ESoft revamps security systems

By Ellen Messmer, Network World
October 09, 2006 12:09 AM ET

Security vendor eSoft this week plans to announce six gateway intrusion-prevention systems and content-filtering appliances that the company says significantly boost speed and processing power compared with the company's current security models.

The three new models of the InstaGate Integrated Gateway are firewall/VPN IPSs supporting speeds of as much as 750Mbps; they replace the lower-speed InstaGate 305 family, which topped out at a speed of 140Mbps. The three new models of the eSoft ThreatWall Content Security Gateway can filter as many as 75,000 e-mails per hour; they replace current ThreatWall appliances that process as many as 6,500 e-mails per hour.

The InstaGate 404, 604 and 806 models are unified threat management (UTM) devices that combine firewall, IPS, antivirus filtering and other content-filtering options into a single hardware appliance.

Gateway protection
ESoft's 6 intrusion-prevention and content-filtering appliances:

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InstaGate Integrated Gateway (includes firewall and VPN, with options for antivirus, antispam, antispyware filtering.)
Model 404	Four Fast Ethernet interfaces; 150Mbps firewall, 80Mbps VPN, 40GB hard drive. Starts at $2,000.
Model 604	Four Gigabit Ethernet interfaces; 300Mbps firewall; 160Mbps VPN; 80GB Internet hard drive. Starts at $3,000.
Model 806	Six Gigabit Ethernet interfaces; 750Mbps firewall; 400Mbps VPN; dual 120GB hard drive. Starts at $5,000.
ThreatWall Content Security Gateway (Unified threat management appliances for intrusion prevention and content filtering.)
Model 250	Four Fast Ethernet interfaces; processes as many as 7,500 e-mails per hour; 40GB hard drive; options include instant messaging and peer-to-peer network control. Starts at $2,300.
Model 450	Four Gigabit Ethernet interfaces; processes as many as 20,000 e-mails per hour; 80GB hard drive; options include IM and peer-to-peer network control. Starts at $3,300.
Model 650	Eight Gigabit Ethernet interfaces; processes as many as 75,000 e-mails per hour; dual 120GB hard drive; LAN bypass for safe failover; options include IM and peer-to-peer network control. Starts at $6,000.

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Scott Lukes, vice president of marketing and product development at eSoft, says the company has developed its own antivirus technology but relies on Aluria for antispyware filtering.

Among eSoft's competitors in gateway defense are Cisco, Symantec, McAfee, SonicWall and Juniper.

The ThreatWall models 250, 450 and 650 are antispam filtering appliances that include antivirus and antispyware options and block instant messaging (IM) and peer-to-peer file sharing.

Tim Taylor, IT director at Good Times Restaurants, a nationwide chain in Golden, Colo., a few weeks ago swapped out an older InstaGate for the Model 806 to filter out spam and spyware at the Internet perimeter on behalf of employees at its headquarters.

"We use it as an all-in-one appliance," Taylor says. "The newer InstaGate model gives us better speed, and Web content seems to be available faster with it."

ESoft's six intrusion-prevention and content-filtering appliances include: