SonicWALL Provides Security at No Expense to Productivity

Classic firewalls are becoming out of date, and next-gen firewalls are in high demand. The Internet isn’t as it once was; we have video streaming, applications, the cloud – it takes a smart firewall to know what can get through, what should be filtered, and what’s just blocked. SonicWALL’s (News - Alert) next generation firewalls are made to deal with exactly that, and customizable to each company’s requirements.

SonicWALL has recently been acquired by Dell (News - Alert), and is now a part of its Software Group; this has accelerated its market, bringing in new customers from the federal government and Global 500 companies, but the target market has remained unchanged, and it continues to focus on expanding into enterprises.

The need for new, next-gen firewalls has been growing. Browser-based attacks are undetectable by traditional firewalls, and the classic “block or allow” method is outdated. SonicWALL’s next generation firewalls go beyond that, with high customizability and a variety of functions.

I recently met with Dmitriy Ayrapetov and Dianne L. Tongco of SonicWALL, and spoke to them about its features and functions. They know that security, while vital, cannot come at the expense of access or performance, or else users will either abandon the security or attempt to find ways around it. The firewalls from SonicWALL are made to accommodate that, adjustable to the company’s policies while allowing security and freedom.

For example, employees may need the use of social media for communicating with clients or each other, but employers may be concerned that the time spent conversing on Facebook (News - Alert) is also spent on Farmville. With SonicWALL’s application filtering, the games can be blocked while the website can continue as usual. It can also completely block out certain websites, depending on the manager’s preferences. There are also options for bandwidth prioritizing, so that streaming videos doesn’t take up just as much as conference calls, and allotted times to keep employees off Facebook during work, but allow access during lunch breaks.

Should a new application come out, SonicWALL’s team will quickly identify its signature, classify it as a website or application, and push the data out to all the firewalls, so managers can decide what to allow for it. Certain apps or websites can be outright blocked, or individually managed, depending on the company’s preference.

Of course, virus security is essential, and the SonicWALL firewall can not only block out viruses and infected sites, but can “interrogate” mobile devices to check for viruses and any jailbreaking modifications might can go against company policy. Mobile users can connect using remote access clients, letting users remain secure while on the go.

Having spoken to them, I can see why Dell wanted to acquire SonicWALL. It’s designed to meet the ever-changing needs of its users, while adapting to an Internet that’s always changing. With its variety of options and controls, it can find security settings that both managers and employees are satisfied with, all while remaining entirely secure.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2012, taking place Oct. 2-5, in Austin, TX. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO click here.

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