Check Point joins forces with VMware to provide private cloud network security

Check Point Software Technologies is collaborating with VMware to automate and simplify the provisioning and deployment of network security in private clouds, making its security protection solutions interoperable with VMware infrastructure.

As today’s data center moves quickly down the path of virtualisation, the company claims 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 virtualized 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 Gabi Reish, vice president of product management at Check Point Software Technologies.

“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 virtualization solutions across compute, networking, storage and management designed to help customers accelerate the path to the software-defined data center,” adds 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 virtualization 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

* Centralized 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

* VM migration without breaking application connectivity

“Check Point is committed to delivering powerful, rapid security deployments for virtualization and cloud infrastructure," Reish adds.

"Check Point VE brings that network security through the full range of our award-winning Software Blade Architecture."

For more information on Check Point VE and the collaboration with VMware, visit: http://www.checkpoint.com/products/security-gateway-virtual-edition/