While always-on, high-bandwidth DSL technology allows workers in small offices and home offices to get work done faster, it could also provide a ready-made avenue for intruders if appropriate security measures aren't taken.
Positioning itself squarely at this crossroads is Santa Clara, Calif.-based Ramp Networks, which has made the SMB market its bread and butter. Ramp has partnered with Check Point Software to introduce a new line of SMB routers with built-in firewall and security capabilities.
VARBusiness sat down with Jerry Jalaba, Ramp's senior vice president of worldwide sales and service, to talk about how security threats could become opportunities for solution providers.
VB: The tendency is to think that the only targets of break-ins and hacking are big networks at huge corporations. If I were a hacker, the first target I'd go after is a smaller business that clearly demonstrates a lack of security awareness.
Jalaba: One of the things we've heard is, "I'm now providing always-on, 'round-the-clock access to my network. How do I secure it? How do I firewall my users from the Internet? I want them to have ubiquitous access, but I also want some level of security so I can be protected from intruders." We're bringing in an access solution with robust capabilities at [less than] $1,000. It includes a Check Point small-office solution that includes the full suite of FireWall-1 capabilities. It lets you determine firewall management policies and security configurations centrally. You can do that from a central managed-service perspective, so it opens up great opportunities for [solution providers], managed-service providers and ISPs.
VB: That sounds like it could become an interesting segment,the security ASP.
Jalaba: It has created almost a whole new segment in the market now. Some of the more innovative partners and service providers are learning this is a set of values that customers are willing to pay for.
VB: There's a lot to think about that small businesses don't have time to mull over when implementing a robust security solution.
Jalaba: Absolutely. That's one of the values the Check Point product, coupled with the Ramp solution, brings to the table. We do simplify the solution, but there are still some levels of complexity associated with it...It does open up a great opportunity for service providers to go into these companies and say, "We'll handle it for you." n
