Check Point Bundles Up Security

Most small businesses don't know from security. They don't know from DSL, either. So Check Point is putting all the stuff they don't know in one box.

Check Point's SofaWare Technologies unit today unveiled Safe@Office 500 ADSL and 500W ADSL, two new appliances that bundle unified threat management (UTM) capabilities with a full-scale ADSL modem to give small businesses a single safe, fast interface to the outside world.

The Safe@Office 500 ADSL series includes a firewall, intrusion prevention system, antivirus tools, content filtering, wireless security, anti-spam tools, and other security capabilities in a single box. Unlike other entry-level UTM appliances, however, the Safe@Office 500 ADSL also includes the device that connects many small businesses to the Internet: a built-in ADSL modem.

"When you're dealing with small businesses, the fewer pieces of hardware you require, the better," says Peter Cresswell, national practice manager for security at Bell Business Solutions, which offers secure, managed services to small businesses in Canada. "There is a limited number of demands you can put on a small retailer -- for example, some of them don't even have enough plugs to support a lot of different devices."

Most small businesses don't have a great deal of security understanding yet, Cresswell observes. "But they have awareness that there are issues, and they're willing to pay to keep their businesses secure. They want to to be up to date with the technology."

The Safe@Office targets small businesses with fewer than 100 users, says Liran Eshel, CEO of SofaWare Technologies. In most cases, it will be distributed by value-added resellers or managed service providers that deliver the hardware along with a DSL service. "In some cases, it may carry the VAR or service provider's logo, not ours," he notes.

There is a growing need for UTM capabilities in small shops and remote offices, Eshel said. Check Point already is working on another project that will integrate its UTM products with its end-point security products, he said.

The Safe@Office 500 ADSL series is available now starting at $399. Users can add optional features and capabilities such as VLAN support and vulnerability scanning, which would raise the price to around $1,000 at the top end, Eshel said.

— Tim Wilson, Site Editor, Dark Reading

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