Fortinet launches combined appliance
Vendor takes its first steps into the NAC space with FortiGate-224B
Unified Threat Management (UTM) vendor Fortinet has taken its first step into the network access control (NAC) space with the launch of a combined security and networking appliance.
FortiGate-224B is the first in a new series of LAN security devices that enforce internal security policies at the NAC layer to thwart intrusion attempts, viruses, worms, denial-of-service attacks and blended threats, according to Fortinet.
Speaking to CRN, Phil Keeling, UK and Ireland country manager at Fortinet, said: “We have already handled NAC from a security perspective, but we wanted to be deployed at the core of the network.”
Fortinet has incorporated technology developed by switching vendor Marvell into its FortiGate-224B device, rather than buying a switching vendor outright.
“Switching is a fairly commoditised market,” Keeling said. “It was easier to use Marvell’s technology rather than buying a whole dedicated company.”
He added that the latest appliance will help Fortinet’s resellers to ramp-up margin.
“We are seeing a lot more vendors getting into this space – Juniper, Cisco and ConSentry are all into NAC – but we are also experiencing demand from our customers who want a unified network and security appliance,” he said.
“We will always be a security company, but this allows our resellers to enhance their offering to customers. It also opens up a whole new raft of capabilities for them.”
Innes Muir, Fortinet product manager at distributor Noxs, said: “Although the likes of Juniper and Cisco are in this space from a switching perspective, Fortinet is entering NAC from a firewalling and UTM approach, and the security element is definitely the thing of the future.
This is an enormous opportunity for our resellers and demand is outstripping supply.”
Stuart Bullard, business development director at Fortinet distributor Voice Comms Warehouse, said: “This demonstrates that Fortinet is delivering on its promises to embrace all aspects of network security. Fortinet also develops all the UTM technology itself, which puts it miles ahead of the competition. Other vendors tend to OEM other bits of kit for their UTM offering, which doesn’t work.”