Network Associates Simplifies Lineup, Reaches Out To Resellers

Like its rivals Symantec and Computer Associates International, Santa Clara, Calif.-based Network Associates has undertaken an ambitious effort to streamline its product set. At the same time, the company hopes to reach further into smaller enterprise markets and its reseller channel. The new plan includes simplified, bundled security software suites, increased product integration, appliance- based security and a renewed focus on the SMB market, as well as programs to better align its people and its technology with partners.

Network Associates' overarching security vision is in step with the networking philosophy that intelligent management is best achieved by distributing intelligence, not centralizing it. "In the next 12 to 18 months, we are going to make intrusion prevention for the masses," said President Gene Hodges. "We will take our core technologies and shove them down into packages that work for organizations with 10 people."

For now, the company has rolled out VirusScan Enterprise 8.0i, which will include a variety of tools, such as buffer-overflow protection, file and directory protection and port blocking, said Parveen Jain, executive vice president of marketing and strategy at Network Associates.

In the spirit of product simplification and integration, the new product will be sold only as part of various McAfee software suites, which feature a variety of enterprise security tools, according to the company. Suites containing VirusScan Enterprise 8.0i include Active Threat Protection (ATP), Active VirusScan (SAV), Active Virus Defense (AVD), Active VirusScan-SMB Edition (SVM) and Active Virus Defense-SMB Edition (ADM).

A typical AVD suite includes VirusScan Enterprise 8.0i and VirusScan Command Line Set for PCs, VirusScan Enterprise 8.0i and NetShield 4.6 for NetWare for servers, groupware tools such as GroupShield for Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino, gateway tools such as WebShield SMTP for NT, management tools such as ePolicy Orchestrator with ThreatScan, and Annual PriorityPlus SW Support. Licenses, including a year of support, start at $20.61 per user for 1,000 seats or more.

On the hardware front, Network Associates next week plans to launch three IntruShield security appliances, Jain said. The appliances offer capacity and performance suited for branch-office environments, enterprise network perimeters and enterprise network cores. Each can deliver virtual firewall protection, outbound denial-of-service protection, SSL decryption capability, and alert and packet log archival.

Integrated Entercept software running on the appliances is available tuned for specific application environments such as Web, data and application services, and desktop security. Linux support is expected to be added to Entercept next quarter, Jain said.

Both the hardware and software moves mark Network Associates' first introduction of integrated products, Jain said. "Over the next 12 to 18 months, you'll see us evolve our solutions into one," he said. "We're looking to eliminate the need for multiple agents at a single end point."

To achieve closer integration with its resellers in the channel, Network Associates is planning to create a channel advisory council, Jain said. The council will consist of five to 10 members representing a wide range of market segments and geographies.

Monty Holloway, vice president of sales at Software Medium, a partner in Dallas, said the security vendor is on the right track. "Customers are beginning to understand that security threats are ongoing. And with this, they are looking for ease of management for multiple solutions."

Other partners such as Gary Shottes, vice president of marketing and business development at Amherst Technologies, Merrimack, N.H., said they have already begun to see an increased channel focus from Network Associates.