The Case For The Virtual Appliance

Case in point: Untangle 8's presentation of eSoft Web Filter. The most recent update to Untangle's software-based approach to security, Untangle 8 is available as a Debian-based download that integrates remarkably well with a variety of security solutions, including free applications.

Untangle 8 is available as a simple .iso file download, which can then be installed in a VMware virtual machine. With options to install in both graphical or text interfaces, we had Untangle 8 up and running on VMware virtual machine, on a Windows 7 PC built on an AMD Athlon quad-core processor, within minutes. The installation wizard configured all network settings and e-mail alert notifications without the need to get under the hood and enter text commands.

Compared to several hardware-based appliances we've seen this year, that provides a time savings of anywhere from one to three hours. The savings of aggravation is priceless.

The welcome screen/console provides a menu of options -- in friendly, graphical format -- to launch the client, change resolution, reboot, initiate recovery utilities or enter terminal mode.

Launch the graphical client, and Untangle 8 provides push-button installation of a variety of security applications, from firewall to antispyware and antivirus. It also points to the eSoft Web Filter for separate download and installation -- which did take several minutes.

We've liked eSoft's filtering technology in the past, and its Web Filter is nice: It blocks 450 million Web sites in 53 categories and 20 languages, including adult-oriented sites that are NSFW, gambling sites and -- for enterprises that do decide to shut it down -- social networking sites. ESoft also allows for sites to be blocked via IP address.

Pricing for eSoft Web Filter is reasonable: For a small enterprise with up to 10 PCs, a three-year license will run $630 (or $25 per month). For between 500 and 1,500 PCs, pricing will run $500 per month, or $12,600 for three years.

The benefits of using a virtual content filter, as with eSoft running on Untangle 8, are the same as for any virtual appliance: little hardware overhead, easy backup and failover and, now, ease of use.

It's not to say that hardware-based security appliances will not have a place in data centers. They will. We've liked and recommended security appliances from trusted companies including Barracuda, Finjan (M86) and NetForensics, and we stand by those recommendations.

But with technology providers like eSoft and solutions like Untangle 8, the next generation of hardware appliances will need to add more differentiation, more cost competitiveness, less service-intensity and an improving value proposition.

These are all good for solution providers, as solution choices will expand significantly, and the bar will be raised for all technology providers as they continue to provide IT security.

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