News Archive
PRODUCT REVIEWeSoft's ThreatWall 300 Protects SMB Market, Customers
3:00 PM EDT Fri. Jul. 15, 2005
The security appliance market is undergoing an evolution forced by the rapid creation of new threats and intrusions. Solution providers now are starting to question how long a security appliance can remain a viable defense against attacks. After all, if the device was never designed to combat the latest threat, is it worth the money spent?
The answer lies in selecting devices that offer virtually unlimited flexibility yet still fit the appliance model. Enter eSoft, a Broomfield, Colo.-based security appliance vendor. The company offers solutions for businesses of all sizes, but focuses on economical solutions that serve the SMB market quite well. For example, eSoft's ThreatWall 300 offers almost every security feature imaginable for just $2,999 and scales up to 2,000 users.
When it comes to protecting a network, eSoft takes a slightly different approach. The ThreatWall 300 assumes all incoming traffic is malicious and only lets through the packets that are deemed to be safe and free of malware. That process treats today's Internet as the modern equivalent of the Wild West's no man's land of yore.
That deployment model offers several advantages over the traditional "scan and block" method of protecting networks. ESoft's "scan and allow" methodology can offer increased performance by focusing on passing allowed packets through, as opposed to validating each and every packet allowed into the network. Of course, the system is fully customizable by using policy definitions.
The ThreatWall series of appliances is designed to be customizable and adaptable, thanks to eSoft's SoftPak technology. SoftPaks are software-based sets of functions that can be added to a ThreatWall device and can be used to add spam-filtering, site-filtering, gateway antivirus, desktop antivirus and e-mail server capabilities. They are the key to the device's flexibility and expandability. ESoft regularly updates SoftPaks to deal with the latest security concerns.
The ThreatWall 300 is housed in a 1U rack-mountable case and includes a pair of RAID level 1 hard drives to store software and event logs in a redundant environment. The unit also includes a pair of 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports that are used to connect the device between the Internet and the local network. The inclusion of Gigabit Ethernet is a critical advantage for networks as they grow and place more demands on the Ethernet infrastructure. Performance is further enhanced by the inclusion of 1 Gbyte of RAM and a Pentium 4 2.6GHz processor.
Installation of the device is intuitive, bordering on plug-and-play simplicity; users simply install the physical device and then launch the browser-based installation wizard. The device can be set up in transparent mode, which eliminates the need to change any existing network settings or DNS records, or it can be set up in proxy mode, which requires changes to the DNS records. Proxy mode is the preferred style of deployment and adds another layer of security by including user authentication.
The management interface is intuitive and offers easy access to the multiple settings offered by the unit. What's more, SoftPaks can be added remotely and with ease, which allows integrators to offer remote service and monitoring capabilities, all with an eye toward ongoing revenue opportunities.
Out of the box, the unit includes several standard security features and, in some cases, can eliminate the need for additional security products and reduce the need for SoftPaks. Integrators will find standard firewall features such as NAT, packet-filtering, attack mitigation and other features readily available. On top of the requisite firewall functionality, the ThreatWall units include eSoft's ThreatWise technology, which is built around key security services including a realtime threat monitor, multilevel quarantines, RADIUS support, LDAP support, e-mail alerts and comprehensive reporting. Those features prove to be a good start for most any environment and then can be further enhanced with the addition of SoftPaks.
As additional SoftPaks are created, partners will have the opportunity to upsell capabilities to their customers as security threats increase.
ESoft has been evolving its channel program for the last six years, providing comprehensive support to its channel partners. Solution providers looking to join only need to commit to the company's required training. The program is broken down to two levels: a VAR program, which requires a small amount of yearly sales, and a more comprehensive eVAR level, which requires higher sales but includes marketing and financial assistance to member VARs. Margins run roughly 30 percent for both levels. Partners at the eVAR level have access to enhanced technical support, co-op funds and financial incentives that can drive margins up further.
