Check Point's security management service for MSSPs

LONDON: Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd., the worldwide leader in securing the Internet, and SofaWare Technologies Ltd., a Check Point company, today announced the release of SMP On-Demand, the industry’s first fully hosted Web-based security management service for Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), providing security services to small and medium businesses (SMBs).

The new service is based on SofaWare’s powerful and highly-regarded Security Management Portal (SMP), a service provider-oriented network security management system.

SMP On-Demand allows service providers and VARs to offer their customers value-added managed security services with unprecedented ease, minimal initial investment and virtually no setup cost.

Yankee Group estimates the 2006 global managed security services market will reach more than $4 billion, growing to $6.8 billion globally by 2010.

SMP On-Demand offers an easy way to enter this lucrative market, enabling service providers to immediately increase their value proposition. The service includes managed firewall and intrusion prevention for Safe@Office UTM appliances as well as always-on antivirus protection, VPN management, centralized reporting and other value-add features.

“We were looking for an outsourced option,” said Rob Duxter, president of Network Integrators (NI) of Canada.

“Check Point provides a complete security solution. SMP On-Demand fits with what our customers require and saves our technology managers a lot of time. It has allowed us to expand our monthly managed technology service packages and increase billing, and our customers are happy.”

Since SMP On-Demand is a hosted solution, no purchase of software or servers is required and the service can be up and running quickly and efficiently. It allows for creating diverse service plans according to specific needs of target audiences.

Additionally, SMP On-Demand services can be branded with custom look and feel to help promote the service provider's own brand.

“SMP On-Demand gives resellers and service providers the opportunity to offer the same high quality security services to their SMB customers that Check Point provides to Fortune 500. It creates a great selling opportunity for partners to provide a customized value-added service and is being offered at a very competitive price,” said Laura Yecies, vice president-marketing, at Check Point Software Technologies.

“We envision Software as a Service (SaaS) as the next phase in the evolution of network security provision and management,” said Liran Eshel, CEO of SofaWare Technologies. “SMP On-Demand is a realization of that vision, providing a unique service delivery platform, satisfying the demanding needs of both service providers and SMB customers.”

“There is a lot of competition in this business. We are focused on providing services for customers in verticals where regulatory compliance is a significant requirement,” Jim Oddo, partner of Justified Technology.

Key security features provided by SMP On-Demand include:

* Centralized remote security gateway management and configuration

* Software and security updates for security gateways

* Antivirus management and signature updates

* Community based VPN management with dynamic IP support

* Remote access VPN configuration and user authentication management

* Managed URL filtering service

* Dynamic DNS

* Security logging

* Highly customizable reporting

Availability: SMP On-Demand is available immediately and is priced at £2500 a year for managing up to 50 Safe@Office UTM appliances.

CIOL Bureau