Free firewall will add enterprise security functions to virtual environments

September 2, 2009 (Wilmington, MA) – Astaro Corporation (http://www.astaro.com), a leading network security vendor, today announced that Astaro will offer a Free Business Firewall for VMware. The free VMware firewall, which offers the base functionality of the Astaro Security Gateway Virtual Appliance using a special license key, will allow organizations with virtual environments to secure their network from external threats, as well as control and monitor communications between virtual machines. In addition, Astaro provides organizations with a free tool for centrally managing multiple Astaro products, the Astaro Command Center.

When deploying virtual machines, it is essential to protect the communication between virtual machines as well as to the Internet. VMware meets this demand by offering vShield™ Zones which deliver basic security functions to virtual environments. However, vShield Zones are only included in the larger VMware vSphere™ editions, starting with Advanced. Those editions are often oversized, especially in the case of small and medium sized businesses whose demands can be fulfilled by the small editions – at lower costs and more convenience.

Astaro's Free Business Firewall for VMware fills this gap and adds enterprise security functions to all VMware vSphere editions – regardless of the organization’s size. It protects against outside threats while providing control over all communications between virtual machines within an organization's network. The free VMware firewall offered by Astaro comes with the same functionalities and performance as VMware’s vShield Zones, however it is free of charge and offers the ability to add additional applications, such as mail and web filtering capabilities, as needed.

"While VMware Server has helped many small and medium sized businesses take advantage of virtual environments, the absence of a firewall and the inability to control communications between virtual machines can be a barrier to taking this technology further or expanding into production environments," said Gert Hansen, Chief Software Architect, Astaro Corporation. "Astaro wants to ensure all virtual environments are protected from external threats, regardless of the customer’s size or resources. We also want to give businesses control over communications between VMware machines. Our Free Business Firewall for VMware will fill this security and communications gap making it easier for customers to secure their virtual environments."

Astaro's Free Business Firewall for VMware is a base license of the Astaro Security Gateway Virtual Appliance and has the same easy-to-use graphical user interface as the company’s other security products. Users receive firmware and feature upgrades at no cost. For users who wish to expand the functionality of the free version in order to benefit from advanced enterprise protection, additional security applications can be licensed such as Network Security (Intrusion Prevention, IPsec and SSL-VPN), Web Security (Malware and Content Filter for HTTP/S, IM/P2P Application control) and Mail Security (Malware and Spam Filter, Email Encryption). These features can be added to the configuration at any time and are instantly activated after inserting a new valid license key.

Virtual environments often need multiple firewalls to properly protect the virtual infrastructure. Because the manual management of multiple security devices is very time consuming Astaro offers a free tool for central management; the Astaro Command Center. The Astaro Command Center is a virtual appliance which simplifies the management of an organization's Astaro security products by allowing them to manage, monitor, and configure all installations from a central point.

To register for an e-mail reminder once the Free Business Firewall for VMware is available and for a 30 day free trial of the Astaro Security Gateway Virtual Appliance visit: http://www.astaro.com/en/free_business_firewall_vmware

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About Astaro Corporation
Astaro offers the most complete and easy to use Internet security appliances available. Astaro’s award-winning products provide the latest protection with the best total cost of ownership. Software, hardware and virtual appliance offerings provide users the flexibility to meet a wide variety of deployment scenarios. Distributed by a growing worldwide network of more than 2,500 certified partners, more than 50,000 installations of Astaro products protect over 100,000 networks. Astaro, headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, USA and Karlsruhe, Germany, offers free downloads of its products at www.astaro.com.