Review: Eye-Opening End-Point Security

Blink can be administered locally on each desktop, but the hot ticket for management is to add eEye's centralized REM Security Management Console. REM is not only the centralized console for the popular Retina Network Security Scanner, it also allows for centralized Blink policy management and reporting.

Blink can be configured to run on the desktop in hidden mode so that the user does not even know it is running, one of four modes that allow varying degrees of end-user visibility. The data is stored in a SQL database, which means reporting is very flexible. It allows for several different views, most importantly the ability to view the data from a whole asset perspective rather than just by each scan.

Keep in mind that REM provides centralized administration and reporting for end-point system and application firewalls, IPS, antivirus, antispyware, Trojans, vulnerability assessment, identity theft protection, system protection (process, registry and execution) as well as managing trusted and banned IP addresses. That means you can ditch the four or five separate tools you are currently running on each desktop.

The Blink/REM combination is well-suited for the MSP environment. REM is multitenant, which means that it does include the ability to group and report on data by customer and allows individual login permissions that restrict the views to the data. The MSP adds value by understanding the implications involved in changing the configuration from the default configuration values.

If you are looking to mitigate the risk of creating SLA- based services on desktops and servers, taking a few minutes out of your busy schedule to evaluate Blink 3.0 and REM Security Management Console would be time well invested. By minimizing the attack surface, you will significantly reduce your exposure to attack and ultimately provide better uptime for the customer.

If you are looking for a competitive edge as a VAR selling security solutions, Blink offers significant differentiation from the other solutions out there. Alvaka Networks has found that whether you are a VAR or an MSP, eEye's Blink is a compelling new product to sell.

Rex Frank, CISSP, is the CTO of Alvaka Networks, a provider of network management, monitoring, security and integration services based in Huntington Beach, Calif.