The VAR Guy

Palo Alto Networks is looking to move into your data center with its new GlobalProtect PA-5000 series. The offering also marks the fourth release of PAN-OS, making this the first time new hardware and software have been paired to provide enterprise-level capabilities for ‘next-generation’ firewalls. What does that all boil down to? Here’s the information, straight up …

What exactly is a next-generation firewall? Palo Alto defines it in three ‘distinctive’ ways …

• Securing users and their data regardless of location, essentially remotely protecting computers
• Eliminating network traffic blind spots, so admins can get insight into unusual or supsicious traffic and apps to help tweak security
• Meeting latest and greatest data center requirements by sustaining 20Gbps of performance

No surprise here, the new product lineup of the PA-5000 series meets all the aforementioned requirements, while also adding features such as “custom app-IDs” for internally developed applications that get more leeway. The new PAN-OS also features smart analytics that can detect previously unknown applications or infections. GlobalProtect offers that secure-connection-policy-anywhere technology for mobile users outside corporate boundaries.

Palo Alto’s new lineup is available now, with the PA-5000 series starting at $40,000.

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