Checkpoint tips its hat to the Next Generation

Network security giant Checkpoint Software Technologies is shipping its Next Generation software package.

The new software forms the backbone of the company's strategy to become the dominant player in the VPN market, which it says has yet to move into mainstream adoption.

Checkpoint claims it already has 100,000 VPN gateway installations under its belt, making up 62 per cent of the market, according to research from Datamonitor.

The company's Next Generation software goes a step further than firewalling and is designed to simplify the installation and management of secure internet communications between the business and its partners.

Speaking at a conference in New York, CEO of Checkpoint Gil Shwed said: "Businesses are now looking to cut costs through the savings they can make through using VPN technology. They want to leverage on their existing investment. That's a good sign - it's a reality check."

Checkpoint puts its money where its mouth is, insists Shwed who claimed that his own company used a secure VPN to manage its channel.

Shwed also revealed that the software might extend even to the wireless nodes on the network in the future.
He has a prototype version of the Next Generation software which manages the security of his Nokia handset.

Analyst reaction at the event was mixed, with some pundits unconvinced that users will shell out the investment in VPN technology in the current economic climate, even though Shwed insisted that they will see a return on investment in only a few months.

Others believe that Checkpoint's hold on the market will mean that its existing customer base will be forced to upgrade to Next Generation as the company phases out support for older products.

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