Network Associates, an IT security software and hardware vendor, recently re-launched its McAfee product set, which includes its new consumer product range, and has targeted the small, micro, dedium enterprise (SMME) and consumer market.
Says Christopher Bray, Network Associates regional director in SA: "The SMME and consumer market has been in need of IT security products that offer real value at a price that is not exploited by the exchange rate. McAfee now offers best of breed technologies, previously exclusive to the corporate market, to consumers and SMMEs."
Bray continues: "Having recognised the significant opportunity presented by organisations that have 250 employees or less, comprising 98% of all South African companies, Network Associates have launched various initiatives that enable smaller partners to effectively target the SMME market. This was also coupled with the decision to provide the consumer market with solutions through retail outlet, Incredible Connection."
The consumer range comprises of VirusScan, VirusScan Professional, Firewall, Internet Security and QuickClean.
These products deliver technologies that were previously available to the corporate market and are demonstrated through VirusScan 6.0. This product features a Hostile Activity Watch Kernal (HAWK), constantly monitoring your PC to for suspicious activity that may indicate a virus (which might be the sending of an e-mail to more than 75% of one`s address book).
Other dangers are presented through the use of PDAs and these are eliminated through the VirusScan 6.0 PDA synchronisation scanner. This technology checks all entry points to a computer, including the synchronisation process with a PDA and is compatible with Palm OS, Pocket PC, Win CE and Symbian EPOC operating systems. The entire suite supports Windows XP and is competitively priced, making security affordable to all.
"The Webshield e250 is an appliance targeted at the SMME market (and is the baby brother of the e500 appliance, the world`s fastest gateway scanner), which offers McAfee anti-virus protection at the gateway in a `configure and forget` appliance," adds Bray. "Most small businesses and consumers have Internet access: 87% of all viruses arrive through the Internet, and there are approximately 57 000 known viruses. The e250 is the ideal first line of defence against this threat for South African SMMEs.".
Capable of handling up to 30 000 e-mail messages per hour, the WebShield e250 makes an ideal solution for the smaller client. The easy to deploy appliance scans inbound and outbound SMTP and POP3 mail, HTTP (web-browsing) FTP (downloads), as well as content filtering.
McAfee has also taken recognisance of companies that do not have dedicated IT staff, which according to Bray comprises 62.9% of the South African market.
"McAfee`s ASaP service is a managed security service sold and managed via the Internet," he says.
This service offloads the tasks of anti-virus and security to McAfee and its partners, providing instant virus protection, deployed from the Internet, with automatic updates and Web-based reports.
The ASaP service extends to McAfee Firewall and CyperCop vulnerability assessment and is also available to the consumer market.
Bray concludes: "Smaller business and consumers now have a wider choice when analysing IT security products in the market. McAfee has provided this wider offering without compromising leading technology at an affordable price."
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