Zyxel ZyWall USG100 Brings Unified Threat Management - Adding It All Up
(
Page 4 of 4 )
Once the device is fully configured, administrators
can turn to the browser-based status screen to keep an eye on things. The status
screen supports drilling down into individual management objects and can launch
reports and process notifications via e-mail or other methods. Solution
providers can remotely monitor and manage the device, perhaps rolling the
product into an SLA (service-level agreement) or managed
services offering. Either way, the USG100
offers plenty of administrative capabilities to make it easy to manage and
monitor.
Extensive logging delivers management reports that
can be used for technical as well as administrative and management information.
Administrators can generate reports showing traffic, blocked sites, VPN usage
and so on, allowing them to quickly demonstrate ROI of the device and
associated services.
For end users, the implementation of the device is
seamless. All the typical desktop user will notice is a lack of virus
infections, a reduction in spam and an increase in WAN reliability. What's
more, the content filtering engine can be set up to offer "nonjudgmental"
warnings about accessing unapproved sites and can have a positive spin based
upon protecting the user from dangerous content.
Administrators will appreciate how straightforward
the setup of rules, policies and filtering is. That ease of use also applies to
traffic management, where definitions can be quickly done to maximize VOIP (or
other) traffic to prevent lost packets or slow performance for mission-critical
applications. That "traffic shaping" can be based upon user,
destination or type of traffic encountered, a truly flexible way of handling something
as critical as network traffic. Using Zyxel's Application Patrol configuration
allows traffic shaping to be driven by specific applications, allowing
administrators to further fine-tune performance for line-of-business
applications.
The product's implementation of dual virus scanners
helps administrators take a layered approach to protecting users and the
network from malware. Zyxel's own anti-virus engine helps to keep things safe
at the edge of the network, while the bundled Kaspersky Lab anti-virus engine
serves as a catchall for anything that may get past the edge and attempt to
infect endpoints inside the network.
All things considered, Zyxel offers an excellent
alternative to the mainstream products on the market for protecting the small
business network or branch office from the ills of the Internet. The USG100
proves to be affordable, reliable and easy to use and would be a welcome
addition to any small network seeking enterprise-level protection. The
company's commitment to the channel ensures that plenty of qualified dealers
and installers are available and that the product should be easy to purchase
and deploy for end users.
