also better networking, and to make it more functional within the
environment so [a security appliance] can replace a two-box solution,
so they don't need a plain old router and a security box."
In line with those expectations, Tim Helming, WatchGuard's director
of product marketing, said that there are three themes for WatchGuard's
Version 10 release: bolstered security, enhanced connectivity and user
management, and better visibility.
New networking-related features in Version 10 include integration
between SSL VPNs (virtual private networks) and WatchGuard's Fireware
and Edge operating systems, thus providing secure connectivity for
mobile and remote workers.
Another mobility-related new feature in the operating systems'
upgrade is support for Mobile VPN for Windows mobile devices, as well
as support for workers using VOIP (voice over IP) or videoconferencing
done with SIP and H.323 connections. Edge 10 also includes a wireless
bridge mode for wireless users.
Also included in the upgrade is a new pass-through authentication
designed to keep users seamlessly connected to their corporate network.
