Zycko announces enhancements to Fortinet's network security appliances - powerful technology for frugal times

Zycko South Africa, an official distributor of Fortinet network security solutions, is now announcing the latest, enhanced version of Fortinet's FortiOS 4.0 operating system, a major firmware upgrade, which integrates hundreds of new features to significantly improve the value and functionality of its FortiGate multi-threat security appliances.

Fortinet, a network security provider with a focus on unified threat management (UTM) solutions, has enhanced its FortinetOS by delivering new application control, data leakage protection (DLP), WAN optimisation and SSL traffic inspection. The combination of these features will help customers to secure their network by removing malicious traffic that reduces available bandwidth and, at the same time, accelerate clean traffic for optimal network performance.

“Changing business processes and threats are driving new requirements for network security,” say Greg Young and John Pescatore, Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Firewalls, November 2008. “Increasing bandwidth and new application communication (such as Web 2.0) are changing how protocols are used and how data is presented. Software as a service is moving critical data off-site, and an increasing reliance on critical IT is pushing security in new directions.”

While FortiOS 4.0 will bring many new enhancements to customers, the additional three security features and one additional network service will serve to intensify the value and ROI of Fortinet's consolidated security devices. The security features added to FortiOS's application control, DLP and SSL inspection were designed to address:

* The rising level of cyber-threats, especially those preying on consumer fear in a down economy.
* The evolving nature of user behaviour driven by Web 2.0 innovations (such as social networks) now considered to be part of the network, that require broader security.

Continuing its strategy to marry security with complementary networking features, Fortinet has added WAN optimisation to its new OS, giving network managers the ability to make this desirable network enhancement service a part of their overall network security infrastructure.

Says Amy Thomas, Fortinet Product Manager at Zycko: “This functionality will provide our resellers with a sales differentiator, allowing them to deliver the key advantage of lowered bandwidth usage to end-users. The enhancements provide resellers and end-users with a more 'complete' solution that addresses many of the changing requirements that the evolving security environment is driving.”

In all, the four most significant features of FortiOS 4.0 will help companies of all sizes enhance their security defences, realise more value for their money, and improve management efficiencies. Primary benefits that the new operating system will bring to FortiGate customers include:

* Access to innovative new security technologies, often otherwise available only as standalone products.
* Improved security through the tight integration of security technologies that interoperate seamlessly.
* Improved security and control over local users who communicate with an increasing number of Web-based applications, driven by computing trends such as software as a service (SaaS) and cloud computing.
* Reduction in the number of physical devices necessary to implement desired security and networks services, which will help to reduce both carbon and physical footprints, simplify management and enable CAPEX/OPEX savings.

“We are finding ourselves in a perfect storm as we launch the latest operating system for the FortiGate product line. We have a product that has cost-efficiency as part of its DNA and an environment that's looking for more ways to maximise every dollar spent without sacrificing security,” said Ken Xie, founder, CEO and president, Fortinet. “The confluence of these factors point to the need for a powerful yet fiscally-prudent security solution for customers who are, more than ever, pressured to do more with less. FortiOS 4.0 is a great example of the technology innovation that is at Fortinet's core, and we are very pleased to be able to provide it to customers when they need it most.”

Adds Thomas: “This new release of FortiOS addresses the current need for IT departments to trim costs yet maintain network integrity - essentially doing more with less. By integrating two or more security functionalities into one device, a significant saving in terms of capital outlay and ongoing support is delivered.”

The rich set of functionalities that FortiOS 4.0 brings to FortiGate appliances will dramatically enhance security and network performance as detailed below:

* Application control to recognise traffic generated by the application, instead of the port or protocol observed; enforces security policy for more than 1 000 applications; facilitates control over evasive applications that use non-standard ports, port-hopping or tunnelling within trusted ports and protocols.
* Data leakage prevention to help identify and prevent the communication of sensitive information outside of the network boundaries; works across any application and is also effective where traffic is SSL-encrypted; configurable actions provide audit trails for data and files, aids in legislative compliance; protects an organisation's sensitive information.
* WAN optimisation to accelerate applications over WAN connections while ensuring multi-threat security enforcement; increases network performance; reduces data transmitted across a WAN; reduces bandwidth and server resource requirements; improves user productivity; reduces networking costs (FortiGate models with local storage capabilities are required to take advantage of this feature).
* SSL Inspection to increase security and policy control among encrypted traffic streams; inspects otherwise hidden communication; increases protection for secure Web and application servers; improves visibility into network traffic.

Additional information on FortiOS 4.0 and other Fortinet products can be accessed at http://www.fortinet.com/products. Additional discussion on security technologies and threat analysis can be found at the FortiGuard Blog at http://blog.fortinet.com. All existing FortiGate customers with active maintenance contracts can upgrade to the new OS at little to no additional cost.*