The VPN-1 Edge device, based on its VPN-1 Embedded NG software, will be marketed as a gateway for branch offices and remote teleworkers, and will cost between $399 and $1,999, depending on the model.
The new product evolved out of the company’s Sofaware division, which has previously released appliances under its own brand. Sofaware made software for embedded appliances, and a hardware specification to go with it.
Check Point is mainly a software provider, but it makes most of its sales via appliance partners and most of those via Nokia Corp [NOK]. Nokia will also offer appliances in the case of VPN-1 Edge.
However, the company’s appliance partner program has been affected. Nokia is currently the only partner in this segment, but that Check Point is talking to other companies that previously provided appliances under the program.
The key differentiator for Check Point is the manageability. The company has four different but complementary management systems that can be used to manage small deployments to very large deployments of thousands of devices.
Check Point is also developing systems to target the SSL, or clientless VPN space, which is proving popular in remote access VPN scenarios, and which the company has been slow to address on the same scale as competitors.
The company started offering rudimentary SSL functionality in its flagship software a year ago, but now faces competition in the space from old rival NetScreen Technologies Inc [NSCN], which acquired SSL VPN market leader Neoteris Inc.
Check Point is also working on standalone SSL VPN products, with security and manageability the two challenges the company is looking at.
This article was based on material originally published by ComputerWire.
