Forwarded From: "Spencer, Will" <wspencer@DMWGroup.com>
Check Point Software Technologies and Microsoft Expand Strategic
Partnership
Partnership to Offer Industrial-Strength Enterprise Security and
Unmatched
Policy-Based Management Across Microsoft Windows NT Global Networks
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 11 /PRNewswire/ Check Point Software
Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: CHKPF), the worldwide leader in policy-based
management for active networks, and Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq: MSFT)
today expanded their two-year strategic partnership to provide unified
policy-based management for global networks running Microsoft Windows NT.
The, companies' efforts will accelerate, the acceptance of Windows NT as
the platform of choice for enterprise security.
In addition to providing tight integration between their respective
product offerings, including the leading enterprise operating system,
Microsoft Windows NT and Check Point's leading policy-based management
solutions, Check Point(TM) FireWall-1(R), FloodGate-1(TM), Open Security
Manager(TM), and MetaIP(TM), the companies will work together to ensure
the interoperability of security components from each company and to
extend Check Point's policy-based management framework to manage
additional Microsoft products.
"Our existing partnership with Check Point has provided our customers
with the combined expertise of the leaders in our respective industries,
ensuring the enterprise-level security that is absolutely critical in
today's increasingly Internet-driven business environment," said Steve
Ballmer, executive vice president, Microsoft Corporation. "By extending
that relationship to overall policy-based management of Windows NT-based
networks, our customers will be able to build leading-edge business
communications solutions, such as virtual private networks, that are
revolutionizing the way companies do business."
The partnership between Check Point and Microsoft began in 1996 with
the availability of the Check Point FireWall-1 enterprise security suite
for Microsoft Windows NT. Today, FireWall-1 is the industry's leading
enterprise security solution for Microsoft Windows NT customers, and over
half of FireWall-1 licenses shipped in Check Point's most recent quarter
were for the Windows NT platform. Check Point and Microsoft have also
worked together to enable centralized management for Microsoft Routing and
Remote Access Server (RRAS) Windows NT-based router within Check Point's
policy-based management console. In addition, Microsoft has been a member
of Check Point's OPSEC(TM) (Open Platform for Secure Enterprise
Connectivity) Alliance for over a year, with both the NetMeeting(TM) and
NetShow(TM) applications shipping as OPSEC Certified products.
Three Areas of Partnership
To accelerate the acceptance of the Windows NT platform as the
platform of choice for enterprise security, the companies are working
together in three specific areas:
.. Directory-enabled policy management for Windows NT to create
unified policy-based management for NT networks. Partnership efforts
include the integration of the following Windows NT 5.0 features with
Check Point's FireWall-l, FloodGate-1, Open Security Manager and MetaIP
products:
- Windows NT Log-On and NT Domains
- Microsoft Active Directory(TM), an LDAP-compliant directory
service, and joint cooperation in the Directory-Enabled
Networking (DEN) initiative co-founded by Microsoft and
Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO)
- Windows NT Event Monitor
.. Interoperability of security components from both companies to
ensure consistent, standards-based implementations for
business-to-business communications using virtual private networks (VPNs),
including:
- IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) standards-based encryption
for virtual private networks (VPNs)
- Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) interoperability between
Microsoft's Certificate Authority (CA) solution and Check
Point's VPN solution
.. Extending Check Point's policy-based management framework to
include:
- Windows NT access control lists
- Additional security features in Microsoft RRAS
"As networks have become more global, policy-based management has become
the 'holy grail,' the absolute essential element for implementing a
uniform security policy across an entire enterprise," said Deborah Triant,
president and CEO of Check Point Software Technologies, Inc. "We're
delighted that we can partner strategically with Microsoft to accelerate
the worldwide adoption of policy-based management, which is a vital
foundation to enable truly secure and reliable business-to-business
communications."
About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. is a leader in policy-based
management solutions for active networks. Through its patented Stateful
Inspection technology, the company is uniquely positioned to deliver
Secure Enterprise Connectivity solutions that protect information assets
and enhance the performance of enterprise networks. Check Point offerings
include the world's leading enterprise security suite, Check Point
FireWall-1, and the industry's premier policy-based bandwidth management
solution, Check Point FloodGate-l (TM). The company has U.S. headquarters
in Redwood City, California and international headquarters in Ramat-Gan,
Israel. For product information, call 800-429-4391 or 650-628-2000 or
visit the company's web site at http://www.checkpoint.com.
Check Point, the Check Point logo, Check Point FireWall-1, FireWall-1,
SecuRemote, FireWall-First!, OPSEC, INSPECT, FloodGate-1 and IQ Engine are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Check Point Software Technologies
Ltd. Microsoft, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
All other product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their
respective owners.
SOURCE Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
{PRNewswire:Computers-0511.28} 05/11/98
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Received on Wed May 13 14:33:19 1998