A partner portal offers all member VARs access to marketing and support materials, ranging from lead generation to selling techniques. Technical support is offered to partners 24x7, and online training is available at no cost. Partners also can benefit from free presales integration support and 90 days of unlimited technical support.
ESoft has developed a winning combination of hardware, software and channel support that can lead attentive VARs to big profits in the security field. The unique application of eSoft's security methodology helps to reduce, if not eliminate, obsolescence yet still provide ample ongoing revenue opportunities to VAR partners.
WHO IS THE BEST SMALL AND MEDIUM EMPLOYER IN CANADA? ...YOU DECIDE!
Queen's School of Business, in cooperation with Hewitt Associates, is seeking companies with between 50 to 400 employees to participate in the Best Small and Medium Employers Study. Participating companies receive a complimentary highlight report with key employee engagement measures, allowing them to benchmark their HR practices against the best in Canada. Companies selected as Best Employers will be featured in the Globe and Mail's Report on Small Business magazine. Registration deadline is August 31st, so sign up soon!
To register or for further details, simply visit http://business.queensu.ca/qcbv/sme/sponsers.htm or email bsme@business.queensu.ca or call the Queen's Centre for Business Venturing at 877-955-1800.
Customer Satisfaction Survey 2004
Driving Quality Through Continuous Improvement
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SYSPRO Places in MSI Top 100 for Eighth Consecutive Year
Copyright 2003PR Newswire Association, Inc. July 14, 2003 Monday 9:02AM Eastern Time
SYSPRO, a producer of enterprise software, revealed that the company has placed 60th in the recently unveiled MSI Magazine 2003 Top 100 List. This is the eighth consecutive year that SYSPRO has ranked in the prestigious MSI Top 100 List.
The accompanying write-up on SYSPRO, entitled, "SYSPRO Emerging .NET Poster Child" states, "A contemporary new SYSPRO logo and the global re-branding are visible signs that big things are happening at this provider of enterprise resource planning (ERP) and supply chain management software, but the real news isn't about the marketing sizzle - it's about the steak.
The article highlights SYSPRO 6.0, introduced in 3Q 2002, describing the software as a fully integrated solution which provides built-in functionality for ERP, APS, CRM, Business Analytics and E-Commerce solutions and which enables manufacturers to manage their supply chains, from customers to suppliers.
The text quotes Brian Stein, SYSPRO USA president: "We're changing the way we do business by making ourselves much more Microsoft-centric. At one recent conference, we were referred to by Microsoft as the poster child of its .NET initiative. This technology opens the door to easily integrating and extending the SYSPRO solution with other best-of-breed products."
SYSPRO, a Microsoft Gold Partner, was one of the first software companies to introduce software utilizing the Microsoft .NET framework. SYSPRO worked on SYSPRO e.net solutions in tandem with Microsoft during that company's development of Microsoft .NET.
According to MSI Editor, Roberto Michel, " The MSI Top 100 looks at revenue, not software functionality, but the ability of a vendor to make the list year after year speaks well for its staying power and ability to execute. We congratulate SYSPRO on being part of the 2003 Top 100."
SYSPRO is a world leader in providing manufacturing, distribution and financial accounting software solutions with thousands of installations in more than 50 countries. SYSPRO is one of the world's most honoured software companies. Recent milestones include: The premier K@ Quality Award for "Installation Channel/Methodology" for the SYSPRO STARS Implementation Methodology; Voted Number One in 2002 Middle Market ERP Software Survey conducted by Accounting Research; Recipient of START Magazine's First Annual Vision Award (2001) and "Hottest Company" designation for four years; Finalist for Developer of the Year (2002) by Software Council of Southern California; Ranked Among World's Top Software Companies by MSI Magazine, Managing Automation Magazine, Logistics Management Magazine and Software Magazine; and Given Highest Ratings in Accounting and Manufacturing Software Reviews by CPA Software News for ten consecutive years.