SonicWall, F5 In Perimeter Play

The SonicWall product, the TZ 150, is a deep-packet inspection firewall device that also supports intrusion prevention. The new offering from F5 Networks, dubbed the FirePass 600, is an SSL VPN built to secure remote access. Both are available now.

Pricing for the FirePass 600 starts at $3,995 while the TZ 150 is priced at $389.

John Gordineer, product line manager at SonicWall, said the TZ 150 is part of a new effort from the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based vendor to help solution providers become managed security service providers (MSSPs). The device combines VPN and firewall capabilities with gateway antivirus and content filtering.

Steve Ryder, president of LAN Strategies, Keene, N.H., said his company offers SonicWall services as part of a proprietary managed service called RemoteWorkplace. By using the TZ 150, he added, LAN Strategies plans to provide firewall technologies free to customers who sign up for the managed offering.

"The TZ 150 will allow us to aggressively compete in the MSSP space," Ryder said. "SonicWall continues to lead the pack with innovative products that enable us to expand services to our customers."

The FirePass 600 is a scaled-down version of F5's SSL VPN offerings targeted at SMBs. Marty Jost, director of security product management at F5 Networks, Seattle, said the device is a simplified version of the FirePass Controller SSL VPN and said perhaps the biggest enhancement is rapid, plug-and-play installation for SMBs.

Eric Ahlm, director of security architecture at Vigilar, an F5 Networks partner in Atlanta, said the FirePass 600 should help his company boost sales in the midmarket.

"With this product, [F5] now has the most simple setup from the end-user side," said Ahlm. "Where FirePass really shines [vs.] some of the other midtier SSL VPN players is when you combine this functionality and usability with price."