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WatchGuard Announces Unified Threat Management Solution for Windows Azure Cloud Platform.

Announcement posted by JC Indahaus Media 03 Sep 2013

With Windows Azure and Microsoft Hyper-V support, WatchGuard continues to deliver powerful security for fast-growing cloud computing market.

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WatchGuard® Technologies, a leader in integrated security platforms, today announced its first Unified Threat Management (UTM) solution for

Microsoft’s Windows Azure cloud computing platform. As organizations worldwide continue to pour vast amounts of sensitive data, applications and services into the cloud, secure data access becomes paramount. Now these companies can ensure secure cloud access while leveraging WatchGuard’s comprehensive and multi-layered defense across network, email, web and content security.

“Windows Azure’s cloud scalability, speed, and economics make it a compelling option for our customers that want to take advantage of the cloud while continuing to use their on-premises infrastructure,” said David Aiken, Group Product Marketing Manager, Windows Azure, Microsoft. “These customers require secure data access from on-premises networks to the cloud, and WatchGuard’s unified threat management platform helps extend on-premises datacenters to the cloud while assuring secure access.”

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All WatchGuard XTM security appliances now offer full support for VPN access to the Windows Azure Virtual Network service, allowing organizations to quickly and easily create secure VPN tunnels linking on-premise networks and cloud environments. And combined with its existing Microsoft Hyper-V support (Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Hyper-V Server 2008 R2, and Hyper-V Server 2012), WatchGuard now is the only company to deliver unified threat management for the hybrid cloud, ensuring secure and seamless data access across public cloud, private network and virtualized IT environments.

The WatchGuard XTM solution for Unified Threat Management is a great example of this: when you take multiple best-of-breed security solutions and unify them behind a single policy engine and management console, you get a defense-in-depth approach to protection that’s even better. The same phenomenon holds with cloud computing platforms: using Microsoft Hyper-V (in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012) enables IT organizations to deploy powerful, flexible private clouds. And Windows Azure services are the key for more businesses to leverage public cloud infrastructure. By unifying them – building a hybrid cloud – businesses can combine on-premise control with dynamic capacity and agility.

WatchGuard get to announce a true first Unified Threat Management solution for the Windows Azure Cloud Platform.

All WatchGuard XTM security appliances (both hardware devices and XTMv virtual devices) now offer full support for secure VPN access to the Windows Azure Virtual Network service. Businesses can create secure VPN tunnels linking on-premise networks and cloud environments. Windows Azure is one of the top cloud infrastructures out there. Earlier in 2013, Microsoft announced that half of the Fortune 500 had deployed Windows Azure services into their organizations. The inclusion of WatchGuard’s virtual UTM offerings can enable businesses of any size to utilize this public cloud infrastructure with the security and peace of mind of a global leader in information security platforms.

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WatchGuard is unique delivering powerful threat prevention for network, email, web and content across any combination of cloud, network and virtualized environment.

“As we work with customers to extend on-premise infrastructure to the cloud using Windows Azure, we need to ensure both a high level of security and seamless data access across multiple environments,” noted Maurice Wornhard, security architect at Cartagena in Norway. “WatchGuard is unique in delivering powerful threat prevention for network, email, web and content across any combination of cloud, network and virtualized environment.” Microsoft’s Windows Azure platform is fast gaining momentum with enterprise customers. It currently accounts for 20 percent of the cloud computing market, a number that is projected to grow to 35 percent within the year according to Forrester Research, Inc., Analyst James Staten in an April 2013 Bloomberg News article, entitled “Microsoft Azure Sales Top $1 Billion Challenging Amazon.”*

“Windows Azure is clearly a compelling solution for organizations that are looking to improve and extend availability of their IT services,” said Roger Klorese, director of product management at WatchGuard. “We are pleased to work closely with Microsoft to bring the same level of comprehensive and best-in-class security that companies rely on for private networks to these growing cloud connections.”

With Windows Azure and Microsoft Hyper-V support, WatchGuard continues to deliver powerful security for fast-growing cloud computing market.

WatchGuard® Technologies is a leader in network security and remote access solutions worldwide. Their ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, performance, value, and customer service has earned recognition from customers, partners, industry analysts, and technical and business publications. LogicalTech is one of Australia’s most trusted enterprise security services and solutions Professional Technology Partner to WatchGuard® Technologies.

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