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WatchGuard Technologies Boosts Security Appliance Performance 500 Percent and Cuts Prices on Firebox X Core UTM Network Security Appliances, Taking the Industry Lead in Price-Performance

WatchGuard products lead in throughput and anti-virus speeds, provide proactive protection against zero-day attacks, and cost 25 percent less than before

Seattle, WA - November 1, 2007. WatchGuard® Technologies, Inc. has taken a substantial lead in price-performance over all comparable unified threat management (UTM) network security appliances. Throughput and anti-virus speeds have increased by as much as 500 percent and pricing lowered by 25 percent. These changes put the WatchGuard Firebox® X Core network security appliances in the number-one positions in throughput speed, anti-virus speed, and overall price-performance in their respective product classes. WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. is the technology leader in UTM solutions.

WatchGuard Firebox X Core Network Security Appliances Surpass All Competitive Products
Based on comparisons of WatchGuard's Firebox X Core packet filter throughput and anti-virus performance data with the product performance data published by Fortinet, Juniper, and SonicWALL, WatchGuard's Firebox X appliances deliver price-performance advantages of up to 5:1.

"As the technology leader in the UTM security market, WatchGuard is showing that UTM security no longer means slower network or business performance," said Tim Helming, WatchGuard senior product manager. "With this product update, we've eliminated the security-for-performance trade-off that has vexed companies employing UTM network security appliances. Now, companies can enjoy the benefits of using the most technologically robust UTM security products on the market, at throughput levels unmatched in their class, and do so at a lower cost. Not only is the raw throughput outstanding, but the anti-virus throughput – which includes WatchGuard proxy technology and anti-virus scanning — is higher than the published performance data of any competitive product in these classes."

New Performance Data and Prices for WatchGuard Firebox X Core 1250e and 750e UTM Appliances
Designed to provide the best in business security for mid- to large-sized companies, the Firebox Core 1250e UTM appliance has been optimized for throughput performance at nearly 1,500Mbps (up from 300Mbps), and priced 25 percent lower: now $5,499 U.S. MSRP compared with $7,400 U.S. MSRP. The Firebox X Core 750e UTM appliance has been optimized for a 250 percent increase in throughput performance at 750Mbps (up from 300Mbps), and priced 26 percent lower: $3,999 U.S. MSRP compared with $5,450 U.S. MSRP.

WatchGuard: The Technology Leader in UTM Security Appliances and Proactive Zero-Day Threat Protection
WatchGuard Firebox network security appliances use a proven application proxy firewall technology that is fundamentally more secure than appliances relying on packet filtering as the foundation of product security. Packet filtering firewalls inspect only the bottom three-to-four layers of the OSI communication model (physical, datalink, network, and transport), leaving another three to four layers without any inspection and vulnerable to exploitation. Using its powerful application proxy firewall technology, the WatchGuard Firebox solutions inspect all seven layers of the OSI communication model, including the session, presentation, and application layers that the packet filtering firewalls leave untouched. With its advanced application proxy firewall, the WatchGuard protection capabilities are unmatched.

Among the leading vendors in the UTM appliance market, only WatchGuard provides UTM security appliances that offer proactive zero-day threat protection. Where other products react to known exploits through signature patches (which leave their customers' networks exposed until the exploits are identified and patched), WatchGuard's heuristic, zero-day protection engine proactively guards against malicious attacks, including zero-day threats, where the vulnerability or virus has not yet been discovered. With an engine that proactively identifies and eliminates threats before they've been discovered en-masse, WatchGuard Firebox X UTM appliances provide true, proactive zero-day threat protection.

About WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.
Since 1996, WatchGuard® Technologies, Inc. has been the technology leader in network security appliances, providing reliable and easy-to-manage security solutions to hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide. The WatchGuard Firebox® X family of unified threat management (UTM) solutions provides the best combination of strong, reliable, and multi-layered security with the best ease of use in its class. All WatchGuard products are backed by the WatchGuard LiveSecurity® Service, an innovative support, maintenance, and education program. WatchGuard is a privately owned company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and has offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. To learn more, please visit www.watchguard.com.

WatchGuard, Firebox, and LiveSecurity are registered trademarks of WatchGuard Technologies, Inc. All other marks are property of their respective owners.