Security Manager platform

FireMon describes its Security Manager platform as a network security policy and risk management solution. It enables organisations to automatically monitor, track and analyse configuration changes to network security devices such as firewalls, switches and routers to manage changes made, clean up policies that are little or no longer used, and aids organisations with compliance with corporate governance and regulatory requirements. 

FireMon works with channel partners throughout the world, many of which serve local markets. It has received awards for the quality of its partner programme offerings, partner profitability, partner training, education and support, marketing programmes and resources, sales support and communication. It is looking to further extend its reseller channels, with the fastest growing segment being managed service providers. 

FireMon sells its products to enterprises, government agencies and managed service providers. It targets organisations that have large, complex computer networks in vertical industries such as financial services, telecommunications, healthcare, retail and energy. It claims more than 500 such organisations as customers, amounting to more than 100,000 devices under management by its software. 

FireMon’s Security Manager platform comprises three components:

• FireMon’s Security Manager technology pro­vides policy and configuration management and enforcement across network devices, with full monitoring and alerting capabilities where violations are encountered. It can compare configurations to best practices and compli­ance requirements, recommending changes and remedial actions to bring such violations back in line with policy to improve the overall security posture of the network.
• Its Risk Analyzer module provides organisa­tions with the ability to analyse where vulner­abilities exist in the network, in visual form, through integration with Security Manager. It enables organisations to assess where the greatest risks lie by simulating possible attacks to assess their potential impact on network resources. This will allow them not only to quantify the risks that they face, but also to prioritise remediation efforts on those deemed to have the greatest criticality.
• FireMon’s Policy Planner module is a policy management tool that ensures policies are set and maintained in accordance with best prac­tices and are in line with compliance require­ments. It includes comprehensive change management workflow processes to allow an organisation to simulate the impact a proposed change will have on the network before the actual change is made to lessen the chances that the proposed change will introduce fur­ther security risks. 

Generally, FireMon’s technology can be implemented within one to two days, with installation help included in the purchase. FireMon claims that the support burden for its technology is light as the learning curve is quick. Where support is required, it employs support personnel worldwide for 24×7 coverage. It provides training services itself, which generally amounts to four to five hours for end users and five hours for product administrators.