Answering competitors who’ve recently released similar gear, Fortinet on Tuesday announced plans for products to boost security in high-speed Ethernet networks.

The privately held security firm said its new switch and security blades will help block security threats on 10-gigabit Ethernet networks without any discernible delays. The products are targeted at telecommunication carriers, managed security service providers, and large organizations that run high-bandwidth networks.

“Large data center environments and enterprise networks require security in their new 10-gigabit infrastructure,” said Chris Roeckl, vice president, marketing for Fortinet. “Just like five to 10 years ago [when] everyone put in gigabit networks and realized at some point they needed gigabit security, we are seeing something similar happen in the 10-gigabit segment now.”

The company’s FortiController-5208 will handle inbound and outbound connections and balance the traffic across the system. The firm also announced the FortiGate-5005 blades, which will offer security such as firewall, antivirus, anti-spyware, intrusion prevention system (IPS), antispam, Web content filtering, VPN, and traffic shaping. The devices can be deployed individually or in a combination of security modules, depending on customer requirements, the company said.

Fortinet expects technology trials to go on for the next six months. It plans to roll the products into production in the first half of 2007.

The move is an attempt by Fortinet, one of the biggest private security companies to serve enterprises, to fight back against rivals.

Formed in 2001, the Sunnyvale, California-based Fortinet has about 700 employees and had more than $100 million in revenue last year. So far, Fortinet has raised about $100 million in funding from investors including Redpoint Ventures, Meritech Capital Partners, and iD Ventures America.

Networking and Security

The growth in data traffic, video, VoIP, and data center consolidation are driving the need for increased bandwidth and high-speed connections. To meet this surge in traffic, many companies are moving to 10-gigabit Ethernet connections.

At the same time, a rise in security threats has led to the deployment of multiple methods of network and application layer protection. This can often tax network performance and scalability, said Fortinet.

Security systems have to co-exist in the 10-gigabit Ethernet environments and perform traffic inspection and protection against threats without significantly crippling network performance and scalability.

“Carriers were happy to pass along the malware and spyware until their backbone got utilized by this traffic, so now they are looking for security services that can work on their networks,” said Richard Stiennon, chief research analyst for consulting and research firm IT Harvest. “The challenge is in not just having high-speed capability switching, but the ability to scan packets and do it without any latency.”

The latest set of products will also help Fortinet solidify its push into the high-end enterprise security market. Fortinet started out in the small to medium enterprise area with appliances that integrated multiple levels of security. But for the past year, the company has introduced products that target large enterprises.

“We have been successful with that, and our newest products are a continuation of this strategy,” said Mr. Roeckl. “We think it’s important for the company to have a balanced revenue approach.”

Turning Up the Heat

Fortinet’s entry turns up the heat in this segment of the market where high-speed networking melds with security. Already a few competitors have beat Fortinet when it comes to releasing a similar product.

Last month, Force10 Networks released a similar product and said it has bagged more than 20 customers, including the Amsterdam Internet Exchange, Oakridge National Laboratory, OxfordUniversity, and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Started in 1999, Force10 currently has more than 350 employees and has raised $300 million in funding from investors including Crosslink Capital, Morganthaler Ventures, Meritech Capital Ventures, and New Enterprise Associates (see Force10 Enters Security Market).

Another security brand, Tipping Point, a division of 3Com, also offers a 10-Gb security device.

Broad Service

Fortinet said it scores over competitors by giving a more comprehensive solution. “We have seen a couple of players delivering 10 Gb support but that is just for intrusion prevention services,” said Mr. Roeckl. “Fortinet has it for the unified threat management market and we are able to provide it through our multiple security techniques.”

Still it may be just a temporary respite. As networks become faster, security companies will have to work continuously to offer security products that work with the ever-faster networks.

“Once you get into the market, it is an uphill climb,” said Mr. Stiennon. “Bandwidth usage is increasing and threats are rising, so it is 10 Gb today, and it may become 100 Gb tomorrow. So it is going to require continuous investment.”

Contact the writer:PGanapati@RedHerring.com