Network Box, Firewall launch UTM bundles

Network Box and its distributor Firewall Systems want resellers to realise that selling security is not about moving a product, launching a range of financed security services bundles that are charged monthly.

The companies claimed they are delivering Australia’s first unified threat management (UTM) bundles.

There are three offerings — which the reseller can tweak mdash; that include a fully managed firewall, VPN, anti-virus, anti-SPAM, web content filtering and intrusion prevention services.

End customers sign a three-year contract for the service, which is sold by Network Box’s oUTManage Premier, Specialist and SOC channel partners.

The first bundle — for companies with up to 50 users and based on Network Box’s SOHO hardware platform mdash; costs $677 per month. The second, for medium businesses mdash; with up to 500 users and based on Network Box’s SME hardware platform mdash; costs $1149 per month while the large business bundle supports up to 1500 users at a monthly cost of $1874.

Firewall Systems is providing the finance through its ‘FireFunds’ service which is underwritten by finance company Future Funds.

Although the customer pays a monthly fee for the managed security service, the reseller is paid in full straight away for the contract, said Andrew Tune, managing director at Network Box.

Tune and Nick Verykios, marketing director at Firewall Systems, said resellers can pitch the service to their customers as an ‘operational’ not a capital expense.

“The operations guys like to hear that because now they can afford it,” said Tune.

Verykios said the bundles would attract companies that were already comfortable paying a flat monthly fee for their physical security.

“The Business Bundles will allow them to acquire the IT security services using their operating budget, to amortise their costs and maintain a regular update program at no additional cost.

Since launching oUTManage in September, Network Box signed over 30 partners, which had indicated a need for a bundled UTM offering.

Firewall Systems includes a free vulnerability assessment with the bundles, meaning it performs an “ethical hack” on a customer’s network in order to determine where the holes are, said Verykios.

The bundles are offered as an operating lease contract as this allows the customer to upgrade during the term of the contract, however financial lease and commercial hire purchase contracts are also available at the same rates, Network Box said.