VPN-1 UTM offers firewall, intrusion prevention, antivirus, antispyware, Web application firewall, and both IPsec and SSL VPN, within a single integrated platform. All these functions can be centrally controlled and updated in real time.

Geiger Brothers, the largest privately held promotional products company in the country, has used Check Point for more than eight years. "We have looked at other products and there are some cheaper solutions," says Rob Herman, IT operations manager with Geiger Brothers. "But Check Point is centrally managed so it cuts down on administration and overhead."

Geiger Brothers uses Check Point primarily to secure its 20 field offices across the country with its headquarters in Lewiston, Maine. "We really like Check Point because it's very secure and seamless to manage," says Herman. "It's also very stable. I've been here for five-and-a-half years and we've had very few problems with downtime."

Herman also notes that Check Point, while relatively small, sells to enterprise-sized companies. "They've got some big clients so obviously they're doing something right," he says.

Check Point's ease of use may have something to do with its target market of midsized offices and branches. "They have to conform to internal auditing requirements and they need options in terms of monitoring and reporting to management," says Dave Burton, director of product marketing with Check Point. "They want something that's easy to install and get up and going and Check Point offers all of that."

Check Point also has a VPN-1 UTM Edge product specifically for companies with branch offices. "We've seen a trend toward appliances increasing in branch-sized offices," says Burton. "These branch offices don't have a security expert on-site and they want multiple security applications in one device. UTM Edge does just that."

Many UTM providers don't offer SSL and IPsec VPN as part of their solution; Check Point does. Although they come installed, users must purchase separate licenses to use them.