Check Point Software Technologies and VMware have announced a collaboration in which they will automate and simplify the provisioning and deployment of network security in private clouds. Check Point will make its security protection solutions interoperable with VMware infrastructure.
As today’s data centre moves quickly down the path of virtualisation, it is important for security to keep pace with virtual environments. Virtualisation has greatly increased the speed at which applications can be deployed, and delivers the added benefits of agility and mobility to meet changing business requirements.
Network security for virtualised environments must match this speed and agility through automated security management and provisioning, while enabling seamless support for existing security operational processes and policy.
Check Point Virtual Edition (VE) is a unique security solution that provides comprehensive protections and rapid deployment of security services in virtualised environments. By closely aligning Check Point’s security with VMware vSphere 5.5, organisations will benefit from a fully automated security solution for a VMware virtualised environment.
Virtual machines will be safeguarded through the breadth of Check Point’s multi-layered security protections without changing network topology. Additionally, the interoperability of Check Point solutions and VMware vCloud Suite will enable simplified and automatic virtual application protections.
“As enterprises deploy their network infrastructure in the cloud, having security services be provisioned quickly for these virtual environments is of utmost importance,” says Doros Hadjizenonos, sales manager for Check Point South Africa. “The collaboration with VMware enables strong protection for network security through the evolution of our customers’ virtual environments.”
Available in Q1 2014, the new Check Point VE is just one part of Check Point’s larger cloud and virtualisation security strategy, which will bring further interoperability with VMware solutions.
“VMware is delivering virtualisation solutions across compute, networking, storage and management designed to help customers accelerate the path to the software-defined data centre,” said Hatem Naguib, vice-president, networking and security at VMware.
“The new release of Check Point Virtual Edition, when combined with the latest release of vSphere or our new VMware NSX network virtualisation platform, will offer our customers a simple solution to secure, manage and automate their virtualisation and cloud environments.”
Features of the Check Point VE include:
* Interoperability with VMware vSphere 5.1 and 5.5, vCenter Server, vCloud Suite and VMware NSX network virtualisation;
* Centralised security management for all Check Point virtual and physical security gateways;
* Inspection of Inter-VM traffic without changing network topology;
* Automated deployment and provisioning of Check Point’s VE gateways;
* Automated protection of new virtual machines;
* Use of VMware objects in Check Point policy rules;
* Constant protection of VMs, regardless of IP address changes; and
* VM migration without breaking application connectivity.
“Check Point is committed to delivering powerful, rapid security deployments for virtualisation and cloud infrastructure. Check Point VE brings that network security through the full range of our award-winning Software Blade Architecture,” concludes Hadjizenonos.
