Resellers nationwide tap SofaWare's security solutions to deploy comprehensive security services to small businesses.

SofaWare Technologies, a Check Point Software Technologies (Nasdaq:CHKP) company, has announced value-added resellers (VARs) across the U.S. are leveraging SofaWare's Internet security solutions as the foundation for managed security services for small businesses. Peterbuilt Technology in Southern California, Intelligent Connections in Michigan, and Convergent Network Services in Long Island, New York, are all using SofaWare's Safe@ Internet security software combined with the company's Security Management Portal (SMP) to deliver comprehensive security services ranging from basic managed firewall security to managed VPN, content filtering, email anti-virus and site monitoring.

SofaWare's Internet security solutions significantly reduce the complexity and overhead costs typically required for VARs to quickly deploy, provision and remotely manage comprehensive security services. SofaWare's SMP is much easier to use than competitive management systems. VARs need only to install SMP on a single PC in order to manage users and gateways and deliver subscription services to customers using Safe@ "Secured by Check Point" security appliances. Using the SMP management solution, VARs remotely configure, control and maintain one to many thousands of devices while delivering outsourced security services. Additionally, existing customer, billing and provisioning systems can be interfaced through the management portal, making the solution seamless and easy to deploy and maintain. All management is done via a simple standard Web-based interface, driving the cost of ownership to resellers and service providers even lower.

"SofaWare provides a comprehensive security services platform for service providers and resellers that improves customer retention and opens new revenue generating opportunities," said Adi Ruppin, founder and managing director of SofaWare. "Research from IDC shows the market growth for managed security services will continue to grow by as much as 25 percent year over year, and the most apparent opportunity is in the small-to-medium sized business market. One of the key barriers to managed services in this market is cost--cost to the end-customer to purchase the services and cost to the service provider to develop the infrastructure, train its staff and deliver the services in an effective manner. SofaWare is addressing both sides of the equation with Safe@ and SMP, and making managed security services comprehensive, yet affordable, for our customers and the small businesses they serve."

Peterbuilt Technology--A long time customer of SofaWare's Safe@ solutions for managed VPN/Firewall services, Peterbuilt is leveraging SMP to provide high-level management and monitoring services to small and medium-sized business. The company also sees an opportunity to deliver new services to a growing number of clients featuring a distributed environment with several remote branch offices.

"With powerful SofaWare Safe@ solutions and SMP, we are able to deliver comprehensive services that we would otherwise not consider deploying using other management packages that have a much higher cost to us," said Paul Cacho, vice president of operations and CTO at Peterbuilt. "SofaWare provides a complete, manageable solution at an ideal price point. By having the ability to manage Safe@ devices remotely, we can introduce our clients to the concept of other managed services we provide."

Intelligent Connections--Intelligent Connections leverages SofaWare's Safe@ Internet security software and the Security Management Portal (SMP) as the foundation for the company's 123SECURE.NET managed security services to deliver fully outsourced and managed firewall security services to small and medium sized businesses.

"Intelligent Connections, a Premier Check Point Partner and Authorized Training Center, is a leader at delivering enterprise level network security solutions," said Brian Haboush, sales manager at Intelligent Connections. "SofaWare's Safe@ technology and SMP management solution are a natural extension of Check Point's world class security products for both our enterprise clients' remote access needs and for small businesses using 123SECURE.NET. The market has been waiting for this type of technology solution and now it is here at an affordable price."

Convergent Network Services--Serving the New York Metro area, Convergent primarily focuses on Internet related technologies, and is currently expanding its scope of offerings to include comprehensive security services such as network firewalls based on SofaWare Safe@ products.

"A managed firewall offering is an entirely new revenue stream for us and the economics of offering the service are key to its feasibility in our target market of small business with one to 100 employees," said Michael Imbruce, president of Convergent Network Services. "SofaWare's products meet our technical requirements for remote management, scalability, reliability, and feature set. They also keep our initial and ongoing costs low enough to allow us to profitably meet the retail price points we believe the market will sustain. We expect that the backing of Check Point will add further differentiation to our offerings."

SofaWare Technologies, a Check Point Software Technologies (Nasdaq:CHKP) company, makes secure Internet access simple and affordable for small businesses, consumers, and service providers seeking to deliver security services. SofaWare consumerized Check Point Software's market-leading VPN-1/FireWall-1 software and produced the company's Safe@ Internet security product line. Safe@ allows smaller businesses and end-users to experience the same advanced security protection enjoyed by the Fortune 500. The Safe@ software suite provides the security power behind Internet appliances, DSL routers and high-speed cable modems from companies such as Nokia, Toshiba, Celestix, Intrusion Inc. and VPN Dynamics, as well as the SofaWare S-box security appliance. Through SofaWare's Security Management Portal (SMP), service providers and value-added resellers deliver comprehensive security services, such as email anti-virus, content filtering, remote monitoring and hands-free firmware updates to any Safe@ "Secured by Check Point" appliance. SofaWare also targets the distributed enterprise, including telecommuters and remote or branch offices, through Check Point Software's extensive distribution channel and SofaWare's appliance partners.