Traps has also been better integrated with the Palo Alto Networks Application Framework, something that is likely to please channel partners. So will the increased channel enablement around this Traps release.
Janet Matsuda, SVP of Product Marketing at Palo Alto Networks
Palo Alto Networks has announced the 5.0 version of their Traps advanced endpoint protection offering. The new release features a tighter integration with the Palo Alto Networks Application Framework. It also introduces a cloud-delivered management service, and a more intuitive user interface.
“This release of Traps is simpler to manage, more streamlined, and improves the integration back to the platform for faster response,” said Janet Matsuda, SVP of Product Marketing at Palo Alto Networks.
Traps was originally designed with on-prem management, but with the 5.0 release, a cloud-delivered management service is available for the first time.
“Customers can still use the on-prem management if they choose, but we think that many of them will want to do this from the cloud,” Matsuda said.
Coincident with the new management option beyond on-prem, the user interface from that on-prem management has been refreshed as well.
“The on-prem management had not been updated, so we took the opportunity of introducing cloud management to also rethink how we did it,” Matsuda said. “The integration with our WildFire threat analysis service is now much easier to access. Also, the way we manage groups is better, and there is now a clear prioritization for alerts.”
“Having the GUI in the cloud makes it a lot more flexible,” said Danny Milrad, Director of Product Marketing at Palo Alto Networks. “Being able to prioritize alerts to pay attention to the high priority ones enables doing a faster triage.”
Traps adds support for the Linux OS with this release, in addition to Windows and the MacOS.
“Traps was acquired several years ago, and since then, we have aggressively enhanced it, but it was all about priorities,” Matsuda said. “We focused on first on enhancing the protections – integrating with WildFire, and adding knowledge of more and more exploit techniques. Those were our first priorities, and now we have moved into Linux and cloud management.”
The stronger integration with the Application Framework Palo Alto Networks Application Framework and Logging Service is a major enhancement. It will facilitate easier movement of data between Traps, the AutoFocus threat intelligence service, Panorama network security management, and Magnifier behavioral analytics. The integration will also now enable Application Framework apps to use Traps as a sensor and enforcement point for the third-party and native apps the Framework will deliver as it grows.
“We are really excited about this, because integrating it through the Logging Service will pull all this together,” Matsuda said.
Matsuda said that because the channel is really excited about the Application Framework, the improved integration here will be of special interest to them.
“Upsell and cross-sell is important to the channel, and the better that the different products that they are selling work together, the better it is for them,” Matsuda said. “The integration improves that capability, and also gives them another reason to go back and sell across the platform – things like Magnifier, and the Logging Service.”
Matsuda also emphasized that Traps 5.0 has a stronger channel enablement component than before.
“One thing we are changing at Palo Alto Networks is that as we go forward, we are doing more channel enablement,” she said. “We are providing more channel enablement tools like sales guides and quick reference guides. We are really upping our investment there.”
