The new 1600 and 1800 models both have higher density and throughput than earlier models in the series, and are aimed at the mid and higher levels of the SMB space.
The Quantum Spark lineup with the 1600 and 1800 on the bottom
Cybersecurity vendor Check Point Software Technologies has expanded their Quantum Spark portfolio of security gateways with two new models, the 1600 and 1800. They are available for order now. At the same time, the oldest extant model in the series, the 910, is being retired, and will not be available for order after this July. Going forward, the portfolio will consist of six models, four variants of the Quantum Spark 1500, plus the 1600 and 1800.
While the Quantum Spark branding is fairly new, this portfolio has been around for years, designed to fill a clear spot in the market by providing SMB customers with a gateway offering that has enterprise-class capabilities, without the complexity of enterprise management, and with pricing that is appropriate for the SMB level.
“In Canada, sales of these models have been steady, and the area as a whole is a growth area,” said Robert Falzon, Head of Engineering, Canada, for Check Point. “Canada is a particular hot spot for this series of products.”
Falzon said that both the 1600 and the 1800 are aimed more at the mid- to higher end of the SMB market. The 1800 boasts 2 GB of throughput, while the 1600 has 1.5 GB.
“2 GB is quite a significant amount, especially in Canada,” he indicated. “These models relate to the general need for an increase in performance overall, particularly as the need for consolidation increases. Both of these boxes are quite beefy in their capacity, with increased port density. They have both additional fibre and copper parts, to deal with requests for more density.”
Falzon indicated that while the Quantum Spark series lacks some capabilities that Check Point believes SMBs neither want nor need, this series can still be managed by their enterprise platform, by larger organizations who want these models for specific deployments.
Robert Falzon, Head of Engineering, Canada, for Check Point
“What matters in the SMB is that something is easy to manage, because you have far fewer resources for that, and it typically involves a person wearing multiple hats,” he said. “So more complex tools don’t make SMBs more secure. We simplify management of the devices, which can be managed through our WatchTower mobile app, which is an ‘appified’ version of our interface.
“The integration with some of the more advanced tools on the market that are in the enterprise product aren’t here,” Falzon noted. “That lets us keep the cost down. The enterprise product is also designed to be deployed across all areas and all major clouds. It’s simply a different kind of deployment. On the other hand, these have Wi-Fi built in, which is something that is not asked for in an enterprise product. The Quantum Spark series can also be brought under enterprise management, if that is required.
The increased processing on the platform itself is complemented by new capabilities in the software release.
“The anti-spam capabilities have been improved, and these models have our SandBlast Zero Day Protection,” Falzon said. “We have been able to add enterprise capabilities that wouldn’t fit here before because of processing limitations.”
Falzon also pointed out that the Quantum Spark series plugs in to the entire Check Point services ecosystem.
“One of the most important aspects of this is being tied into the ThreatCloid CheckPoint services ecosystem,” he said. “It’s not just the physical advice, but all the ancillary capabilities which are part of this platform, That’s especially important given all the recent news around advanced threats.”
Falzon noted as well that the enhancements to the portfolio make the new models more attractive to partners.
“The information that can be generated by a more intelligent device like this removes some outstanding gaps from a security perspective, and makes it easier for partners to develop and offer ancillary services around us,” he said. “This also creates a market opportunity for forward-thinking partners around malware and phishing, because this has very high catch rates. Because of the management simplification, it is also very easy for them to integrate into their own platforms.”
